Why visit Sri Lanka?

Sri Lanka is a country that has surprised me with its cultural richness, its varied landscapes and the kindness of its people. It must be said that originally, I had not particularly planned a stay on the "resplendent island", one of its nicknames.

But when the opportunity presented itself, it was done with a route from the southern beaches up to the cultural triangle, formed by the ancient historic cities of Dambulla, Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa (and this includes the famous lion rock of Sigiriya).

Sri Lanka is separated from India by only a 31 km strait, so it is not surprising that cultural similarities are found on this small stretch of the Indian Ocean. (well not that small either, the island is roughly 435 km long and 225 km at its widest).

Over the centuries, it has been given a variety of equally eloquent names: the emerald island, the pearl of the Orient, Serendib or ruby ​​island. Its other current nickname is the Tear of India, due to its ambiguous shape, like a tear lost at the foot of the Indian giant.

But it is above all the name of the island of Ceylon that Sri Lanka is still known by today, due to its history and its repeated colonization.

In fact, it has also experienced the same historical procession as Indonesia and Malaysia in terms of colonies, becoming in turn under Portuguese, Dutch and then British domination. (yes them again…). These are also the British who will develop what today makes the island famous in the central mountains, the tea plantations, and it is incidentally to them that we owe the railway network (I specify that I do not say this in the form of "thanks" but simply that they are the initiators of these projects, still visible today).

The country has only very recently opened up to tourism (less than 10 years especially) due to a long civil war which tore apart the northern part of the country, dominated by the Tamils, but the latter being a minority compared to the overall population of the island, which is mainly Sinhalese.

Some historians indicate that the English applied the principle of " divide and rule " by opposing these two ethnic groups, through the policy of " representation by committee", introduced at the beginning of the 20th century. True or not, the conflict between the government and the armed movement of the Tamil Tigers was very real.

This civil war lasted for almost 30 years between 1972 and 2009, when the leader of the movement was killed after a vast military operation which cornered the Tamil resistance. (The LTTE for Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam in English) in the north of the country. Since then, the country is in full reconstruction. Composed of three-quarters Sinhalese (sometimes spelled Cinhalais) and the remaining quarter Tamils, the latter were already despised before the war and are still as much so now. (they are the ones who harvest the tea).

Here is a summary of some essential information to know before any stay in Sri Lanka.

No but… Things have changed. Since August 1, 2019, Nationals of 48 countries are exempt from visas if the stay does not does not exceed 30 days.

This includes the 28 countries of the European Union, including, of course, France, Belgium or Luxembourg, but this also includes 20 other countries, including Canada and Switzerland (and Thailand too). However, there remains necessary to obtain a prior ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization), which has become chargeable again since the non-extension of its free service which operated until February 1, 2020. It is therefore necessary to pay the $35 fee, which is practically the same as getting a visa in short...

If you are Algerian, Moroccan or Tunisian, you can get a visa on arrival, but it is still necessary to obtain ETA (also paid and same rate).

To apply for an ETA, there is only one site, the official one, all the others are intermediaries likely to ask for unnecessary additional fees: https://eta.gov.lk/etaslvisa/etaNavServ

If you want to stay for more than 30 days (and up to 90 days), you will need to enter the country with a paid ETA. This is requested like a regular visa, namely by going to the Sri Lankan embassy in your country of residence.

Alternatively, it is still possible to leave with the visa exemption + free ETA and apply for an extension once there. You must then go to the immigration office (see official website) in Colombo.

Finally, like any country I know of, you must have a passport with a validity period of at least 6 months after the date of entry. It may be required to have proof of a return ticket (or failing that, outgoing to another country) as well as having to prove sufficient resources for the duration of the stay (but I do not know the amount required in this case).

If your visit is for other than tourist purposes, you should inquire and apply for the appropriate visa.

Customs regulations

It is advisable to know the rules regarding import/export and the quantities that can be brought into Sri Lanka in terms of cash, liquor, etc.

