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Currency
The currency used is the Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR), which consists of 100 cents. Notes come in denominations of Rs 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1,000, while coins frequently used are the one, two, five and ten rupee. 50, 25 and ten cent coins are in less regular usage.
Travellers Cheques such as American Express and Thomas Cook are widely accepted as exchange as are payments by major credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, Amex) when shopping or purchasing Sri Lankan rupees in the bank. 24-hour ATM machines can be found in towns throughout the island while official banking hours are 9am until 3pm Monday to Friday.
There is an ATM at the airport as well as branches of several banks who have exchange counters in arrivals and departures. Most of our larger hotels will also change money and travellers cheques.
Time
Sri Lankan Standard Time is 5 hours and 30 minutes ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT + 5.5), the same as Indian Standard Time. Sri Lanka does not operate Daylight Saving Time.
Weather
Sri Lanka lies just north of the Equator resulting in consistently high temperatures and varied rainfall throughout the year due to two dominating monsoons. The average temperature along the tropical coastline and lowlands is 27 degrees Celsius, while in the wetter highlands where elevation can reach an altitude of nearly 2,000 metres the average is between 16 and 20 degrees. Relative humidity varies from 70% during the day to 90% at night.
There are no marked seasons in Sri Lanka, making it a year-round destination. While the southwest monsoon (Yala) brings rain showers from May to September to the southwest and central highlands, the north and east remains fine and dry. Similarly, when the northwest monsoon (Maha) brings rain from November until April to the north and east, the southwest and central highlands enjoy their driest period. Even during the monsoon periods, warm sunny days are the norm.
Cameras and specialised equipment
Please bring your own cameras, binoculars, telescopes and all specialised equipment you may need with you. Make sure that you have proper covers and cases to protect them from rain, mist and dew as well as a camera cleaning set with sufficient lens cleaning tissues. There are few places to repair or service camera equipment in Sri Lanka.
Many varieties of camera film, batteries and memory chips are available to buy in the main cities. It is advisable to stock up on extra batteries and film rolls if you are travelling to a remote area where you may have to spend a few days without recharging facilities.
Leech repellents & Leech socks
Please bring your own leech socks and leech repellent if you are planning on visiting the rainforest or hiking in any warm tropical areas.
Travel Health and Advice
Start to plan the health aspect of your trip well in advance of your departure especially if you are considering taking the Rabies or Japanese Encephalitis vaccines, which must be administered over the course of a month. Generally for visiting Sri Lanka it is recommended that you should be up to date with the following vaccines:
- Diphtheria
- Tetanus
- Hepatitis A
- Polio
- Typhoid
In addition, make sure you know your own blood group for emergencies and have purchased adequate medical insurance. Colombo has the best-equipped national and private hospitals. Should you wish to bring some medical items with you, a typical traveller's first aid kit may include:
- Insect repellent (with DEET)
- Antiseptic cream
- Calamine lotion, aloe vera or after sun cream
- Plasters
- Paracetamol
- Sunscreen of an adequate factor according to your skin type
- A course of antibiotics such as ciprofloxacin for diahorrea
- Immodium (lomotil) for emergency suppression of diahorrea
- Rehydration salts
- Water sterilization tablets or tincture of iodine
Alternatively, you can easily buy almost all of the above-mentioned drugs or suitable alternatives in the main cities.
Water
Avoid drinking tap water (though it is purified) as any unfamiliar microorganisms may upset your stomach. Drink bottled water and always check that the seal is intact. Ask whether ice has been made with bottled or purified water.
Malaria
Depending on what part of the island you intend travelling to, it is recommended that you be adequately protected against malaria even though Sri Lanka is a low risk country. Ask your doctor to prescribe the correct malarial pills for you at least a week before your departure. To avoid bites always use insect repellent containing DEET on exposed skin, wear light-coloured clothing, dress in long-sleeved shirts and trousers in the evening and sleep under a mosquito net (if there is no air-conditioning).
Diarrhoea
Diarrhoea is the most common complaint among tourists. It is commonly the result of contaminated food or drink or from an intolerance of unfamiliar microorganisms though in rare cases it could be due to the contraction of cholera. Usually it will take a few days to pass and is uncomfortable but if it persists for more than five days, you should seek medical advice. Keep hydrated and use oral rehydration salts if the problem is severe.
Sun
The tropical sun can be fierce and burn even the most resistant skin tone. Always use a high factor sun cream even when it is cloudy and try to avoid the mid-day sun between 11am and 3pm. Reapply regularly especially after swimming. Go easy in the first few days as you acclimatize to the heat.
Airport and Parking Information
The following are a list of airlines that fly to Sri Lanka:
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Parking
UK airport parking: www.baa.com
US airport parking: www.worldparking.co.uk/usa-airports/
European airport parking: www.q-park.com
Festivals and Events
Sri Lanka is a predominantly Buddhist country whose festivals, most
of which are religious in nature, follow the lunar calendar. All full
moon days, known as poya, are related to an incident in the life of
the Buddha or a historic event and are public holidays. Hindus, Muslims
and Christians are also represented by their respective festival days
as well.
All liquor shops will be closed and hotels will not serve liquor to in-house guests on main poya day festivals.
