10 Things to Know Before You Travel to Sri Lanka

An island with many blessed gifts, an imperfect paradise of some sort, are just two of the phrases used to describe the unending beauty of Sri Lanka otherwise known as “ the pearl of the Indian ocean. Main language here is Sinhala but if you’re not familiar English works absolutely well too. If you have decided to have your much deserved vacation in this beautiful island, I’d say you’ll not regret that decision for one second. And the locals you’ll meet you here will be without a doubt one of the friendliest people you’ll meet in a lifetime.

One main thing you should know when you’re travelling to Sri Lanka, is that this country is blessed with the best climates. Be it cold or hot or warm, you’ll find it all on this island. But be sure to miss the monsoon seasons to avoid a lot of staying in and cosying up in a couch.

Second of all, clothing is one of the important things you should recheck before travelling to Sri Lanka. If you’re planning on visiting the beautiful hill side with it’s absolutely breathe taking views, I suggest you to grab clothes from beanies to wool coats to turtle necks. If you’re lucky, anything long sleeve and a little thick would do the trick but if not, the wool coats and the beanie would be your friend. Make sure you also recheck if your room has hot water before booking the rooms if you’re travelling to the hillside. And if you’re craving for the warm weather, then do bring your light-coloured and lightest clothing to have the best of your vacation. Also, don’t forget long and not so tight, clothes that is mostly covered for both men and women which will be ideal if you’re planning to visit religious sites in Sri Lanka just as most religious sites around the world requires. While some sites may not exactly require them, some sites strictly do and as a country filled with many sacred places in mostly Buddhist, Catholic and Hindu religions, it’d be a wise decision to bring along some of those clothing items. And apart from that some of the pubs, clubs, and even some restaurants outside and in the same hotel you are in too may restrict you to enter if you’re wearing shorts and open shoes or flip-flops. Even though this is not the case in most places, it’s always better to be prepared.

Sri Lanka is a country blessed with many beautiful sights and thousands of tourist attractions, so know what are the most important ones you want to see during your vacation, or if you just want to lay back and relax and maybe have a little bit of adventure. Planning ahead will be the wisest decision as train tickets and rooms may require to be booked ahead.

Don’t miss the chance of tasting every local food with its own unique flavours. One plate’s taste may differ drastically from the one before so be sure to taste everything to make the best of your holiday because some of the delicious food in Sri Lanka will not be easy to find outside the country mostly. Also, do dare to eat with your hands and let go off the fork and the spoons if you dare. Don’t forget to taste the luscious tea plucked fresh from the hillsides. And be aware from what restaurants you dine, while some small shops offer a very good and clean food, most small shops may not be having exactly 5 stars when it comes to hygiene. So rethink your choices before dining in very small shops mainly if they don’t have a separate name board made specifically for the restaurant.

Another thing you shouldn’t miss is your chance at witnessing the mesmerising wildlife. There are places where you can even witness herds of elephants in one single place. So be sure to catch a sight of the wildlife in Sri Lanka during your vacation.

Respect is one attribute that most Sri Lankans are known for, so respecting elders, priests of all religions and people of all religions and respecting the Sri Lankans will make sure to not drag unwanted troubles that very rarely occurs. It’s better not to take a risk anyway. All around the country it’ll be wisest to not speak of any political matters of Sri Lanka and racism may be best avoided to stay out of trouble.

You may, at some point of your time in Sri Lanka, require a tuk-tuk or a three-wheeler otherwise known as taxi. But they can be very tricky and charge you probably more than the certain amount so be sure to catch a taxi with an meter or jot down one of the many hotlines of companies that have a chain of tuk-tuks at your service which you can be sure won’t charge more than the amount necessary.

Full moons are taken quite seriously in Sri Lanka because the days hold importance in Buddhism. So on full moons all bars, pubs and clubs will be closed basically until 12 midnight of the Poya day or the full moon day.

Most things in Sri Lanka are always negotiable, from tuk-tuk rides to shopping. While big clothing complexes and places with a price tag already on the good are not negotiable. Goods without price tags are mostly negotiable.

One of the last things you should know, definitely not the last thing you should do, is that you shouldn’t drink any tap water. You may see locals drinking from some taps but that maybe because they know that for sure is clean or also because they’re used to unclean water or because they can’t afford to drink clean water. So it’s for the best if you avoid tap water altogether.

Contact many of the Travel agents in Sri Lanka who will be more than happy to assist you with many more tips and advices. They will also not fail to guide you and give you more details about the above mentioned facts. Check out one of the known and trusted tour operators in Sri Lanka Tours and Travels for the best rates and a trusted opinion that will give you a plenty to choose from and a safe tour. Last but not least, “Suba gaman!”- Safe Journey!