General Information
Weather
Sri Lanka enjoys sunshine temperature between 28°C & 35°C in the low country and between 10°C & 20°C in the hills.
Transport
Getting around is a breeze and quite inexpensive - choose from metered taxis (major cities and airport), 3-wheeler scooter taxis, private and public buses or rail. Public and private buses are the cheapest form of transport, while trains serve a number of prime locations. (Contact the Railway Tour Information Department for more details.) There are also several established Rent - A - Car companies.
Shopping
Sri Lanka is a shoppers' paradise! Best Buys include Clothes, Leather Goods, Carved Masks, Textiles, Tea, Spices, Handicrafts, Gems & Jewellery and Ceramics.
What to Wear
The humidity in Sri Lanka's hot tropical climate averages around 70 percent during the year. So, soft, practical and comfortable clothing is a prerequisite at any given time. On a trip to the cooler climes of the Hill Country however, carrying a sweater or jersey is important. A formal, lounge suit or dress could come in useful for evenings depending on the venue you happen to visit. You must however be fully - attired when you enter Temples and other sites of religious worship.
Airport
Colombo Airport is around 30 Km north of Colombo. Transportation to and from the airport is available in the form of Buses and Taxis.
Facilities at the Airport
Left luggage Facilities: A Left Luggage Counter at the outer porch of the Arrivals Terminal offers a reliable 24 hour service.
Restaurants: 24 hour service restaurant.
Banks: Branches of many leading Commercial Banks are found in the Arrival and Departure Terminals.
Crèche: A child care room is available 24 hours of the day at the Transit area, free-of-charge.
Postal: A post office is located at the arrival porch and transit lounge of the Airport.
Post and Communication
Sri Lanka has both regular government Post Offices and privately run Post Offices. Your hotel should also have a post box.
Cost of Postage: Post Card - Rs. 14/-
Envelop - Rs. 20/-
International Direct Dialling is possible from your hotel, Agency Post Offices, many Tourist Shops and Telephone Booths. Don't forget to dial '00' followed by your country code before Dialling an international call.
Mobile Telephone Services
Professional Cellular Phone Services are offered by:
Celltel 072 243333
Dialog GSM 077 7678678
Hutchison 078 812345
Mobitel 071 2755777
E-Facilities - Email and Internet cafes are found in major cities.
Currency
The national currency is the Sri Lankan Rupee (Rs.), that's divided into 100 cents. There are coins of 5, 10, 25 and 50 cents and of Rupees 1, 2, 5 and 10. Notes come in denominations of Rs. 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1000
All Commercial Banks as well as many shops and hotels are aurhorized to exchange money.
Banking Hours: 9.00 am to 3.00 pm
Credit Cards
Most international Credit Cards are accepted widely. Teller Machines are available in Colombo, Kandy, Galle and a few other towns to draw money.
Food & Drink
Sri Lanka's traditional cuisine is rice with a variety of hot, spicy curries. Seafood is readily available, delicious and cheap. Lobster, Crab, Prawn, Squid, Octopus and many other kinds of fish are on most menus. Don't forget to taste Sri Lanka's exotic fruits. Restaurants in Colombo, which include European, Indian, Far Eastern and Chinese cuisine will give you a wide choice to select from.
Entertainment
Traditional Musicians, Singers, Drummers and Dancers perform at many Hotels. Many Theatres organize performances of cultural dancers on a daily basis in Kandy.
Many hotels in Colombo as well as in the outstations have their own Nightclubs and Discos, Karoke and there are numerous Casinos in Colombo for those with a gambling spirit.
Sports
Sri Lanka excels at Cricket. A wide selection of Water Sports are available along the coast of South, South West and East. There are several Golf Courses in Kandy, Colombo and Nuwara Eliya.
Photo Permits and Entrance Charges
Permits are required before you take your photos at a US$ 32.50 (or US$ 12 for each site) including photo approval and admission to Sigirya, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and Kandy.
Many Temples and sites of a religious significance in the Cultural Triangle Area require a separate ticket for entry and photos.
Sri Lanka's local Larger
Style Beers are tasty and refreshing.
Sri Lanka - Profile
Land Area - 65,525 Sq. Km
Population - 19 Million
Population Density - 309 people per Sq. Km
Ethic Composition - Sinhalese 74%
Tamils 18%
Muslims 7%
Others 1%
Literacy Rate - 91.8%
Life Expectancy - Female 74
Male 69
International Time - 6 Hours ahead of Greenwich Time