Sri Lanka travel guide
Before you go to Sri Lanka
- Currency
- LKR Rs
- Emergency number
- 119 / 119
- Plug type
- D, G, M
- Tap water
- Unsafe — drink bottled/filtered water
- Tipping
- Appreciated, ~10%; not mandatory
- Bargaining
- Common
- eSIM
- Available
- Card networks
- Visa, Mastercard
- ATM fees
- LKR 1,000+ per foreign withdrawal
Cities in Sri Lanka
- Sigiriya The Cultural Triangle hub crowned by the 5th-century Sigiriya Lion Rock fortress, with the Dambulla Cave Temple and lush jungle nearby.
- Kandy The cultural heart of Sri Lanka and last royal capital, home to the sacred Temple of the Tooth Relic, set around a serene lake amid misty…
- Ella A laid-back hill-country village famed for the Nine Arch Bridge, Little Adam's Peak, tea plantations and the scenic Kandy–Ella train ride.
- Galle A UNESCO World Heritage Dutch colonial fort town on the south coast — cobbled lanes, ramparts at sunset, boutique cafes and Indian Ocean…
- Colombo Sri Lanka's vibrant commercial capital and main gateway — colonial architecture, buzzing markets, seafront promenade (Galle Face Green) and…
- Nuwara Eliya "Little England" — a cool-climate hill station amid emerald tea estates, colonial bungalows, Gregory Lake and gateway to Horton Plains.
- Mirissa A palm-fringed south-coast beach town renowned for blue-whale watching, surf, Coconut Tree Hill and golden-sand sunsets.
- Negombo A lively beach town minutes from the international airport, known for its Dutch canal, huge daily fish market, lagoon boat rides and…
- Anuradhapura Sri Lanka's ancient first capital and a UNESCO sacred city — vast dagobas, the sacred Sri Maha Bodhi tree and ruins spanning over a…
- Bentota A south-coast resort town where the Bentota Ganga meets the Indian Ocean — golden beaches, the Madu River mangrove safari, a sea-turtle…
- Hikkaduwa A long-running south-coast surf and beach town with a shallow coral sanctuary for snorkelling, laid-back beach bars and a lively backpacker…
- Trincomalee A historic natural-harbour city on the northeast coast, famed for the clifftop Koneswaram Temple, whale watching, and the palm-fringed…
- Polonnaruwa Sri Lanka's medieval second capital and a UNESCO World Heritage Site — sprawling 11th-13th century ruins including the Royal Palace, Gal…
- Dambulla A Cultural Triangle town centred on the 2,000-year-old Dambulla Royal Cave Temple complex, with the Golden Temple below and easy access to…
- Tissamaharama The staging town for Yala National Park: a lake-and-dagoba town on the A2 where almost every Yala safari starts, 20 km from the park's…
- Udawalawe A small A18 roadside town at the edge of Udawalawe National Park, base for the year-round elephant safari and the Department of Wildlife…
- Arugam Bay Sri Lanka's premier surf town on the east coast, famous for the long right-hand point break at Main Point, laid-back cabana stays, and…
- Jaffna The cultural capital of Tamil Sri Lanka in the far north — the sacred Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil, the Dutch-built Jaffna Fort, a distinct…