To summarize, tourists can import duty free (duty-free) up to $125 for goods purchased abroad and up to $187,5 specifically for goods purchased at the airport duty-free upon arrival in Sri Lanka.

You are limited to two bottles of wine, one and a half liters of spirits, ¼ L of eau de toilette and perfumes and souvenirs in small quantities, all with a value less than or equal to $250.

The import/export of the following items is regulated : gold, jewelry, precious stones and metals, alcohol (spirits and wines), cosmetics, medicines, telecommunications equipment, foreign currency over $15 or equivalent (if you plan to re-export an amount equal to or greater than $000, the entire amount must be declared). Restrictions also apply to animals and plants (including parts), certain wooden objects, firearms, ammunition, air pistols, explosives (including fireworks), all items whose importation is subject to obtaining a permit.

The importation of the following items is prohibited : narcotics, psychotropic drugs, medicines or chemical precursors, pornographic materials, religious literature, cigarettes.

The export of the following items is prohibited : antiques, statues, national treasures, old books, animals, birds and reptiles (living or dead), tea plants (yes!), rubber and coconut trees.

Coming to Sri Lanka

Your arrival will normally be via the international airport Bandaranaike. The latter is located 30 km north of Colombo, but right next to the small seaside town of Negombo. Hence the fact that many travellers prefer to stop there first on the beach upon arrival rather than visiting the capital.

For this destination, we have selected 3 Gulf companies, offering the best time/cost compromises but with minimum one stopover (as far as I know, there is no direct flight from Paris to Colombo).

The A380 at Dubai Airport.

These three companies are:

• Etihad
• Emirates
• Qatar Airways

These are all excellent companies with in order a stopover in Abu Dhabi for Etihad, Dubai for Emirates and Doha for Qatar. This is possibly an opportunity to stop there (that's what I did in visiting Dubai once with Emirates, note that there are sometimes promotions with free nights if you stay at least 48 hours).

Normally, the rates are around 450-500 € for the best rates.

There are of course other companies that might be of interest. I can cite the excellent Singapore Airlines, but also Cathay Pacific or even Thai Airways, but tell yourself that the stopovers will be in their respective countries of origin, so a big detour... More interesting, there is Oman Air, Turkish Airlines, Finnair and possibly Saudi Arabian Airlines (even if the latter offers fairly long stopovers and not the most comfortable despite sometimes very advantageous prices).

Getting around Sri Lanka

The road network is not the best but that is not really the problem in Sri Lanka (the roads are tarmacked and generally not broken up), the problem comes from the driving, which has a strong tendency to be erratic... And yet, I am used to a certain chaos with Thailand… The bus drivers are in a sort of permanent race, overtaking at all costs, they honk their horns like Indians, in short, it's not always a joy. Fortunately, on certain routes, there is the train which allows you to admire the landscapes without jolts, but the network does not extend to the whole country, the bus remains the essential cheap alternative.

On site, you will generally have tuk tuk and taxis to make your trips. Personally, true to my habit, I even tried renting a scooter in Galle, but I don't particularly recommend it if you are neither used to two-wheelers nor to driving in other countries.

Road transport

The buses

Our experience is limited to small local buses. Hence my impression of being a “madman” behind the wheel. As an aside, shortly after we left Colombo, I found myself with an urgent need like never before. So much so that I wanted to jump off the bus for one stop. (train passing, fire, other) but I didn't dare, being afraid that the latter would leave without me!

Taking our bus to Galle from Colombo.

Fortunately, the distances to be covered are not too great, the journeys do not exceed on average 3 hours. Fortunately, since each time we didn't have air conditioning, the seats, without being uncomfortable either, were not luxury, and sometimes the buses were crowded. (when you didn't have to stand).

I suspect that for longer journeys, buses have a certain comfort and a driver, I imagine more reasonable. This is what I get from looking at local online booking sites, including one that works below:

• https://busseat.lk/

Using this site can be restrictive, as you need to know at least a little bit about how it works. By this I mean that generally you will only find the main cities in the destination lists, without any indication of possible stages/stops, while I think that the journeys are not necessarily direct.

