Sri Lanka - Travel Guide

Basic Information

● Capital : Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte (Colombo is the financial capital)
● Currency : Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR)
● Language : Sinhala, Tamil
● International Airport : Bandaranaike International Airport
● Telephone Code : +94

How to get VISA

● Foreign tourists need an ETA before entering to Sri Lanka. To apply for ETA visit http://www.eta.gov.lk
● ETA is valid for six months and can be used for double entry
● Cost of ETA is USD 20 per person and USD 10 for SAARC nationalists
● You need to take a print of your ETA and directly go the immigration counter, where a visit visa would be stamped in your passport which allows you to stay for a period of maximum of 30 days

Getting into SRI LANKA

● The only way you can legally enter Sri Lanka is through its only international airport which is 30 km from Colombo
● Airlines flying to Sri Lanka – Air Asia, Cathay Pacific,Emirates, Etihad, Jet Airways, Spice Jet, Thai Airways, SriLankan Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Malaysia Airlines

Cities

a) Colombo
● How to reach – Bus and Taxi available from airport
● Places to see – Fort and Pettah area, Galle Face, Cinnamon Gardens,Independent Square, Visit Hindu and Buddhist temples, Church & Mosques, Colombo Zoo, Gangaramaya Temple
● Getting around in Colombo – Metered taxis, Metered tuk tuk are largely available and are cheap

b) Kandy
● How to reach – Well connected road from Colombo, regular buses from/to most parts of Sri Lanka
● Places to see – Temple of Golden Tooth Relic, Kandy Lake,Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, Kandyan Dances, Botanical Garden GALLE
● How to reach – Easily connected by buses from all major places in Sri Lanka
● Places to see – Dutch Fort, lots of beaches within reach from Galle

Beach Holidays

● KOSGADA - Suitable for turtle watching
● UNAWATUNA - One of the most beautiful beach in Sri Lanka
● TANGALLE - Idle for turtle watching, largely isolated ARUGAM BAY Suitable for surfing, beautiful mangrove, jungle, lagoon, river, rice fields and dunes
● BATTICALOA - Calm, white sand, popular among foreigners
● TRINCOMALEE - White sand, gentle waves, calm atmosphere

Heritage Sites

The sacred city of Anuradhapura
● Has an entrance fee of USD 25 for foreign tourists
● Ruins of the ancient capital, places of interest are Sacred Bodhi Tree, Mahavihara, Jatavanarama Dagoba, Abhayagiri Dagoba, Samadhi Buddha, Moonstone,Ruvanvelisaya Dagoba
● Getting there : Bus properly connected from Colombo, Kandy, Dambulla,Polonnaruwa, Trincomalee
● Getting around : Hire a tuk tuk or if you have the strength you can cycle your way around the ruins of Anuradhapura

The ancient city of Polonnaruwa
● Has an entrance fee of USD 25 for foreign tourists
● Places of interest are Archaeological Museum, Gal Vihara, Citadel, Quadrangle,Lotus Pond, Lankatilaka, Image House
● Getting there : Buses well connected from/to Colombo, Kandy, Dambulla, Anuradhapura
● Getting Around – Idle way to explore Polonnaruwa is on a bicycle

The lion rock of Sigiriya
● Has an entrance fees of USD 30 for foreign tourists
● Places of interest are water gardens, boulder gardens, frescoes, mirror wall, lion paws, summit, Sigiriya rock
● Getting there : Well connected on bus from Colombo, Kandy, Dambulla, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa
● Getting around : Walking is the best way to explore Sigiriya
● Eat well and take plenty of water as it involves climbing lots of steps

Cave temples of Dambulla
● Has an entrance fee of LKR 1300 for foreign tourists
● Places of interest are Cave Temples, Golden Temple
● Getting there : Well connected on bus from Colombo, Kandy, Sigiriya, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa
● Getting Around : By walk

National Parks

● Wilpattu National Park	● Kaudulla National Park	● Minneriya National Park	● Horton Plains National Park
● Udawalawa National Park	● Bundala National Park	● Yala National Park	● Sinharaja Forest Reserve