10 things you should know before coming to Sri Lanka

While searching for tips that are available to travellers planning to come to Sri Lanka, I found that there was not much good advice offered. Which is why, this month, my post features 10 things that travellers should know before coming to Sri Lanka.

1) You need to get a Visa

Since January 2012 all tourists are required to obtain a Visa to enter Sri Lanka. You can apply online through the Sri Lankan Electronic Travel Authorization website - http://www.eta.gov.lk/slvisa/ .  A tourist Visa for double entry valid for 30 days costs US$ 30.00 for adults and is free for children under 12. You could get the Visa on arrival at the airport, but I recommend that you get it before you arrive because it saves time and is more convenient.

2) Packing Essentials

It’s important that you pack light for your holiday, especially if you are going on a tour with your family. Spending half an hour trying to stuff five cases into a car every time you travel from one destination to another is a huge waste of time and effort. If you are exploring Sri Lanka, you are likely to visit many religious places, so it is important to pack a modest outfit like jeans, light coloured pants or a knee length skirt with a light coloured top, tshirt or shirt with sleeves. Other things that you should pack are flip flops, a hat or cap, sun glasses and a light jacket if you are staying in the hill country which can get chilly in the evenings.

3) Medicine: Talk to your physician

Although I believe it isn’t necessary, most doctors recommend taking Malaria tablets if you are travelling to the North of the country. You should meet with your physician and get advice on what medicine is best for you in the event of allergies etc.

4) Insect Repellent

Sri Lanka is a tropical country and we are home to lots of insects such as mosquitoes. Consider bringing a good brand of insect repellent to avoid getting annoyed by them.

5) Chargers

The plug points in Sri Lanka are most often three round pins or three square pins and electricity is at 230 volts at 50 Hertz. If your devices need charging and it doesn't support this power voltage, you should bring an adapter along with you to protect it.

6) It’s hotter than you think!

Everyone knows that Sri Lanka is a warm country all year round. However, most of the time, it’s hotter than you think. It’s important to not only bring the sunblock, but to actually use it and remember to stay hydrated. Whether you are going to climb Sigiriya Rock or for a short walk down the street, you should always carry a bottle of water with you. It is also very humid in Sri Lanka, so consider packing a good hair conditioner to avoid having frizzy hair throughout your holiday!

7) Don’t get ripped off…

Some shop owners, vendors and tuk-tuk drivers look to make some quick money and tourists are an easy target for them. Don’t give in if they charge you extortionate prices and don’t let them guilt you into giving them a bigger tip than they deserve. Find out how much a ride is to your destination before you get into the tuk tuk, or better yet, get a metered one so you know you won’t be paying extra and always bargain with vendors who don’t have a fixed price list…!

8) Road Rules

Try not to get freaked out by the traffic and the chaotic way people drive here. You will get used to after a few days on the road. Many people have asked me about driving a rental around Sri Lanka on their holiday. I always advise them against it unless they are used to the way Sri Lankan’s drive because it isn’t the safest thing to take on.

9) Food

I believe that to fully experience a country, you need to fully experience its food. You should try as many types of dishes possible and experience the wide range of fruits and vegetables that Sri Lankan has to offer without thinking about the calories. A few must try food items are string hoppers, hoppers, koththu roti, Ceylon tea, tin-kiri te [tea made with condensed milk] and [obviously] rice and curry.

10) Experience

There is so much more to Sri Lanka than just the pristine beaches, ruins and tea estates. You must witness the Sri Lankan culture and experience everything from the wildlife that we are so proud of to the rivers that flow from the hill country. Sri Lanka has so much undiscovered potential and I believe you should stray off the beaten track and discover it first-hand.

I hope you found this post useful. I will leave you with Andrew Zimmerman words; “Please be a traveller, not a tourist. Try new things. Meet new people, and look beyond what’s right in front of you. Those are the keys to understanding the amazing world we live in”. 

4 Day Weekend

I’ve said this before, and this wouldn’t be the last time; I love being in the tourism industry because I get to travel and experience a variety of things all the time. A few weeks ago, I had to check out some hotels down south and on the East Coast. So I planned a four day weekend where I would travel along the south coast, cut across to the east coast and end up in the jungle. 

