Introduction

Sri Lanka – the island of serendipity – rises from tropical sandy beaches into cool highland regions, rich with temples and tea plantations shrouded in mist

Travel in Sri Lanka: vital stats

• Capital of Sri Lanka: Colombo
• Population of Sri Lanka: 22 million
• Languages in Sri Lanka: Sinhala, Tamil, English
• Time in Sri Lanka: GMT+5.5
• International dialing code for Sri Lanka: +94
• Voltage in Sri Lanka: 230V 50Hz AC
• Visas for Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka visas
• Money in Sri Lanka: Sri Lankan rupee (RP). Credit cards and travellers cheques are widely accepted although credit card fraud is a problem. There are ATMs in major cities.
• Travel advice for Sri Lanka: Foreign & Commonwealth Office
• Sri Lanka tourist board: Sri Lanka Tourism

When to go to Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka has two monsoons. The south, west and the hills are driest from December to March, while the dry season in the north and east runs from April to September. It’s generally warm all year, but far cooler in the hills. The dates of the Kandy Esala Perahera festival are based on lunar cycles, but the ten-day extravaganza is always in July or August. To see the elephants at Minneriya, visit from July to September.