Sri Lankan dishes are based on rice, with a large variety of vegetables, fish & fruits. The uniqueness of Sri Lankan food influenced by invaders and traders – Indians, Arabs, Malays, Moors, Portuguese, Dutch and English all whom have left a mark on the Sri Lankan diet, will surely make your trip a voyage of culinary discovery!

Sri Lankan food is good, perhaps a little too piquant for foreign palates, but worth trying. The Lankan food served in your hotel is toned down a little bit due to the sensitive stomach of most tourists, but nevertheless is delicious and you should try it. International food of any kind is found in all major Sri Lankan Restaurants.

Most coastal towns have excellent seafood including prawns & delicious crab. Rates are quite inexpensive. Being a tropical country, Sri Lanka is blessed with a large variety of fruits. Some fruits like mangoes and Bananas (known an plantains here), come in over a dozen of sub varieties of shapes, sizes & tastes! Fruits such as Rambutan, Pineapple, Mangosteen, Papaya (Papaw), wood apple, melons, passion fruit, guavas, etc., are but a small sample of the amazing variety of fruits to be discovered and enjoyed.

Can I obtain vegetarian food?

Most large hotels and restaurants have a ‘vegetarian section’ in the menu.

The smaller local ‘rice and curry’ restaurants may say the food is vegetarian but include a serving of fried fish or sprats (anchovies). The ‘South Indian’ vegetarian restaurants are 100% vegetarian.

Can I obtain ‘Halal’ food?

‘Halal’ food is quite scarce in major hotels. The Galadari and Holiday Inn in Colombo serve halal food, as well a couple of hotels on the west coast. There are quite a few restaurants in Colombo and Kandy, but not much else. The best bet is to order seafood instead of meat to be on the safe side.

What sort of food can I expect in an ‘Ayurveda Resort’?

The food is exclusively based on Sri Lankan rice and curry menu. The curries are mostly Sri Lankan vegetables; Chicken and fish maybe included.

How about drinks?

Sri Lanka is famous for it’s tea, and pride ourselves in producing ‘Ceylon Tea’, the finest tea in the world. There is a local version of coffee, which is a bit strong. But Colombo is the only place that you could get a really good espresso. Highly recommended are the fresh fruit juices. Popular international soft drinks are available even in little village boutiques.

Sri Lanka has it’s own variety of local beer. Sri Lanka also has two extremely popular local varieties of intoxicating beverage – Toddy and Arrack. Toddy is a natural drink, produced from one or other palm trees. Fermented and refined toddy becomes Arrack. Some varieties are real “rocket fuel”! Imported beer and foreign liquors cost almost the same as in most western countries.
Thambili or King Coconut is a sweet, clean and cheap natural drink that you’ll find by the wayside. It’s extremely cooling and refreshing!

We advice not to drink tap water unless it is purified. Bottled water is recommended. Only use water from containers with serrated seal- not tops or corks. Most hotel rooms have boiled water in thermos flasks, which is safe to drink.

Is it true that liquor is not served on Full Moon days?

True. Liquor is not served on Full Moon Days.

Full Moon days (known as Poya days), are of religious significance to Buddhists and devoted to prayer and meditation. In keeping with its significance as a religious day abstinence is practiced. As such places selling liquor (including hotel bars) and Meat shops closed. Places of entertainment such as cinemas, discos and casinos are closed as well.

Can I smoke in public places?

No. Smoking and consuming liquor in public areas is banned in Sri Lanka. The smoking ban includes enclosed public places such as restaurants and social clubs. Smoking is not allowed inside Dream Vacations vehicles while on tour; however, regular comfort stops will be provided.

What sort of accommodation can I expect?

Accommodation is usually in a shared twin-bed room with a supplementary charge for single occupancy. We offer a wide range of accommodation from private boutique hotels, villas, eco lodge and tents. Some of our nature & adventure trips include traveling to remote or undeveloped outstation destinations, hotel accommodation of International tourist standard may not exist & facilities are rudimentary. Sleeping huts & tents are simple & often lack Western-style toilets or bathing facilities. In such places, tour participants will be provided with the best available facilities. The package price may include meals as specified in each tour program.

The Sri Lankan Rupee is used only for transactions within Sri Lanka.

US$/Euro etc., is accepted in most large hotels, and tourist establishments, but not in outlets catering to locals. Advice to bring in US$/Euro and change as and when needed.

If the Rupee only is used – what is the best currency to bring – US$ / £ Sterling / Euro?

It depends on your primary account currency.

If your account is in Singapore Dollars, bring that (or you’ll lose on converting to a third currency).