And if I take a concrete example, to make a trip Colombo – Galle by bus, typically, you will have to take a bus to Kataragama, the latter normally running along the coast with stops in certain towns which could include Galle, but this needs to be checked! The small local buses are more intended for making journeys between intermediate towns.

Nuwara Eliya Bus Station.

On a crowded local bus heading to the outskirts of Nuwara Eliya.

Taxis and tuk-tuk (trishaw)

Taxis are mostly found in big cities, otherwise the Tuk tuk is king. Well tuk tuk, that's the name I'm used to, because locally they are rather called trishaw. In our case, we only used a taxi to get there de airport to Colombo bus terminal upon arrival. Normally the fare starts at 60 Rs then 50 Rs per km. Suffice to say that it is a given since a quick calculation tells you that a 10 km journey should not cost you more than 600 Rs or 3 €…

I am writing this, but I don't remember having paid so little, after checking, I confirm... Between the airport of Bandaranaike and the bus terminal where we were going (to take us straight to Galle), it was about 30 km, so we would have had to pay around 1 Rs while we paid 2 Rs... Of course, we are talking about a difference of €4, but that represents 50% more than the normal rate, so be careful. Furthermore, I don't remember seeing a counter there, hence the random number.

A tuk tuk in traffic in Colombo upon arriving in Sri Lanka.

Tuk tuks waiting in Ella.

For Colombo, you also have the option of using Uber (at download on android here et from the Apple Store here) but also a local application PickMe, which also works for tuk-tuks! (available on Android)

For long journeys, it is also possible to take a taxi if you want a slightly safer transport than the bus, you can calculate the cost of a route via this site: Sri Lanka Taxi Share

We come to the Tuk tuk, which you will find everywhere, which remains very practical even if given their comfort, it goes without saying that they are to be preferred for short distances.

Flat tire in tuk tuk while traveling from Nanu Oya station to Nuwara Eliya.

Our driver of the day in Polonnaruwa having a problem with the tuk tuk.

It remains possible to doing also call on them to visit a site for the day (what we had done to Polonnaruwa et Anuradhapura where we got away with Rs 1 and Rs 700 respectively)From our account book, I remember that we paid an average of Rs 400 per trip, but the distances varied between 2 km and up to 8 km.

Motorcycle and car rental

The only city where I tried a scooter (knowing that I am already used to the Asian driving style), it's in Galle. The reason being that our hotel was away from the old town (beach side)Unawatuna) and rather than calling on a Tuk tuk, it seemed cheaper to me to rent a two-wheeler to be able to explore the area as well. In this case, it cost us 900 Rs the machine plus 600 Rs of gasoline, so a chouïa cheaper than renting a Tuk tuk at the day (yes, I'm nitpicking). 

If it was okay because we weren't doing long distances (the furthest we have gone is between Galle and Koggala, it's 15 km), I don't particularly recommend renting a car. It seems to me more reasonable in this case to call a driver.

Besides probably being more safe, this is a plus, saving time, freedom of movement and new places depending on the driver's knowledge, after all, it's a service, so it's more expensive than managing by public transport. For this last option, I can only recommend the Caroline's info page, the Sri Lanka specialist.

Rail transport

Sri Lanka has 1 km of railway network, which is pretty good considering its size. (it is proportionally much better than the Thailand). After the train is not particularly renowned for its comfort, but for the landscapes it offers. The journey between Ella and Kandy is considered one of the most scenic train journeys in the world. The problem is that in high season, it can be difficult to find even a seat given the popularity of this means of transport.

Scenic scenery in a blue train.

Classic red train at Ella station.

