Sri Lanka

If you’ve long overlooked Sri Lanka en route to the more in demand parts of India and Southeast Asia, it’s time to circle back. This ‘teardrop’ island country’s history, culture and natural beauty are unparalleled, with UNESCO sites (eight in total), colonial fortresses, secluded beaches and national parks just a hop, skip, and jump away. Be it diving with blue whales in Kalpitiya, watching a cricket match in the sleepy city of Galle or getting lost in Buddha caves, there’s something that appeals to every taste.

A land of a thousand stories …

With its smoky tea mornings and lolling surf, Sri Lanka embodies a sweet peach dropped by the gods in the pale shimmer of the Indian Ocean. Celebrated by Marco Polo as the “fairest isle”, this Pearl of the Orient is laced with old world romance. A song of innocence stitched together with wild elephants, vast plantations, still water lakes, stashed away temples and crumbling kingdoms.

The Cultural Triangle takes you wandering through lands of ancient mythology, from sunset climbs up 5th century rock fortresses to jungles concealing hidden castles. In Kandy, revel in silken saris, sacred buddhas and ineffable Tooth Relic temples.

On the southeast, the Yala National Park makes way for trundling turtles, pastel painted flamingos, and leopards slinking in the shadows. High in the misty cooling peaks of Nuwara Eliya, visitors will be entranced by the colonial charm of the City of the Dawn, where the famous Ceylon trail calls for lofty afternoons spent sipping steaming cups of tē.

From lush plantations to tropical sands, Sri Lanka’s coastline holds a lyrical lilt of long-board waves, whale-rich waters, and stilted fishermen casting their hopeful lines. Above all, it’s the toothy smiles and endearing hospitality that make Sri Lanka such an enchanting destination.

With its smoky tea mornings and lolling surf, Sri Lanka embodies a sweet peach dropped by the gods in the pale shimmer of the Indian Ocean. Celebrated by Marco Polo as the “fairest isle”, this Pearl of the Orient is laced with old world romance. A song of innocence stitched together with wild elephants, vast plantations, still water lakes, stashed away temples and crumbling kingdoms.

Read more

The Cultural Triangle takes you wandering through lands of ancient mythology, from sunset climbs up 5th century rock fortresses to jungles concealing hidden castles. In Kandy, revel in silken saris, sacred buddhas and ineffable Tooth Relic temples.

On the southeast, the Yala National Park makes way for trundling turtles, pastel painted flamingos, and leopards slinking in the shadows. High in the misty cooling peaks of Nuwara Eliya, visitors will be entranced by the colonial charm of the City of the Dawn, where the famous Ceylon trail calls for lofty afternoons spent sipping steaming cups of tē.

From lush plantations to tropical sands, Sri Lanka’s coastline holds a lyrical lilt of long-board waves, whale-rich waters, and stilted fishermen casting their hopeful lines. Above all, it’s the toothy smiles and endearing hospitality that make Sri Lanka such an enchanting destination.

Reflections from Sri Lanka

Discover Sri Lanka from our experience makers and fellow escapists

null

Wander The Trails of Sri Lanka

Make a dramatic entrance via helicopter or seaplane to the green estates and misty blue country hills of the tea trails in the city of Nuwara Eliya. Beautiful vistas of mountains, lakes, winding roads and waterfalls will greet you as you soar in. Upon landing, our ground expert — and one of the most respected tea estate consultants in Sri Lanka’s hill country — will bring you on a journey through the trails and delight you in stories from his 30 years (and counting) as a resident planter in the fields. Meet tea pickers along the way, try your hand at plucking leaves and taste varying grades of the iconic brew.

Go on a Wildlife Safari Adventure

Live your wildest safari dreams in Yala National Park. Traverse the grasslands and lagoons on a 4×4 safari jeep and spot the elusive leopard and majestic elephants on your path. When the sun sets, monkeys bound between trees in feeding frenzies. Even elephants make midnight appearances on the beach.

null

A Sri Lanka Journey

Get inspired for your perfect escape with this journey previously crafted for a fellow traveller

Immersive Sri Lanka Experiences

Sri Lanka Travel Tips & Insights

Geography

Sri Lanka, formerly called “Ceylon”, is an island nation in the Indian Ocean, southeast of the Indian subcontinent, in a strategic location near major Indian Ocean sea lanes. The nation has a total area of 65,610 km², with 64,740 km² of land and 870 km² of water. Sri Lanka’s climate includes tropical monsoons: the northeast monsoon (December to March), and the southwest monsoon (June to October)

Currency

The official Sri Lankan currency is the Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR). It is difficult to obtain Rupees outside of Sri Lanka as it is not deemed a major currency. US dollars, Singapore dollars and Euro are easily exchanged into local currency around the country, including on arrival at the airport – and those counters usually offer the best exchange rate.We recommend preparing sufficient cash in Sri Lankan currency, as most small establishments in small cities or the rural countryside do not accept foreign credit cards.

Getting Here

Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB), colloquially known as Katunayake Airport and Colombo International Airport, (IATA: CMB, ICAO: VCBI) is the main international airport serving Sri Lanka. It is named after former Prime Minister SWRD Bandaranaike and is located in a suburb of Negombo, 20 miles (32.5 km) north of the commercial capital Colombo. It serves as the hub of Sri Lankan Airlines, the national carrier of Sri Lanka, and domestic carrier Cinnamon Air.

Sri Lanka is well served by major Asian carriers, including budget favourite Air Asia, and finding direct or connecting flights (transiting through Asia, Middle East or India) should be relatively easy.