You can change the currency to Rupees on arrival at the airport. However, if your currency is a non-freely convertible local currency (not freely traded in international foreign exchange markets) it’s better to bring a freely convertible currency like the US$/ Euro. There are many currency exchange counters at the arrival lounge (after passing baggage clearance and customs).

Internationally accepted currencies and credit cards are easily accepted at most tourist establishments. Travelers cheques are also recommended. We recommend you change some of your money into local currency for tipping, shopping and other miscellaneous expenses.

The exchange of foreign currency is only permitted at banks, money changes and Hotels. You’ll have no problem changing Travelers Cheques at any major bank. Thomas Cook and Visa are the most widely accepted. Banks charge a 0.5% handling fee and generally a commission, which varies from bank to bank. Change only that amount of money you require for spending.

How much of money can I bring in to/ take out of the country?

There is no restriction in bringing money in foreign currencies into Sri Lanka. This sum could be in TCs, Bank drafts or currency notes. However, if the total exceeds US$ 15,000, that sum must be declared to the Sri Lanka Customs.

If you wish to take out from Sri Lanka a sum in excess of US$ 5000 in currency notes (out of the money brought in), you must declare the entirety of the sum brought in, even if it is less than US$ 15,000.

The foreign currency amounts indicated in US$ may be in equivalent amounts in other convertible foreign currencies.

Please retain whatever receipts of exchange (including ATM receipts) for monies declared. This will be helpful when re-exchanging to foreign currency and taking your money back out of the country. The Re-Exchange (purchase of foreign currency) can only take place on your departure at the Bank counters at the airport. Do note that they will only accept bank receipts (not Money Changer receipts).

Are credit cards widely accepted?

Credit Cards are widely used and accepted by local establishments (even in small towns). The most widely used card types are Visa and MasterCard, with Amex to a lesser extent. It would be a convenient option to use your Credit Card (valid for international use) whenever possible.

Due to currency regulations in Sri Lanka, credit card charges cannot be made in foreign currency Local tourist establishments (including Dream Vacations) will apply the daily exchange rate on the day of your payment and convert foreign exchange rate to Sri Lankan Rupees. Please use the exchange rate indicated in the currency converter only as a guideline as we will apply the prevailing bank exchange rate at time of transaction.

Are ATM machines widely available and do they issue cash against my debit/ credit card?

ATM’s are available in most main cities. You can take cash against Visa / Mastercard in most ATM’S. However, as different banks accept different cards, we advice you ensure that your card is valid for use in Sri Lanka by contacting your bank. Watch out for the Maestro or Cirrus logo!

What are the business hours and days?

*Poya days (Full moon days)

The Right Hand rule – Always gives and receives and eats with your right hand. It is extremely bad mannered to use your left hand for eating.

Respect cultural differences – Things are done differently in Asia, and Sri Lanka is no exception. This is why we love it! Please make sure in your dealings with local people you accept these differences and not try to change them for your own benefit or comfort. The traveler who wishes to have a happy and successful trip in Sri Lanka should keep as calm, cheerful and friendly as humanly possible. Patience and courtesy are virtues that open many doors. Demanding tourists do not get smiles, service or respect.

Environmental responsibility – Pollution and waste management is a huge problem throughout the world. Unfortunately in many parts of Asia, disposal systems are inadequate and recycling of plastics is limited. We suggest avoiding plastic packaging where possible and take along your own bag when shopping. Plastic bags will be offered for everything! Collect and dispose in the next town.

The law protects certain endangered species of flora & fauna. Export & in even possession of these species as well as of wild animals, birds, reptiles etc., is illegal. The production and sale of items made from wild animals and reptiles, e.g.: Leopard skins, crocodile skins, elephant tusks etc., is also illegal.

Never break coral, or brush against it. Coral is basically a colony of living organisms and damaging them, might kill them. If you go out in a Glass-bottom Boat, encourage the pilot to steer well clear from the coral itself. Boats scraping over the top of the reef are doing damage especially at Hikkaduwa. Never buy coral if it’s offered for sale. Similarly don’t buy sea shells or turtle shells (or eggs). All of Sri Lanka’s five species of Turtle are endangered. If you happen to spot a turtle, when being take out on a boat, discourage the driver from circling it; this sort of harassment is very stressful to the turtle.

Tipping is widely accepted and generally expected. tipping is a customary way of showing your appreciation for services rendered. A general rule of thumb for tipping;

Tour Guide – Your chauffeur-guide will expect something between US$ 10 to 15 a day (depending on your level of satisfaction with his service). If you are in a tour group of more than 7 people (and tour of more than 6 days), you can pool the tip and pay the guide $65 – $ 80, Driver $55 – $75, Driver’s assistant $35 – $45 for the tour.