There are essentially two types of diesel locomotives (no electrified line to date) for intercity journeys, the red ones, the classic Sri Lankan trains and the blue ones (Chinese-built). If the official website divides its network into 3 large regions, we can define the following lines:

• • • • The Colombo – Kandy – Nuwara Eliya – Ella – Badulla (the mountains) line

        This is the main line used by tourists. (We including) since this one passes through the mountains of the center of the country and offers a view of the tea plantations. We took it in two stages, first between Ella and Nurawa Eliya (station of Nanu Oya More precisely) then enter Nuwara Eliya et Kandy. For the record, passing through Pattipola, a town located at an altitude of 1 m, where there is a station, this train is the highest using this type of gauge. Afterwards, it is not difficult as such, because in Sri Lanka we use (in a certain logic) a less common spacing called Indian track or Indian gauge (at 1 mm against 676 mm as standard). Besides Sri Lanka, it is only used in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal in Asia, but also in Argentina, Chile, and incidentally on the Bay Line Reserved fast Transit in California as far as the American continent is concerned. So that was my minute anecdote.
        

    • • The Colombo – Anuradhapura – Jaffna line (the north)

        If you want to reach the main city in the north and tip of the country, this is the line to take. Touristically speaking, it is used since it serves the ancient capital ofAnuradhapura, which is part of the cultural triangle.

      • The Colombo – Polonnaruwa – Trincomalee or Batticaloa line (the East)

        This is a line that is used a lot during the summer, which is the high season for this coastal region in the east of the country. A branch line shortly after Habarana connects to the more northern town of Trincomalee (also spelled in other ways including Trinquemalay), from where you can then reach the great beaches like Nilaveli and Uppuveli. And further south, the town of Batticaloa, famous for its beach and lagoon.

      • The Colombo – Galle – Matara line (the west coast and the south)

        This is the train that runs along the seaside (but really, the rails saw the sea for more than 50 km when leaving Columbo). So it's beautiful, and for once, you'll have more than enough time to admire the scenery, because this train is known for its slowness... Allow at least 4 hours to travel the 160 km separating these two cities. With the new highway, the bus is much faster since 2h30 suffice.

The rails on the South line.

It should also be noted that there is a suburban train in the northern part of Colombo, connecting Negombo - Mount Avalanche and Puttalam. It is a fairly slow train, as it makes many stops, but it can still be convenient for getting to towns near Colombo.

Train network map as given on the official website of Sri Lanka Railways.

It is unfortunately not possible to book tickets in advance directly through the official Sri Lanka website at this time. Railways (which hasn't been updated in years). There are, however, alternatives. 

1. First, you have the service 12go which I am affiliated with which allows this, but the tickets on sale through this service go quickly because they are limited, but cannot normally be taken too far in advance either. 
2. VisitSriLankaTours is a private agency also offering tickets like 12go, the prices are higher than if you booked directly but as mentioned above, it can be complicated to get a place in high season. Find timetables and destinations on their website.
3. Tourmaster Travel Services is your 3rd option to make your reservations in advance.

As is often the case, several classes are distinguished (First, Second et Third  ), the first being by compulsory reservation, the second includes both seats reserved and unreserved. Finally, 3rd class only has seats without advance reservation. That's what we had taken since we had bought our tickets the day before to travel between Ella and Nanu Oya (Nuwara Eliya) for an unbeatable price of 800 Rs per person (4 €).

On the train passing along the tea plantations in the heart of the mountains.

The basic information display at Ella station.

Luckily, it was practically empty that day.

Shipping

Sri Lanka being an island, one could easily imagine a ferry network serving various destinations. In reality, it is quite different…

There are at least 6 major ports:

1. 1. Columbo
   2. Galle
   3. Hambantota
   4. Kankasanthurai (Jaffna)
   5. PointPedro
   6. Trincomalee

But there is no boat connection via these cities. And if there was previously a ferry service connecting Sri Lanka to India, it is notis no longer the case since the civil war (so more than 30 years). This service had been revived around 2010/2011, when the war was not yet over, and it was interrupted again after a few months of operations.

