Sri Lanka FAQs

The expiry date of your passports must be at least 6 months after your arrival.

Yes, you’ll need to apply for your visas in advance.

You can do this online through the ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation) website anytime from 90 days before you depart, and you’ll usually get a confirmation within a day or two. The current fee is $75 per traveller (including kids) and the ETA allows you to stay for up to 60 days.

On arrival, each member of your family will need to present a valid passport with at least one blank page, as well as evidence of onward travel (e.g. your return flight ticket).

You can always check the latest UK travel conditions on the FCDO website. If you own a passport issued by another country, please check with your relevant embassy before travel.

Yes, we would always recommend taking out comprehensive family travel insurance when travelling. This should cover any medical services you need, lost property and other common claims.

We would also strongly suggest buying a policy as soon as you’ve booked your holiday, as most insurers will cover you for cancellation before departure at no extra cost (e.g. for medical problems or close family members passing away).

In general, Sri Lanka has a warm and humid climate so loose clothes made from natural materials are perfect. You’ll also want light rain jackets, some sturdy trainers or walking boots, and a couple of warmer layers in case you head into the highlands.

Some other family packing essentials include;

Sunscreen, sunglasses, hats or caps, sandals, mosquito repellent, plug adaptors (for type A sockets), charger cables for any gadgets, reading materials, refillable water bottles, small first aid kit, any specific medicines (clearly labelled).

Also remember your bank card and any emergency helpline numbers, a small first aid kit, copies of important documents and a money belt to keep them in.

It is always best to get the advice of a GP or travel nurse before travelling overseas to check which vaccinations you might need or if any boosters are required. The Fit for Travel website provides a comprehensive guide on all the vaccinations you should consider.

We know heading off on holiday is always a little bit stressful, especially on the day you leave, so we would advise doing these things before you depart:

• Check you have all your necessary documentation, including your passports!
• Take a photo of your documents and email it to yourself and travelling partners. Having a copy on your phone always comes in handy too.
• Ensure you have all your chargers and converters for any phones, cameras, tablets you are taking. A portable battery pack is a handy item to have in your hand luggage.
• Take snacks and a refillable bottle for your flight.
• Get to the airport with plenty of time to spare, we advise arriving 3 hours prior to your flight departure.
• Pack a change of clothes in your hand luggage and take a photo of your checked bag in case it goes missing en route.
• Sit back and relax knowing we have your holiday sorted!

The official languages of Sri Lanka are Sinhala and Tamil, with Sinhala being most common in the south, west and central regions, and Tamil being the dominant tongue in the north and east. Learning a few basic phrases or even just saying thank you in local language (Sinhala: “sthoo-thi” Tamil: “nandri”) will be appreciated, but the good news is that English is widely spoken as a second language by many Sri Lankans. You’ll also find many menus or official signs in English, so you’ll get by fine without mastering the local languages.

Sri Lankan’s take their food very seriously and, in our humble opinion, have developed one of the best cuisines in Asia if not the world. Think delicious curries, lipsmacking roti breads, stunning fresh fish and a million different ways to cook rice. Mild dishes, creamy dishes, spicy dishes, sweet dishes… even if your kids aren’t adventurous eaters, we think Sri Lanka can win them over.

If not, more familiar western options are widely available on many menus, especially in tourist-focused areas.

Vegetarians and vegans are well catered for in Sri Lanka – many national dishes are meat-free anyway. If needed, you can use the phrase “saya tak suka makan daging” to explain that you don’t eat meat.

You’ll find most Sri Lankans to be warm and welcoming people, and the culture is relatively informal and friendly. Sri Lankans are generally understanding of cultural differences and rarely take offence if you slip up, but here are a few things to be aware of;

• It’s expected to take of your shoes when entering a Sri Lankan home
• The left hand is thought of as the ‘cleaning’ hand, so passing money or other objects should be done with the right hand
• If somebody offers a gift or refreshment, they may find it rude if you refuse
• If you’re eating in a Sri Lankan home, you should leave a little bit of food on the plate if you don’t want any more – they may keep filling your plate otherwise!
• Don’t touch anybody on the top of the head, since it’s seen as disrespectful

Sri Lanka is generally considered a safe destination for family travel. Crime involving tourists is, for the most part, limited to petty theft. Keep a tight hold on your valuables in busy urban areas or use a concealed money belt. Never hand over your passport to non-officials (we suggest carrying a photocopy instead) and try to stick to ATMs located inside of banks. Recent years have seen some political unrest – this won’t target tourists but it’s strongly advised to steer clear of any disturbances.

You can check latest official travel guidance on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website.

In case of emergency, you’ll have a 24/7 telephone number for our local partners who can help and advise in almost any situation. In more extreme cases, 118/119 is the police number and it’s 110 for an ambulance.

You can also speak to the dedicated Tourist Police on (+94) 112 421 052 and reach the British Embassy on (+94) 115 390 639. Make sure you have good family travel insurance to cover any costs that arise.

P.S. We’d recommend making a couple of copies of your passport photo page before travelling and also saving a digital copy in your e-mails – this will make things much easier if something happens to your actual passport.

The official currency of Sri Lanka is the Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR or just Rs). Notes come in denominations of 5000, 2000, 1000, 500, 200, 100, 50, 20 and 10, and coins in 1, 2, 5, and 10. For reference, £1 is equivalent to around 400Rs.

You will definitely need cash for most of your day-to-day spending. We recommend getting a decent chunk of cash early on and carrying it in a money belt along with cards and passports. Most hotels can store valuables in a safe if you feel uncomfortable carrying or leaving things in your room.

The Sri Lankan Rupee is a ‘closed’ currency and is virtually impossible to exchange before you get there, but it’s easy enough to exchange GBP, USD or EUR at the airport or in banks. Many hotels will also exchange currency but the rate is unlikely to be that good. You can also use ATMs, although fees will likely apply and we strongly recommend only using ATMs located inside of banks for safety – outside ones are sometimes targeted by fraudsters.

You will be able to pay for some things using a debit or credit card (e.g. in hotels or mainstream shops) but make sure you check with your bank in case of overseas fees. If needed, we recommend signing up for a prepaid card like Monzo, Revolut, Starling or Wise which offer low or zero fees abroad.

Tipping is very much part of the tourism culture in Sri Lanka and many people in the service industries rely on tips to maintain a decent income. It’s a good idea to keep some smaller notes handy in case you receive some nice service from hotel staff, bar staff etc.. Something like Rs100 or Rs200 (50p) is more than enough in most cases. For eating out, around 10-15% of the bill is sufficient, and you can follow a similar rule for tuk tuk rides or just tell them to keep the change.

When you’re travelling Sri Lanka with Rickshaw Travel, we’ll have booked your driver and day tours in advance. Our drivers and guides are fairly paid but always appreciate a tip if you feel they’ve given excellent service. It’s entirely up to you of course and there is no obligation to tip. If you do choose to tip, then a guideline would be around £10-15 per day for a driver and around the same for your guide on a half-day tour.