Passports must be valid for at least 6 months beyond the intended length of stay. Depending on your country of origin, tourist visas may be obtained on arrival. Details are available online at www.eta.gov.lk . We strongly advise you to check visa requirements in good time before your departure date. Security. This goes without saying, but keep your documents and valuables safe, either on your person, in the room-safe found in many hotels, or with hotel reception.

PASSPORT

While all major credit cards are accepted throughout Sri Lanka, you will need cash for some of the smaller souvenir shops and grocery stores. ATM cashpoints are widely available. Our national currency is the Sri Lanka rupee (LKR), while many tourist shops will accept the US dollar, the euro, and other major currencies, offering up-to-the-minute exchange rates obtained via the Internet. As a rough guide, carry 3–5,000 rupees in cash. If you need more, your driver/guide will be happy to arrange for you to exchange currency or travellers cheques at a bank, licensed money-changer, or your hotel.

money 

If you’re new to the tropics, the heat and humidity, mild dehydration, a couple or three too many beers by the pool, and first-time exposure to our hot and spicy cuisine, might leave you feeling out of sorts. Keep a blister-pack of paracetamol handy (Panadol are widely available in Sri Lanka), plus a pick-me-up effervescent antacid and pain reliever (such as Alka-Seltzer).

medicine

It is easy to become so wrapped up in your new adventure that you forget to drink enough, and may experience the onset of dehydration: dry mouth, slight headache, weakness and lethargy. If that happens when you are out and about, tell your driver/guide and he will quickly provide bottled water and a shady spot with a cooling breeze to rest and recuperate. But it shouldn’t come to that if you remember to carry with you and drink a liter of water an hour, or more if you feel the need. And don’t ration yourself—our driver/guides always have enough to go round!

water  

Light, loosely-fitting clothing is a must in any hot and humid tropical climate. However, in Sri Lanka’s Hill Country, the high altitude and low cloud mean it can get quite chilly, so pack a jacket, sweater or fleece. Swimwear is fine around pool or beach areas, but not inside the hotel. Most important, you must be fully covered—including long dresses (or saris/sarongs) and trousers—when visiting Buddhist temples and other places of worship.

clothing  

Sri Lanka’s tourism and health authorities enforce western food and hygiene standards, and stomach complaints are rare. Nevertheless, we recommend that you drink only bottled water, either from supermarkets and reputable shops, or obtained from your driver/guide. But if you should feel queasy—perhaps after over-indulging in some of our hot and spicy culinary delicacies!—king coconut water is renowned for settling an upset stomach.

food &
hygine 

Pictures. Photographing airports, dams, roadblocks, and anything else to do with security or the military is forbidden. And don’t pose beside or in front of, or in any way disrespect, a statue or image of the Buddha.

photos 

This goes without saying, but keep your documents and valuables safe, either on your person, in the room-safe found in many hotels, or with hotel reception.

Security

UV light, the rays that cause sunburn, are particularly strong in the tropics, even through haze and light cloud. Make sure you have—and use!— the right filter factor for your skin type, plus an after-sun moisturizer.

sun cream