Essential information

A good family holiday takes planning, especially when you’re travelling somewhere new and exotic where things don’t work quite like they do in Europe. Booking with Rickshaw takes the stress out of deciding where to go and booking your itinerary, but you’ll still want to be prepared for all those little differences and details a new country will throw your way.

Read on for our advice on what to expect in Sri Lanka, as well as practical tips to make sure you’re ready for your big family holiday.

Time zone: GMT+5:30 (yep, that’s 5 and a half hours ahead, strangely enough!)

Language: Sinhala and Tamil (official languages) plus other local languages

Capital city: Colombo (executive) and Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte (legislative)

Population: 21.9 million (2023 estimate)

Main religions: Buddhism (70.2%), Hinduism (12.6%), Islam (9.7%), Christianity (7.4%)

Currency: Sri Lanka Rupee (LKR)

International dialling code: +94

Side of the road: Left

For the vast majority of family travellers, the holiday starts with a flight into Sri Lanka’s main international airport about 30km north of Colombo. The official name is Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) but most people know it simply as Colombo Airport.

From the UK, the only direct flights currently operating are with Sri Lankan Airlines. These run daily from London Heathrow, usually fly overnight and take around 10.5 hours.

You can often save some money by going indirect, although good options are quite limited. Your best indirect route will likely be via Doha with Qatar Airways/British Airways, and again these flights will depart from London (either Heathrow or Gatwick).

Entry to Sri Lanka is pretty straightforward for most nationalities, including UK citizens.

You will need a visa to visit Sri Lanka and this can now be arranged electronically at https://www.eta.gov.lk. The cost is USD50 per person. For children below the age of 12 years, the visa is free. You will be allowed to stay for 30 days.

On arrival, each member of your family will need to present a valid passport with at least one blank page, as well as evidence of onward travel (e.g. your return flight ticket). The expiry date of your passport must be at least 6 months after your arrival.

You can always check the latest UK travel conditions on the FCDO website. If you own a passport issued by another country, please check with your relevant embassy before travel.

The official currency of Sri Lanka is the Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR or just Rs). You will be able to pay for some things using a debit or credit card (e.g. in hotels or mainstream shops) but you will definitely need cash for most of your day-to-day spending.

The Sri Lankan Rupee is a ‘closed’ currency and is virtually impossible to exchange before you get there, but it’s easy enough to exchange GBP, USD or EUR at the airport or in banks. You can also use ATMs, although fees will likely apply.

For more detail on money and costs, check our Sri Lanka money guide.

A vital part of any family holiday is keeping everyone safe and avoiding illness if possible – you don’t want to be missing out on fun stuff because you’re sat in a doctor’s office.

Health & safety standards are generally good in Sri Lanka tourism, and all of our tours and activities are rigorously checked and certified, with fully-trained guides and well-maintained equipment throughout. If you’re booking something locally then it’s best to be a little wary and use your best judgement – there are many good operators but also some less trustworthy ones. Look out for substandard equipment and check out the operator’s online reviews if possible.

Take extra care when crossing roads since drivers don’t always stop at crossings, and always pay attention to local advice regarding tides when heading into the sea.

Crime involving tourists is, for the most part, limited to petty theft. Keep a tight hold on your valuables in busy urban areas or use a concealed money belt. Never hand over your passport to non-officials (we suggest carrying a photocopy instead) and try to stick to ATMs located inside of banks. Recent years have seen some political unrest – this won’t target tourists but it’s strongly advised to steer clear of any unrest.

In terms of health, the medical services in Sri Lanka are of a pretty good standard and most common medicines are available from pharmacies. Of course, it’s always a good idea to take any specialist medicine you or your children need along with you (clearly labelled in case of airport checks).  Also, be aware that the sun can be strong here and there are bugs about too, so take some good sunscreen and repellent. We’d also recommend sticking to bottled drinking water and regularly washing hands.

Vaccination advice should only be taken from a doctor or travel nurse but Sri Lanka is not considered particularly high-risk for diseases. It is sensible to consult your doctor 8 weeks before travel, and the NHS Fit For Travel website has lots of useful information you can refer to. You may require a yellow fever certificate if you have recently travelled to certain destinations in Latin America and Africa.

In case of emergency, you’ll have a 24/7 telephone number for our local partners who can help and advise in almost any situation. In more extreme cases, 118/119 is the police number and it’s 110 for an ambulance.

