Shri Lanka is a small island located near the south of India. You’ve probably already seen Sri Lanka on the map and wondered: “what is there to do in this country!?”. At least that was our question when we decided to include ancient Ceylon in our travel itinerary through Asia.
But to our surprise, in a short time we discovered that Sri Lanka has it all: safaris, beautiful beaches, mountains, heat and cold at the same time of year, delicious food and the kindest people we encountered in these more than 14 months on the road.
Therefore, we have gathered in this post practical information to help you plan your trip to the country. Here you will find tips on what to do, where to stay, average expenses and much more. Come on?
Visa to Shri Lanka:
Indians need a visa to visit Shri Lanka. But the process is VERY simple, allowing you to do everything over the internet very quickly. The cost is USD 35.
The first step is to click on this link and fill out a form to obtain an ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization), an Electronic Travel Authorization. After payment of the fee you will receive confirmation within 72 hours. But we got the email super fast. For ATV Rental Click here
In addition, with the ETA, the visa itself will be issued upon arrival in the country. But relax, because the immigration process is super simple and what caught our attention the most is that the visa has a date and time to expire. Look:
Vaccinations needed to visit Shri Lanka:
You, Indian friend, will need to present the yellow fever vaccination certificate as soon as you arrive at the airport. Therefore, even before immigration, you will be directed to a health control center where the agent will ask you some questions, ask to see the certificate and release you in a few minutes. Only after this investigation will you be able to go to immigration.
Telephone and Internet:
Again we will hit the same key: it is not worth buying the international unlimited internet chips that are sold in India for absurd prices. As soon as you land at International Airport you will find some kiosks that sell chips from the main telephone operators in the country. But already note that the best are.
We bought a 6GB package per day (3GB to use during the day and another 3GB to use at night), strange, right? But most packages are sold that way.
We paid USD 4 for the package that lasted 30 days on this scheme. YES, you read that right: 4 dollars for 30 days of internet. A bargain! However, Airtel did not have a good signal in all cities.
People of Shri Lanka:
The people of Shri Lanka were the friendliest people we had contact in these more than 14 months traveling the world. A helpful, friendly people with an easy smile. We were delighted with the cordiality of the Sri Lankan people.
It was one of the only countries where people approached us with the genuine intention of chatting, making friends and offering help. We left there with a heavy heart because our desire was to stay longer, just for the joy of living with such nice people. For Visitor Visa Consult Here
Typical Shri Lankan Foods:
Thank good Lord here in Shri Lanka they don’t use cilantro much (unlike India). At first we thought the food would be similar to Indian food, but we were super surprised, as the cuisine of the two countries is very different. And that’s great for those who put both countries on the same trip, went through India first and left there feeling sick of curry.
Short eats:
You know the snacks we have in India? Drumsticks, pastels and etc.? Around Here they are known as “short eats”. The values vary a lot, but they cost on average LKR 60.00, which is equivalent to USD 0.30.
Short Eats are fried or baked and sold everywhere. In some restaurants you sit at a table and they bring you a tray with some types. You choose the ones you want to eat and pay only for the ones you consume. The rest go back to the counter
Kottu:
The typical Sri Lankan dish that I liked the most and that we ate almost every day was Kottu, or Koththu. A crazy mix of roti (a kind of bread that is also famous in India) with vegetables, chicken, cheese, egg or seafood and that may or may not be accompanied by a spicy chicken-flavored sauce. A plate that can be shared by two, depending on the size, costs an average of USD 1.80. Apply Here for Shri Lanka Visa
Rice and curry:
Shri Lankan cuisine evolved around rice. That’s why the favorite meal of the locals is Rice and Curry, a huge dish of white rice accompanied by portions of meat in sauce – a kind of stew that can also be chicken, vegetables or seafood.
Accommodation in Shri Lanka:
We visited Shri Lanka during the month of October, in low season. We pay an average of USD 9 for double rooms with private bathroom and air conditioning.