For our Singapore visitors, there are direct flights to Colombo operated by Singapore Airlines and connect flights operated by Air Asia. This should take approximately 4 hours.

Visas

Update: Sri Lanka will give offer one-month visas to citizens from nearly 50 countries in an effort to boost tourism

Visitors to Sri Lanka visiting for tourism purposes must obtain an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA), unless they are exempt, prior to arrival or on arrival to Sri Lanka or they must obtain a visa in advance. All visitors must hold a passport valid for 6 months.

On the basis of reciprocity, citizens of the following three countries are exempt from the requirement to obtain a visa for Sri Lanka: Maldives, Seychelles, Singapore.

Citizens of the following countries will not require a visa for Sri Lanka for stays up to six-months from 1 May 2019 (for a trial period of six months): All European Union citizens, Australia, Canada, Malaysia, New Zealand, South Korea, Thailand, United States.

 

Customs

  • The following needs to be declared according to the Sri Lanka Customs Luggage Declaration Form when entering and exiting Sri Lanka:
  • 1.5 liters of spirits and 2 bottles of wine;
  • Souvenirs not intended for commercial use, up to the value of USD 250.
  • Local currency (Sri Lanka Rupee-LKR) up to LKR 20,000.-.
  • Gold, silver and other valuable items
  • Goods under FRIC or CARNET
  • Gems should be declared

Weather

Sri Lanka is a year-round holiday destination, although December to mid-April is considered to be the peak season. Temperatures are fairly constant year round, with coastal regions enjoying average temperatures of 25-30°C and the highlands 15-18°C on average. If you’re travelling during the summer months (May to September) you’ll want to head towards the east coast and northern regions for dry, sunny weather, as the west and south-west coasts experience rain at this time. On the flip side, the west and south west enjoy favourable weather conditions during the winter months (October to February) when the monsoon season hits the east and north.

Geography

Sri Lanka, formerly called “Ceylon”, is an island nation in the Indian Ocean, southeast of the Indian subcontinent, in a strategic location near major Indian Ocean sea lanes. The nation has a total area of 65,610 km², with 64,740 km² of land and 870 km² of water. Sri Lanka’s climate includes tropical monsoons: the northeast monsoon (December to March), and the southwest monsoon (June to October)

Currency

The official Sri Lankan currency is the Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR). It is difficult to obtain Rupees outside of Sri Lanka as it is not deemed a major currency. US dollars, Singapore dollars and Euro are easily exchanged into local currency around the country, including on arrival at the airport – and those counters usually offer the best exchange rate.We recommend preparing sufficient cash in Sri Lankan currency, as most small establishments in small cities or the rural countryside do not accept foreign credit cards.

Getting Here

Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB), colloquially known as Katunayake Airport and Colombo International Airport, (IATA: CMB, ICAO: VCBI) is the main international airport serving Sri Lanka. It is named after former Prime Minister SWRD Bandaranaike and is located in a suburb of Negombo, 20 miles (32.5 km) north of the commercial capital Colombo. It serves as the hub of Sri Lankan Airlines, the national carrier of Sri Lanka, and domestic carrier Cinnamon Air.

Sri Lanka is well served by major Asian carriers, including budget favourite Air Asia, and finding direct or connecting flights (transiting through Asia, Middle East or India) should be relatively easy.

For our Singapore visitors, there are direct flights to Colombo operated by Singapore Airlines and connect flights operated by Air Asia. This should take approximately 4 hours.

Visas

Update: Sri Lanka will give offer one-month visas to citizens from nearly 50 countries in an effort to boost tourism

Visitors to Sri Lanka visiting for tourism purposes must obtain an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA), unless they are exempt, prior to arrival or on arrival to Sri Lanka or they must obtain a visa in advance. All visitors must hold a passport valid for 6 months.

On the basis of reciprocity, citizens of the following three countries are exempt from the requirement to obtain a visa for Sri Lanka: Maldives, Seychelles, Singapore.

Citizens of the following countries will not require a visa for Sri Lanka for stays up to six-months from 1 May 2019 (for a trial period of six months): All European Union citizens, Australia, Canada, Malaysia, New Zealand, South Korea, Thailand, United States.

Customs

      • The following needs to be declared according to the Sri Lanka Customs Luggage Declaration Form when entering and exiting Sri Lanka:
      • 1.5 liters of spirits and 2 bottles of wine;
      • Souvenirs not intended for commercial use, up to the value of USD 250.
      • Local currency (Sri Lanka Rupee-LKR) up to LKR 20,000.-.
      • Gold, silver and other valuable items
      • Goods under FRIC or CARNET
      • Gems should be declared

Weather

Sri Lanka is a year-round holiday destination, although December to mid-April is considered to be the peak season. Temperatures are fairly constant year round, with coastal regions enjoying average temperatures of 25-30°C and the highlands 15-18°C on average. If you’re travelling during the summer months (May to September) you’ll want to head towards the east coast and northern regions for dry, sunny weather, as the west and south-west coasts experience rain at this time. On the flip side, the west and south west enjoy favourable weather conditions during the winter months (October to February) when the monsoon season hits the east and north.

Discover our Destinations

null

Bhutan

null

Cambodia

null

Chile

null

Iceland

null

India

null

Indonesia

null

Japan

null

Mongolia

null

Morocco

null

Myanmar

null

Nepal

null

New Zealand

null

Oman

null

Peru

null

Sabah, Malaysia

null

Singapore

null

Sri Lanka

null

Thailand

null

Vietnam

null

Yunnan, China

As seen in…

Let’s Escape