Sightseeing There is an extraordinary range of things to see and do in Sri Lanka, from the imposing colonial buildings, museums and art galleries in the capital to spectacular waterfalls and undulating tea plantations around Nuwara Eliya, from richly-decorated temples to botanical gardens of unbelievable beauty.
In the capital there is Colombo National Museum, a beautiful Victorian building housing a superb collection of exhibits; Dehiwala Zoo – where animals are free to romp in their natural surroundings; Pettah, a lively district of bazaars, street markets, temples and mosques; Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihare Temple – more than 2,000 years old and built on a site said to have been visited by the Buddha.
Outside Colombo is a whole range of uniquely Sri Lankan sights including: Kandy – the last stronghold of the Sinhalese kings; Sigiriya – a granite mountain that rises abruptly 200 metres above the jungle and contains magnificent 1,500-year old frescoes; Nuwara Eliya – a 2,000-metre high hill station at the heart of the tea growing area; and Peradeniya Botanic Gardens’ superb collection of trees and shrubs in beautifully landscaped surroundings.
Accommodation
Luxury beach resorts, modern city centre hotels, colonial hotels in the hill country and jungle lodges.
Family activities
Apart from the attractions of the beaches there are elephant sanctuaries, wildlife reserves, tea factories and cultural sites.
Shopping
What you can buy – Exquisite embroidery and lace, intricate batiks, finely carved woodwork, silverware and filigree, brassware, Kandyan dancer masks and a wide range of leather goods. Sri Lanka is famous for its gemstones. Every gem should be accompanied by a certificate of authenticity – beware of the street hawkers with cut glass replicas. Tea is one of the country’s finest products and may be bought at the tea factories in the hills.
Where you can buy – Popular shopping areas in Colombo are Old Fort, Galle Road, the Colombo 7 district, Racecourse Avenue, York Street, the Port and Green Path. There are also many street markets – Pettah Bazaar being the best-known as well as modern shopping malls; elsewhere there are local bazaars and souvenir shops in hotels and popular tourist destinations.
Entertainment
Sri Lankans are fun-loving people demonstrated by the many night spots in Colombo, frequent performances of traditional music and dance, casinos and restaurants.
Sports and leisure
Water sports (including scuba diving, snorkelling, windsurfing, water-skiing and canoeing), fishing, golf and trekking.
Honeymoon
Where better than on a languid Sri Lankan beach?
Visas:
Nationals of the following countries can enter Sri Lanka without a pre-arranged visa and will be issued a 30-day visa free of charge on arrival: Albania, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Bhutan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kirgistan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Maldives, Malaysia, Moldavia, Nepal, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sultanate of Oman, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Thailand, The Netherlands, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America, Uzbekistan and Yugoslavia.
A further extension of 60 days can be obtained from:
The Controller, Department of Immigration and Emigration,
41 Ananda Rajakaruna Mawatha,
Colombo - 10, Tel: 532 9000.
Health requirements:
Visitors to Sri Lanka travelling from yellow fever infected areas should have a valid certificate against yellow fever. Hepatitis, malaria, polio, tetanus and typhoid vaccinations are recommended.
Travel insurance:
Adequate holiday and travel insurance is vital. Emirates Holidays offers a comprehensive insurance package to enable you and your family to travel with peace of mind. Please contact your nearest Emirates Holidays office or your travel agent for details of our HolidayGuard Travel Insurance cover.
We also recommend that water sports enthusiasts cover themselves, in case of an accident while scuba diving, water-skiing or participating in any other water sport. An extra premium is required for these covers.
Currency:
Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR) divided into 100 cents. Notes in denominations of LKR2,000, 1,000, 500, 200, 100, 50, 20 and 10. Coins in denominations of LKR10, 5, 2 and 1 and 50, 25, 10, 5, 2 and 1 cents.
Approximate exchange rate:
AED1 = LKR27.14
EUR1 = LKR125.83
USD1 = LKR99.71
Please check the rate of exchange prior to travel.
Banking hours -
0900 to 1500 hours, Monday - Friday.
Banks at the airport are open 24 hours daily.
Reputable credit and charge cards are widely accepted by shops in Sri Lanka. In some cases the shops may try to add a surcharge to the price of merchandise purchased - this is not an acceptable practice and in such cases please inform the card companies so that corrective action can be taken. Automated teller machines (ATMs) at the following banks offer cash withdrawal facilities: ANZ Grindlays Bank, Bank of Ceylon, Commercial Bank, Hatton National Bank, HSBC, People’s Bank and Standard Chartered Bank. Encashment of travellers cheques, foreign currency exchange and re-exchange of unutilised Sri Lankan Rupees can be done at the counter located in the airport. For further information please contact Tel: 01 225 2861.
Clothing:
The climate in Sri Lanka is warm throughout the year and light cotton clothing is ideal. We also recommend a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses and comfortable footwear. In the hilly areas, light warm clothing is necessary, as the climate is much cooler.