Restaurant Staff – A 10% service charge is usually included in bills for food in more established restaurants. However the waiter/ waitress will expect a small tip.  If a 10% service charge is included in the bill, a tip of $1 or $2 will be sufficient. If you receive exceptional service, add another 5% – 10%. If you are staying at a high-end hotel with a personal butler, tip him about $10 per day.

Housekeeping, bell desk & maintenance staff – A tip of $0.50 cents or $2 for the porter/ bell boy per bag (depending on distance to your room). Airport porters usually have the rate marked on their vests – about Rs. 50 per bag – this is not really a tip but more like a ‘service charge’. The room boy/ maid & pool boy will expect about $4 – $5 per week.

Temples & places of interest – The man who looks after your shoes at temples will require a small tip. The resident monks in some smaller temples will show you around and expect a ‘donation’ – in such cases you can buy a ‘ticket’ from a layperson or place the tip in the ‘donation box’. If you visit Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage and want to take photo or bottle feed a baby elephant – you’ll need to cough up a ‘tip’.  Always check with your guide before snapping a picture.

Transport – taxi cabs & tuk tuks run on a fixed price, so tipping is not required.

A 1 US$ is roughly equal to Rs. 150, so giving this as a tip is also well received by the locals. Don’t get overwhelmed by all the tipping advice, after all it’s purely discretionary.

The places with some active nightlife are Colombo, Negombo and Hikkaduwa.

Colombo has some decent pubs, nightclubs, karaoke lounges and bars. There is a growing pub culture among the young crowd in Colombo. Friday and Saturday nights are the days for all-night partying. The casinos offer a good combination of live entertainment, food, and games of chance.

Negombo and Hikkaduwa have some good beach restaurants and bars. Negombo doesn’t have much of a party scene, but you will find regular beach parties in Hikkaduwa.

Sri Lanka has a wide variety of very attractive handicrafts on sale. Sri Lankan masks are a very popular collector’s item. Other recommendations are batiks, wood carvings, gemstones, semi-precious stones, lacquer-ware, hand-made Silver- and Brass objects, and don’t forget the famous ‘Ceylon Tea’. Please avoid ornaments made from tortoise shells & ivory. Never buy turtle shells, we even suggest you not purchase any woodcarving made from ebony, to preserve this scarce hardwood.

Sri Lanka is a major garment manufacturer and exporter of all kinds of clothing. There is an excellent selection of children’s and casual clothing for men & women, beach wear, and even warm padded jackets at extremely attractive prices. Colombo is fast becoming an attraction for garment hunters.

The voltage is Sri Lanka is 220/ 240 volts

What type of plug/s can I use?

Sri Lankan hotels have two types of plug bases; either the UK (Type G) or India (Type D).

*Do not confuse with the larger 15 Amp plug which is used for ‘heavy duty’ appliances like air-conditioners, and microwave ovens.

If you have a rectangular plug (UK – Type G) and the hotel base is round pin (India – Type D) or vice versa, just ask the reception to send you an adapter, which will solve the problem. Alternately, adapters are freely available in supermarkets/ hardware shops.

If you have a Euro plug (Type C), you can stick a pen into the Earth socket (either UK Type G or India Type D) to open the shutters and insert the plug; Do not forget to switch off the power before you do this!

The Type I plug (two slanted pins) used in countries such as South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and parts of China is not compatible with Sri Lankan plug base and need an adapter. Its better you bring a ‘Universal Adapter’ if you have this type of plug, as it will be difficult to find adapters for Type I plugs in the local hardware shops.

A word of caution; do not insert a 110V – 120V appliance (E.g. hairdryer) into a Sri Lankan 240V plug base, you might find it catching fire in your hands!

There are many franchised photo shops such as Kodak & Fuji with advanced digital imaging services in major towns. Almost all types of digital data storage devices are accepted. It’s always advisable to keep a backup of your pictures before handing them over for processing.

It’s always advisable to bring a USB cord (camera to PC) so you transfer the pictures to a PC. The internet cafés are ideal for this (you’ll find them all around the country). Simply copy the pictures to the PC and then burn them into a CD. This is much cheaper than processing through a photography shop/ studio. It’s best to make two copies of the CD. One you keep with you, the other send it home in the post. That way you can always keep your memory cards empty to capture more photos!

Digital camera accessories such as memory cards and batteries are available in Colombo, Kandy, and a few major towns.