You can also speak to the dedicated Tourist Police on (+94) 112 421 052 and reach the British Embassy on (+94) 115 390 639. Make sure you have good family travel insurance to cover any costs that arise.

P.S. We’d recommend making a couple of copies of your passport photo page before travelling and also saving a digital copy in your e-mails – this will make things much easier if something happens to your actual passport.

In general, Sri Lanka has a warm and humid climate so loose clothes made from natural materials are perfect. You’ll also want light rain jackets, some sturdy trainers or walking boots, and a couple of warmer layers in case you head into the highlands.

Some other family packing essentials include;

Sunscreen, sunglasses, hats or caps, sandals, mosquito repellent, plug adaptors (for type D and M sockets), charger cables for any gadgets, reading materials, refillable water bottles, small first aid kit, any specific medicines (clearly labelled).

Also remember your bank card and any emergency helpline numbers, a small first aid kit, copies of important documents and a money belt to keep them in.

Sri Lankan’s take their food very seriously and, in our humble opinion, have developed one of the best cuisines in Asia if not the world. Think delicious curries, lipsmacking roti breads, stunning fresh fish and a million different ways to cook rice. Mild dishes, creamy dishes, spicy dishes, sweet dishes… even if your kids aren’t adventurous eaters, we think Sri Lanka can win them over.

If not, more familiar western options are widely available on many menus, especially in tourist-focused areas.

Sri Lanka’s food is a marriage of incredible local ingredients and a plethora of international influences. Throughout the centuries, trade, immigration and colonialism has brought various flavours and techniques from Europe, Asia and the Middle-East, and the results are pretty spectacular. Just take Sri Lankan breakfast, for example, which our Product Specialist Kate believes might be the best breakfast in the world! Breakfast will usually be served at your accommodation, often buffet-style, and there are plenty of restaurants around for lunches and dinners. A normal meal will set you back around £4-7, or if you visit one of the simple local eateries you’ll get a nice curry for around £2.

Vegetarians and vegans are well catered for in Sri Lanka – many national dishes are meat-free anyway. If needed, you can use the phrase “saya tak suka makan daging” to explain that you don’t eat meat.

Snacks for the kids are easy enough to come by. You’ll see some familiar brands of sweets and crisps in shops alongside some less familiar (and usually cheaper) local options. Street food and fresh fruit are also widely available and often delicious.

In terms of drinks, soft drinks and fruit juices are available in most places. The local beer is cheap and tasty, while imported wines are also available if a little expensive. You’ll want to stick to bottled water for drinking, and we recommend taking refillable bottles then buying the big 5 or 6 litre ones from the shop – this is both cheaper and better for the environment.

Sri Lanka operates on a 230V voltage, which is the same as the UK so no voltage converter needed.

The main plug types are D and G (same as UK) although you may also see type M on occasion. It’s a bit of a mixed bag so we recommend taking a universal plug adaptor with multiple settings.

Internet is widely available and of a decent standard, although it may be slow in more rural areas. Lots of hotels, cafes and restaurants will offer Wifi and be happy for you to log on.

Data roaming charges differ so you’ll need to check this with your phone provider. If needed, local SIM cards can be easily purchased at the airport and in most towns. The main local providers are Dialog and Mobitel.

The official languages of Sri Lanka are Sinhala and Tamil, with Sinhala being most common in the south, west and central regions, and Tamil being the dominant tongue in the north and east. Learning a few basic phrases or even just saying thank you in local language (Sinhala: “sthoo-thi” Tamil: “nandri”) will be appreciated, but the good news is that English is widely spoken as a second language by many Sri Lankans. You’ll also find many menus or official signs in English, so you’ll get by fine without mastering the languages.

You’ll find most Sri Lankans to be warm and welcoming people, and the culture is relatively informal and friendly. Sri Lankans are generally understanding of cultural differences and rarely take offence if you slip up, but here are a few things to be aware of;

• It’s expected to take of your shoes when entering a Sri Lankan home
• The left hand is thought of as the ‘cleaning’ hand, so passing money or other objects should be done with the right hand
• If somebody offers a gift or refreshment, they may find it rude if you refuse
• If you’re eating in a Sri Lankan home, you should leave a little bit of food on the plate if you don’t want any more – they may keep filling your plate otherwise!
• Don’t touch anybody on the top of the head, since it’s seen as disrespectful