Airport information:
Bandaranayake International Airport is a one-hour drive (36 kilometres) from Colombo city centre (taxi fare is approximately USD30). The airport information telephone numbers are 01 225 2861/2/3, 225 2020. The Emirates telephone numbers at Bandaranayake International Airport are 01 225 2330, 225 8933.
Customs:
Sri Lanka has a dual channel system. Tourists who do not have anything to declare may choose the green channel. Tourists carrying dutiable goods or items that are subject to licence, or the movement of which are governed by international conventions, are expected to clear through the red channel.
The following items need to be declared to the customs authorities:
• Money in excess of USD5,000 in the form of cash, travellers cheques, drafts, letters of credit and bills of exchange
• Precious metals (eg platinum, gold and silver)
• Precious stones and valuable jewellery (in order to facilitate outward clearance)
• Firearms and dangerous weapons
• Flora and fauna (Sri Lanka is a signatory to CITES - Convention on International Trade and Endangered Species)
• Any goods in commercial quantities
Duty free allowance for passengers staying more than 24 hours is 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 340 grams of tobacco or an assortment of these products, as long as their total weight does not exceed 340 grams; two bottles of wine and 1.5 litres of spirits; and a small quantity of perfume or 0.25 litres of eau de toilette for personal use only. The export of gems is permitted on presentation of official receipts. Export of antiques is prohibited. Import of firearms and narcotics is strictly prohibited and the import of drugs carries the death penalty.
Departure tax:
Departure tax of LKR1,000 per passenger is pre-paid with the airline tickets.
Driving licence:
Driving is on the left-hand side of the road. A valid International Driving Permit is required.
Emergency telephone numbers:
Police - 01 243 3333
Fire and ambulance - 01 242 2222
Medical services:
A 24-hour pharmacy is located in all big towns. Please check with the hotel staff for location of the pharmacy nearest to you.
National Hospital (State), Colombo - Tel: 01 269 1111, 269 3510
Nawaloka Private Hospital, Colombo - Tel: 01 254 4444, 232 5020
Ayurvedic Hospital (State), Colombo - Tel: 01 269 5855/6
Siddhalepa Ayurvedic Hospital, Mount Lavinia - Tel: 01 273 8622
General Hospital Anuradhapura (State), Anuradhapura - Tel: 025 222261
General Hospital Polonnaruwa (State), Polonnaruwa - Tel: 027 222261
General Hospital Kandy (State), Kandy - Tel: 08 223 3337, 222 2261
General Hospital Nuwara Eliya (State), Nuwara Eliya - Tel: 052 222261
General Hospital Galle (State), Galle - Tel: 09 222261/95
Hours of work:
Business: 0830 to 1630 hours, Monday - Friday,
0900 to 1300 hours, Saturday.
Shopping: 1000 to 1700 hours, Monday - Friday,
1000 to 1300 hours, Saturday.
Public holidays (fixed):
1st January - New Year’s Day (only for the private sector)
4th February - National Day
1st May - May Day/Labour Day
25th December - Christmas Day
Public holidays (moveable):
January - Tamil Thai Pongal Day
March or April - Good Friday
April - Sinhala and Tamil New Year (Note: The day prior to the Sinhala and Tamil New Year is also a holiday.)
July - Eid Ul Milad, Prophet’s Birthday
October or November - Deepavali
In addition to Saturday and Sunday, the full moon day (Poya Day) of each month is a holiday in Sri Lanka. On Poya Day, all places of entertainment are closed and no liquor is sold.
Time zone:
GMT + 6 hours.
Language:
Sinhala and Tamil are the official languages. Sinhala, a language of Indo-Aryan origin, is more commonly used than Tamil. English is widely spoken and understood. Place names and signboards on buses and trains are usually in all three languages.
Tipping:
Tipping is optional and is left to the discretion of the customer. Most hotels and restaurants include a service charge of 10 per cent on the bill.
Dress code:
For business, a cotton dress or a lightweight suit with a tie is recommended. Modest dress should be worn when visiting temples or other places of worship. We also recommend comfortable footwear; these need to be removed before entering any religious place.
Electricity:
230 - 240 volts, 50 cycles AC.
Safety tips:
Visitors are requested to store valuables and passports in the hotel safety deposit boxes. It is advisable to be extra cautious when moving around in crowded places as theft of cash is possible. Special Tourist Police Units are available to assist all tourists. These units are located at:
• Tourist Police, Fort Police Station, Bank of Ceylon Mawatha, Fort, Colombo. Tel: 01 243 3342, 243 2635.
• Ethukala, Negombo. Tel: 031 222222.
• Pushpadana Road, Kandy. Tel: 08 222222.
• Police Station, National Holiday Resort, Bentota. Tel: 03 247 5022.
• Police Station, Galle Road, Hikkaduwa. Tel: 09 277222.
• Police Station, Kalutara. Tel: 034 222222.