As I write these lines, with peace apparently stable, there are talks between the two countries to put this ferry back into service.

Except for fishing, this boat is going nowhere...

Air transport

There are about twenty airports in the country but many have a primarily military role even if domestic flights are also carried out there. There are 5 international airports, including two in Colombo alone, in alphabetical order with city - airport name and IATA code:

1. Batticaloa (Batticaloa International Airport – BTC)
2. Colombo (Bandaranaike International Airport – CMB)
3. Colombo (Ratmalana International Airport – RML)
4. Hambantota (Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport – HRI)
5. Jaffna (Jaffna International Airport – JAF)

Beat it is a small seaside town in the south of Trincomalee in the east of the country, Hambantota is a small town that was badly hit by the 2004 tsunami, now becoming a major new port in the region and the opening of the new airport in 2013 demonstrates the ambitions to transform this region into a new attraction. Finally Jaffna is the main city in the north of the country, with a Tamil majority.

Among the interesting domestic airports from a point of view view tourism, we can cite Anuradhapura Airport (ACJ), Sigiriya Airport (DOWN), Koggala Airport (KCT, service Gall), Kandy (a new airport is under construction, because to date, the journey is made by seaplane since it lands in the reservoir of Polgolla or the dam lake Victoria), China Bay Airport (TRR, serving Trincomalee).

There are also a large number of " waterdrome", meaning lakes and reservoirs of water suitable for landing with small seaplanes.

Map of destinations served by the Cinnamon Air company.

The country being quite small, domestic flights are more than limited and will be of little interest to the average traveler. I understand that there are mainly companies offering charter planes and secondary airports with fairly short runways. (less than 2 m for the most part), flights are operated with small planes (kind Cessna).

• SriLankan Airlines, la national company. It is the main airline serving all destinations worldwide from the airport. Bandaranaike in Colombo. It previously had a low-cost branch operating domestic flights in particular, but ceased its activities in 2016...

For internal flights we can mention these two companies:

• Cinnamon Air, main company offering domestic flights. It is used for charter flights, but also for regular flights to destinations such as Kandy, Sigiriya ou Koggala (Galle) to name but a few. The advantage is a unique flying experience, where you could be alone in a small plane with breathtaking views of the sky. The downside, as you might expect, is that it's not cheap, even if, given the experience, it's almost "reasonable", for example, expect $200 for a flight from Colombo to Sigiriya. (30 min). Some flights are not against not direct since to go from Colombo to Koggala for example, you must first go through Kandy.
• Fitsair, for another small local company offering charter flights, but also some scheduled flights, but only between the secondary airport of Colombo (Ratmalana) to Batticaloa.
• Helitours, looking company that primarily transports VIPs and military personnel, but also offers flights for the public thanks to its fleet of helicopters, as well as small planes with up to 51 seats. Fares remain attractive, but you have to call a local number to book and destinations are limited: Rathmalana (Rathmalana Airport), Trincomalee (China Bay Airport), Jaffna (Palaly Airport), Batticaloa (Batticaloa Airport) and Ampara (Ampara Airport).

The range of hotels in Sri Lanka is wide enough to find what you are looking for. There are quite a few interesting hotels in the 400-800 Learn More (€12-24), which is, all in all, very reasonable. In our case, we treated ourselves at the end of the trip with a hotel for €50 for Sirigiya and €45 for Colombo.

After in the cheap ones, we had some nice ones like at Unawatuna (next to Galle) and at least as good as at Dambulla where the place clearly lacks cleaning (and yet, we stayed 3 nights!). The best plan was that of Kandy, not too far from the lake and in a quiet corner surrounded by nature. Below I summarize the good tips I got from this stay in terms of accommodation:

Do I need travel insurance?

Travel insurance can often make a difference in the outcome of an unexpected mishap while traveling abroad. And especially if you are going on a trip of several months in Asia, good insurance can be more than welcome, because credit card insurance is limited.

