Advice and travel tips

And of course, here are some tips for traveling to Sri Lanka:

Visa

You will need a visa to travel to Sri Lanka. You can apply for a Sri Lanka visa online by clicking on the "Visa Apply" box at the top of the page. It is also possible to get a visa directly at the airport, but it is definitely better to get a visa in advance so that you do not waste time at the airport. You can apply for a visa up to 3 months in advance. There is only one official website where you can apply for a visa, so beware of dubious intermediary websites that sometimes charge outrageous fees to fill out the application, while you fill out the application online anyway. The visa is valid for 30 days from the date of entry into Sri Lanka. The price for the visa is 50 USD when applying online (+ 2 USD fee for card payment), 60 USD "on arrival" at the airport. Children under the age of 12 must also have a visa, but they do not pay for it. You will receive a confirmation of your visa within 24 hours by email, but sometimes you need to look in the "spam" folder. If no confirmation arrives, you can also verify your visa online by clicking on the "Status Check" box at the top of the page.

The online visa is currently valid for a maximum stay of 30 days, which starts from the first day of entry into Sri Lanka. If you are traveling for more than 30 days, or later decide that you want to stay for a longer period of time, you can extend your visa free of charge. You can apply for an extension online by clicking on the "Visa Extension" box at the top of the page. You can extend your visa for 60 days for free the first time, 90 days for the second and third time, so in total you can stay in Sri Lanka for up to 270 days from the date of arrival on a tourist visa. Of course, you have to take into account that the approval of the visa extension is not automatic, it may happen that your application will be rejected, so you will have to leave Sri Lanka before the expiration of your current visa.

Arrival card

At Colombo Airport, you will also present an "Arrival Card" when entering the country. You can fill in the form on paper when you arrive in Colombo, but it is now possible to fill in the arrival form online. We recommend this option for faster check-in, you will not be delayed on arrival by filling in the form at the airport. Fill in in advance, which you can do no earlier than 4 days before arrival by clicking on the "Arrival Card" field at the top of the page. In case you're flying from Prague, don't be fooled by the fact that the system won't offer Prague as the "Port of departure" destination. Or rather, it offers, but places it in Bahrain, so please choose "Prague/Baharain", no one is going to care. You won't receive a confirmation email, but don't worry about it at all, they will most likely have the card in the system, or they will let you fill out a paper form directly at the airport if they don't find you in the system.

Passport validity

Check the validity of your passport in advance. The passport must be valid for at least 6 months. This information is really checked and strictly adhered to, if your passport is shorter, your holiday will end at the airport.

Vaccination

No vaccination is mandatory to enter Sri Lanka, neither against covid nor otherwise. It is recommended to have vaccinated hepatitis "A", "B" and typhoid fever.

Basic information

Weather: Sri Lanka has two monsoon seasons that affect different parts of the island at different times. Plan your visit according to the region you want to visit.

Clothing: Pack lightweight and breathable clothing. Modesty is valued in religious places, so it is recommended to wear clothing that covers the shoulders and knees.

Health: Talk to your doctor about vaccinations and health precautions before traveling. Stay hydrated and use mosquito repellents to protect against mosquito-borne diseases.

Currency: The currency is the Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR). Credit cards are widely accepted, but it's a good idea to carry cash at smaller retailers. We recommend that you have euros or dollars with you.

Transportation: Trains and buses are a popular mode of transportation. Tuk-tuks are a common way to travel short distances within cities.

Language: Sinhala and Tamil are official languages. English is widely used, especially in tourist areas.

Culture: Respect local customs and traditions. When visiting temples, take off your shoes and dress modestly.

Food: Sri Lankan cuisine is tasty and often spicy. Don't miss out on tasting local foods such as rice and curry, hair noodles, and long hair noodles.

Etiquette: Use your right hand or both hands when greeting or offering something, as using your left hand is considered impolite.

Safety: Keep an eye on your belongings, especially in crowded areas. Avoid tap water and drink bottled or boiled water.

Electricity: In Sri Lanka it is 220/240 volts. Sri Lankan hotels have two types of sockets. Either from the United Kingdom (Type G) or from India (Type D). At our hotel we have universal sockets for all types of plugs.

Some rules to know before arriving in Sri Lanka:

There is an obligation to report to customs the import of cash worth more than USD 15,000, but it is recommended to declare cash exceeding USD 5,000.

Duty-free, each person can bring into Sri Lanka personal items and gifts worth up to USD 250, including 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 375 grams of tobacco, as well as 2 bottles of wine, 1.5 litres of spirits, personal perfumes and 250ml of eau de toilette.

All passengers are required to declare precious metals, weapons and all goods of a commercial nature upon entry. A foreigner may be asked to fill in a "Baggage Declaration Form" as to the contents of the baggage.

Narcotics and drugs, Indian and Pakistani currency, and pornographic and erotic literature are not allowed to be imported into Sri Lanka.

Some rules you should know before leaving Sri Lanka:

It is necessary to report the export of cash worth more than USD 5,000 to customs officers and at the same time to prove its origin. If the passenger has brought these funds to Sri Lanka, he or she must present the "Exchange Control, Form D" form that the passenger filled in upon arrival in Sri Lanka and had confirmed at the entry check.

It is allowed to export from Sri Lanka duty-free everything that has been imported and declared, as well as up to 10 kg of tea and goods purchased for normal personal use and souvenirs. For alcoholic beverages, up to 1.5 liters of hard liquor and a maximum of 2 bottles of wine can be exported from Sri Lanka duty-free.

Sri Lanka is not allowed to export local currency, gold, platinum, silver, antiques, precious or semi-precious stones (even in purchased jewelry), ivory, narcotics, weapons and ammunition, animals and plants.

And finally, one useful piece of advice. In the local culture, they are used to, and also expect, that they receive a tip for every service they do for you, such as drivers, guides, maids, breakfast attendants, and others. They will reward you with a smile and always a little extra. We will be happy to advise you on the amount of the tip.