Ever since the Southern Expressway opened up, I haven’t been taking the coastal route down south because it takes 3 times as long to get to Galle. But I do miss the old road, which is much more scenic and interesting. Day one on my four day weekend wasn’t too exciting because I had a lot of hotels, villas and bungalows to inspect along the way. Some were horrible, some were mediocre and some were very interesting because of their great locations, unusual architecture and unique interior. I find that most of the beach hotels and villas that I visit have a very similar design and theme. That is why I love it when I find ones that are a complete contrast to the norm.  I also got to see some nice private beaches that day. One of those that stood out was the beach in front of Villa Maggona [a very comfortable and private villa with great staff]. It was a wide stretch of beach and there were no other people to be seen. It was the kind of beach you see pictures of in glossy travel magazines.

The Beach front at Villa Maggona

The poolside at Roman Lake

Roman Beach poolside in Hikkaduwa

The bar at Roman Beach

The living area at Tamarind Hill

The bar at Tamarind Hill

Day two of my 4 day weekend was far more interesting. We drove from Tissamaharama to Arugambay via Monaragala. The road was amazing. It’s one of my favourite drives in Sri Lanka. There were hardly any other vehicles on the road and the lush jungle on either side made us feel as if we were on safari! We even got to stop and watch an elephant that was peacefully having his breakfast on the side of the road. Although it had been a rainy couple of days the sky was a bright blue with fluffy white clouds scattered across it. 

The empty road and the crisp blue sky

The elephant we saw on the way

A very scenic route

Another interesting feature on this stretch of road is the migration of butterflies towards Adam’s Peak. This occurs at the start of the Adam’s Peak pilgrimage season which goes on from December to May. This mountain, the tallest in Sri Lanka is also known as Samanala Kanda [Butterfly Mountain] because of the thousands of butterflies that make their way towards it during the season. On our drive to Arugambay, we saw hundreds of butterflies crossing the road and flitting towards the hill country as well as dozens of small birds waiting on the other side of the road to swoop down and grab a quick and easy butterfly snack.

We got to Arugambay in time for lunch at one of the small restaurants on the ‘A-bay Stretch’, a small surfing village version of the Vegas Stretch! It is a little known fact that Arugambay is one of the world’s top 10 surf spots. It is a gem, hidden away from the spotlight with an amazing beach and great surf vibe. The surf season starts at around June and goes on till around the end of September. This is the best time to be there as the small town is alive and buzzing with surfing enthusiasts from all over the world. Alternatively, if you visit during the off-season, you would find a quiet town that waits with baited breath, counting down the days till the season comes around again. There would still be plenty to see however because the area is also popular for wildlife and bird watching. Unfortunately our afternoon on the beach was dampened because of the rain and we couldn’t even take a dip in the sea.

A-bay Beach

A surf shop and our lunch spot on the stretch

A few surfers were still around even though the season was over

The next day, we had delicious hot paratas for breakfast and a tea made with condensed milk at a small restaurant on the side of the road called Makkal Hotel [not really a hotel!] in Pottuvil and made our way back towards Tissa.

The guy who made our tea and the parata guy at Makkal Hotel

The front view of our breakfast stop and our yummy breakfast

Which way to Monaragala again?!

After checking out a few more hotels in the area, we made our way towards Yala National Park and got into the Kulu Safaris Jeep that took us to our luxury campsite inside the park. The weather wasn’t that great when we were on safari that afternoon and even though we got thoroughly soaked, we didn’t give up and head back to camp. Instead we soldiered on; keeping an eye out for whatever animal that would cross our path. I was hoping to see a sloth bear, because I have not encountered one in years. But we seemed to be out of luck as all we saw that day were a few elephants, wild boars, buffalo, some birds and leopard pad marks.

The pool at Chaaya Wild, Yala

The view from a cabin at Chaaya Wild

Our Kulu Safaris camp site

Lunch, luxury camping style!

Leopard pad marks

Baby, it's a wild world

I wasn’t disappointed though, because the campsite, the food and being in the wild made up for what I missed out on while on safari. Just being outdoors is enough to get me excited and think about how it really is a wild world out there….