The maximum amount for healthcare costs covered by traditional credit cards may prove insufficient (around €10 compared to €000 for dedicated travel insurance) and does not cover civil liability.

I advise you ACS Travel & Expatriation Insurance Solutions.

I would like to point out that if you subscribe to the insurance via the link, I would receive a small commission. This is a simple way to help keep the site running, as insurance is preferable anyway and will therefore be beneficial to both you and me.

What vaccines and what do I need to know for my health?

We find practically the same recommendations as for many other Asian countries, namely basically, no compulsory vaccinations, but several are recommended.

As a matter of principle, be up to date with your standard vaccinations (DTP for adults, MMR for children). Then, depending on local travel conditions (extended stay in the countryside for example) :

Recommended vaccines:

• HEPATITIS A
• HEPATITIS B
• RAGE
• TYPHOID
• ANTITUBERCULOSIS
• JAPANESE ENCEPHALITIS

The Japanese encephalitis vaccine is especially necessary in the event of a prolonged stay in rural areas. The latter being transmitted by mosquitoes, especially at the start of the rainy season, protection against them is particularly important.

Against mosquitoes

A good mosquito repellent will not be too much in Sri Lanka, it is the best protection to avoid possible viruses transmitted by them.

These viruses include dengue fever, which is most commonly found in the districts of Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, Galle, Matara, Ratnapura and Kegalle. Chikungunya has also been reported in Colombo and Kandy, among others.

Prevention against mosquito bites remains your best asset, so protect your skin, but also your clothes, by smearing yourself with repellent. Favor pants over shorts, long sleeves in the forests or at nightfall.

One piece of good news in all this is that malaria has been considered eradicated from Sri Lanka since 2016 according to the WHO.

If you develop a fever during your trip, do not hesitate to contact medical services.

A local peculiarity is a risk of cutaneous leishmaniasis, a parasitic disease transmitted by a sand fly or midge which bites especially in the evening and at night. This infection results in skin lesions that can develop on the face and body (especially the arms).

A risk specific to Sigiriya, and also indicated by signs, is the possible presence of hornets, which can be particularly aggressive when there is too much noise.

Beware of hornet attacks in Sigiriya.

Hygiene in Sri Lanka

Hygiene conditions are average for South Asia. That is to say, below European standards. This could cause stomach upset if you are not used to changing your diet and have rather sensitive intestines. There is always have hygiene precautions to take to avoid any problems.

• Wash your hands frequently before each meal (possibly with an antimicrobial solution since it is used without water).
• Tap water is not drinkable. Drink only capped bottled water or, if this is not possible, water boiled for 30 minutes and then filtered (Lifestraw straws can be an alternative).
• Meat and fish/shellfish must be thoroughly cooked before consumption.

And general hygiene rules:

• Avoid swimming in stagnant water (risk of parasitic infection).
• Do not pet animals you meet on the street, even if they do not seem aggressive.
• Remember to wear a seat belt (if possible), wear a helmet on two wheels, this is valid everywhere in the world.

Useful in your kit:
– antiseptics
– treatments for intestinal disorders
- mosquito repellent
– sun creams
– creams for burns

For your safety

While the country has experienced a deadly attack targeting mainly churches in Colombo, Negombo et Beat it, in April 2019, the risk is no higher than elsewhere. Since the end of the civil war, the country has experienced a certain stability and possible tensions. intercommunity remain possible, the main thing is to stay away from possible gatherings (except public celebrations or ceremonies).

Scams, fraud and crime 

As soon as you are in a tourist area, there is always a risk of petty crime, especially theft. Be careful with your belongings on long journeys by train, bus and in some seaside guest houses. Cases of snatching by people riding motorcycles have also been reported.

Similar to In India, although the cases are less, cases of sexual assault and even rape are sometimes reported. As a matter of principle, avoid walking alone at night in places where there are few people.

From our personal experience, we felt no danger nor encountered any problems.