Ask permission before taking photographs of people and respect their wishes if they refuse. Minority groups in particular are often unhappy to have their photo taken. Travellers should avoid paying for the right to take a photo as this has been found to encourage a begging mentality in the locals. If photos are taken please send back copies (through our tour leaders or direct to the village) so that the people receive copies. The locals gain a great buzz from seeing themselves in photos and it encourages a ‘sharing’ rather than ‘taking’ attitude towards photography. Our tour leaders will make every effort to distribute them the next time they are in the area.

While we welcome travellers to pack their video cameras, there are some places where we do not allow you to film. In small villages, at home-stays or trekking, we do not permit the use of videos as local people have requested this and we ask for courtesy and discretion with still cameras.

Ask permission before taking pictures either of people or inside temples or other sacred places. For example, it is forbidden to take photographs inside the cave temple complex of Dambulla. Never use flash on murals inside temples and other places; it can damage them. You are not allowed to use flash at the frescoes at Sigiriya, but where there is no ban, please behave responsibly.

Never pose beside or in front of a Buddha statue (i.e. with your back to the statue). Such conduct is considered extremely disrespectful. Never take a photo of a monk without asking permission. Tourists are sometimes asked for money for taking photos. Always ask before you shoot whether payment is expected. Our accompanying representatives will be able to guide you on this.

Never take photos of dams, airports, roadblocks or anything to do with the military. Don’t tote the camera around Colombo Fort.

You may travel to anywhere in the island. However, travel to the North requires prior authorization from the Ministry of Defence. We do not conduct tours to the Northern province at present.

Tamil Thai Pongal Day takes place in January, usually on January 14. The National holiday takes place on February 4. Sinhala and Tamil New Year’s Eve is in April each year, typically April 13 or April 14, while New Year’s Day is usually April 14 or April 15.

Due to the country’s conservative and traditional beliefs, we advise LGBTQ travellers to be discreet.

Sri Lanka is family-friendly and considered to be very safe. There are a lot of activities for families such as elephant and leopard safaris in the national parks, visiting pristine beaches, or exploring cultural sites. Our holidays are conducted in areas which are considered safe for tourists to visit. 

What safety precautions must I take when travelling?

According to accepted norms of travel you should deposit your valuables like money, passport, tickets, jewels etc in the hotel safe deposit locker. In accordance with international custom the Hotels in Sri Lanka are not responsible for objects lost in the room. You should also not leave your valuables unattended on the beach, the balconies or terraces.

Never leave your money or passport in your backpack or suitcase. Always keep a record of your Travellers Cheque numbers separately from the Travellers Cheques. It is wise to keep an amount of money (about US$ 200) stashed away separately from your money-belt or pouch.

What health issues must I be concerned with?

Sri Lanka has an effective health care system which is considered a model for most developing countries across the world. However, emergency medical facilities may not be found outside main cities. You may have to be brought to Colombo for treatment. We recommend you use the private sector hospitals, which are likely to offer better care.

It is mandatory for those travelling to Sri Lanka from Africa or Latin America to have a valid certificate of vaccination for Yellow fever and Meningitis prior to arrival in Sri Lanka. You need up-to-date Hepatitis A, Polio and Tetanus shots.

Mosquito borne diseases like dengue, chckengunya and malaria are common. It’s advised you take adequate protection against mosquitos. Take some Imodium tablets (just in case you get an upset stomach).

Almost every town has a pharmacy selling common medicines. However, we advise you to carry any special medication as the availability of medical supplies may vary. You are strongly advised you take an adequate health insurance cover when travelling to Sri Lanka.

How about mosquitoes and other pests?

Most hotels will provide you with a plug-in mosquito repellent which will usually be switched on during turn down. You can buy the mats (small repellent tablet inserted to the plug-in unit), from most local supermarkets. Mosquito nets in hotels are a rarity. You can also buy the burning coils or citronella candles from the supermarket. It would be advisable to apply some repellent lotion if you plan to have dinner in an outdoor/ alfresco setting. The locally available ‘Siddhalepa balm’ is quite effective to take the itch out of mosquito bites.

Leeches – A good remedy is to apply soap and left to dry or apply lime to exposed areas. You can wear leech socks. Which are pulled over the trousers to prevent leeches reaching the exposed skin of the legs. If you find a leech sucking on your leg, do not pull it off, but wait for it to fall off after feeding. Else you can apply some salt; this will make the leech release its hold and fall off.

Since Sri Lanka is a small country, driving is the best way to get to most regions. Lumle guests will travel by private vehicle or bus if taking a group tour. To travel from Kandy to the tea plantation area, it is common to take the express train (permitted operational).

Internet access is good in most major areas of Sri Lanka. Wi-Fi is available at most restaurants, bars, cafes, hotels, and malls, although you’ll find gaps in service in remote areas and villages.