Plan your trip
Sri Lanka Travel Guides
Everything we get asked before a journey begins, answered properly. These guides are written from official Sri Lankan sources — immigration, the railways, the tourism authority and the wildlife department — and each one carries the date we last checked it.
We summarise official sources; we never claim to replace them. Every guide names the authority that owns the facts and links straight to it, so you can verify anything time-sensitive yourself.
Before you go
The three decisions that shape everything else: whether you can enter, when to come, and what to bring.
Entry requirements
How to Apply for a Sri Lanka Visa Online
How to apply for a Sri Lanka tourist visa (ETA) online: which nationalities get a free 30-day visa, current fees, the step-by-step application, and what to show on arrival.
Checked 29 July 2026
When to travel
Best Time to Visit Sri Lanka, Month by Month
The best time to visit Sri Lanka depends on which coast you choose. A month-by-month guide to weather, two monsoons, festivals, crowds and value.
Checked 29 July 2026
Before you fly
Sri Lanka Packing List: What to Actually Bring
A practical Sri Lanka packing list: temple dress codes, what the hill country actually demands, safari and monsoon kit, and the things travellers most often forget.
Checked 29 July 2026
Getting around
Realistic drive times from the airport, how the railway reservation system actually works, and the licence rules if you plan to drive yourself.
Airport transfers
Colombo Airport to Kandy: Options, Time and Route
How to get from Colombo airport to Kandy: distance, realistic drive times, route options, private transfer versus taxi, bus and train, and what to see on the way.
Checked 29 July 2026
Airport transfers
Colombo Airport to Galle and the South Coast
Getting from Colombo airport to Galle and the south coast: distance, realistic times on the Southern Expressway, transfer options, and onward beach towns.
Checked 29 July 2026
Airport transfers
Colombo Airport to Sigiriya and the Cultural Triangle
Getting from Colombo airport to Sigiriya and the Cultural Triangle: distance, realistic drive times, route options, and why the rock climb should not be on arrival day.
Checked 29 July 2026
Getting around Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka Train Schedule, Routes and How to Book
Sri Lanka train times for Kandy, Ella and Badulla, plus coastal and northern routes, travel classes explained, and how to reserve seats 30 days in advance.
Checked 29 July 2026
Getting around
Driving in Sri Lanka: Licences, Permits and Reality
Can tourists drive in Sri Lanka? The licence rules explained: why an IDP alone is not enough, how to get a DMT temporary licence or AA Ceylon permit, fees and road conditions.
Checked 29 July 2026
Where to stay, and what to see
Booking accommodation around two monsoons, and choosing between the parks that everyone compares.
Where to stay
Sri Lanka Hotel Booking: When, Where and How
Sri Lanka hotel booking explained: season by season and coast by coast, how far ahead to book, how to check a property is licensed, and direct versus online booking.
Checked 29 July 2026
Wildlife
Yala vs Udawalawe: Which Safari Should You Choose?
Yala or Udawalawe? An honest comparison of leopard odds, elephant sightings, crowds, closures, fees and drive times, and when to choose Wilpattu instead.
Checked 29 July 2026
Continue exploring
Rather have all of this handled?
Tell us your dates and we will come back with a private itinerary — the visa paperwork, the train seats, the transfers and the stays already sorted.