Risk areas

Several risks specific to Sri Lanka can be distinguished:

• Natural hazards. Sri Lanka experiences monsoons every year, so storms can sometimes be violent and rains heavy.
• Piracy. The area of ​​action is from southern India to the Maldives, so it does not directly concern Sri Lanka, but if you plan to sail in this region, caution is advised.

Practical information

– Emergency numbers –

• Ambulance / Firefighters: 110
• Police Emergency Hotline: 118 / 119
• TOURIST POLICE: +94 112 433 342 or +94 112 421 052

Hospitals in Colombo

• Colombo National Hospital: +94 112 691 111 (government hospital)
• Asiri Central Hospital: 114 Norris Canal Road +94 114 665 500 (private hospital)

Other hospitals:

• Teaching General Hospital Kandy: +94 812 222 261 (government hospital)

French Embassy in Sri Lanka (and Maldives):

• Ministry of Foreign Affairs website on Sri Lanka

Here is a map to locate and summarize all the destinations and places of interest in Sri Lanka:

Banknotes used in Sri Lanka: 20, 50, 100, 500, 1, 000 and finally 2 rupees will be the different denominations that you are likely to come across. The currency is also divided into cents, 25s and 50s cents in piece. You can also find 1, 2 or 5 rupee coins and, since 2010, a 10 rupee coin, which replaced the green note of the same value.

Visa or Mastercard credit cards are generally accepted in cities, but cash is still very often used.

With a current rate of around €1 = 200 Rs The conversion is pretty easy, basically you have to multiply the prices Sri Lankan by 5 to get an idea of ​​the price in euros, ignoring the 3 zeros (For example something at 10 Rs is therefore worth 10 x 5 = €50.

Tourism is booming. So we find a bit of everything there. At the time of our stay, it was still in its infancy and guesthouses lacked “cachet” but I think things are changing.

In hostels, you should be able to find beds for €5 per night (around 1 rupees), so expect to pay €000 per night if there are two of you. If you want more comfort, expect to pay around €10 (from 30 rupees) for a double room.

Below, I summarize the price range for you:

SOME POINTS OF REFERENCE:

• For simple guesthouses in a double room (normally without air conditioning), around 2 Rs (500 €)
• For guesthouses with air-conditioned rooms and cleaner hotels, expect to pay at least Rs 5 (€000)
• For mid-range, more cosy hotels, expect to pay around Rs 9 (€000)
• For the highest end, we reach beyond 10 Rs (000 €)

If the meals were not varied enough for our tastes, it was certainly not eating that ruined us in Sri Lanka. On average, we spent around 600 rupees per meal for two (3 €). Even our biggest meals when we had a few nice, more copious dinners cost us barely 10 € for two (1 rupees then).

SOME POINTS OF REFERENCE:

• A small bottle of water costs on average 50 Rs (0,25 €), 100 Rs for Coca (0.5 L)
• A meal costs on average 250 Rs (1,25 €) per person
• Snack (cookie, roti) 80 Rs (0,4 €)
• Coffee: 315 Rs (1,6 €) is the median price to get your caffeine fix
• A local beer 300 Rs (0,5 litre)

Transport is quite rustic but really not expensive. Ultimately, what costs the most are the multiple uses of the tuk tuk which remain the most practical for getting from one point to another quickly.

Since I am talking about this means of transport, note that there is a tuk tuk rental service, which you can drive yourself (necessary to have a national + international license of course), an original alternative to the classic car rental, to visit the country independently, see on their site here.

Buses are ridiculously cheap even if the comfort is quite basic. The train is also cheap as long as you have 3rd class seats.

SOME POINTS OF REFERENCE:

• Renting a motorbike: expect to pay 1 Rs per day (€000) + 5 Rs per litre (€140)
• Local bus: for long journeys, expect on average around 250 Rs (1,25 €) per person
• For city buses and local journeys, expect to pay around Rs 60 per journey (€0,3)
• Train journey (depending on distance), around 250 Rs (1,25 €) per person

Any opinions, suggestions? Leave me a comment!