Sri Lanka FAQS'

Cotton clothes, shorts, tshirts, polo shirt, singlet, sleeveless dress, short sleeve dress, dress shorts, short skirts and scarf to wear over shoulders when visiting Temples, All the above is useful at any time of the year. you will need light sweater/cardigan when in the North in the hills and waterproof clothing jacket and or a fold up umbrella. Modest dress for women is advisable especially off the beach and when visiting religious sites. Pack comfortable walking shoes, sandals. flip flops and runners/trainers and bring cotton socks (to protect your feet from the hot ground when you remove your shoes to visit temples) Pack mosquito repellent (for skin and clothes), hat/cap, sunglasses, swimwear, binoculars for wildlife safari, reusable water bottle (to limit the usage of plastic bottles), Suggest to bring an old phone to use with a local SIM card or use the one you have is also ok. Pack a small First aid kit, band aids, Panadol, Stop itch, Bushman repellant, sun screen 50+ and any prescription medication (there are many pharmacies in Sri Lanka if you need something).

The local currency is the Sri Lankan Rupee, divided into 100 cents (you rarely come across scents today). Currency notes are Rs.5,000, Rs2,000, Rs1,000, Rs500, Rs100, Rs50, Rs20 and Rs10. Beware of mistaking the Rs500 note for the somewhat similar Rs100 one. To check whether notes are genuine when not given at a bank, look for a lion watermark. Coins, should you have receive them, will be in denominations up to Rs10. Make sure you have plenty of lower denomination notes (Rs50, Rs100, Rs500), especially when travelling and you need to buy small items, fruit, and eat cheap meals, because change is often hard to come by apart from at hotels and big shops. We suggest you budget approximate US50 - Euro50 per day which will cover tips, entrances and lunches. Banks are open from 0900 hrs to 1300 hours Monday to Friday. Some city banks close at 1500 hrs, while some are open on Saturday mornings. It is easy to withdraw money across the island at ATMs using international credit cards or debit cards. Most hotels, restaurants and shopping centres accept credit cards. Some establishments may try to add a surcharge, which is illegal.

Sri Lanka Standard Time is five and a half hours ahead of GMT. (Allowance should be made for summer-time changes in Europe.)

Tipping for good service is standard practice. Sri Lankans are used to a tipping culture and would expect to receive a tip in normal circumstances but don’t feel obliged to tip if you receive bad service. With wages being low in comparison to Western standards, a tip can go a long way and this is reflected in the high level of service that is usually carried out. As a general rule we recommend tipping the following per person: Private Chauffeur driver for your trip $15 per day, best given at the end of each day's trip, Hotel Porter $3, Village Tour $3, Bullock Driver $3, Boat Guide $3, Tuk Tuk Driver $1, Cooking Demonstration $5, Massage $3, Spice Garden Guide $3, Tea Plantation Guide $3, Turtle Hatchery Guide $3, Airport Porter $5, Restaurants 5% of total bill. Tuk Tuk Drivers - always negotiate prior to accepting ride.

For Sri Lanka there are two associated plug types, types D and G. Plug type D is the plug which has three round pins in a triangular pattern and plug type G is the plug which has three rectangular pins in a triangular pattern. Sri Lanka operates on a 230V supply voltage and 50Hz. We recommend you check your appliances before embarking on your journey, to understand the requirements in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka has two official languages . Sinhala and Tamil - with English as a link language. Most people have some knowledge of English, and signboards are often in English. English is recognised as a “link” language in the constitution. Today, the three languages are taught at the primary level.

While there are no mandatory vaccines, we recommend you be up to date on universal DTP (diphtheria-tetanus-polio) vaccines. Consult with your doctor regarding vaccination against tropical diseases at least 3 months before your arrival. Yellow fever vaccination certificates are required for those travelling from countries at risk for this disease.

Seventy five percent of the total population is Sinhalese, mainly Buddhist, sixteen percent is Tamil and mainly Hindu, and the rest of the population is made up of Muslims and Christians. There are communities of Burghers who are the descendants of the first Dutch and Portuguese settlers, and ethnic minorities such as Sri Lanka's indigenous people, the Veddas. Religion is an integral part of life for the people of Sri Lanka and it is important to know a few things so as not to accidentally disrespect them when visiting religious sites. Choose outfits that cover your shoulders and knees; take your shoes off at the entrance (hint- wear flip-flops to make it easy) don't turn your back on Buddha; don't take selfies in the temple. If you want to eat with your hands as the locals do, use only your right hand because the left hand is considered impure (especially for Muslims and Hindus).