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Sri Lanka with a backpack, 2016. Part 00: Preparation, impressions, recommendations February 17th, 2016

Starting with this entry, the story will tell about a wonderful trip through the mountains and coast of Sri Lanka in January 2016. The report will be large - 14 parts.

In this part you will learn:
- Why Sri Lanka, and what was the route;
- How much did you spend and on what?
- What was the weather like?
- What to read before the trip;
- What to take with you;
- How a visa is issued;
- And much more.

Where is this anyway?
01)

Why there?
I wanted to celebrate my anniversary in the mountains or on an island in the ocean, so that I could walk a lot and carry less things. In January, all the mountains in Russia are cold, and among hot countries, a ticket to Sri Lanka was the cheapest.

How long did you spend there?
Not counting flights, it was 14 days: from January 19 to February 1.

Goals that determined the route
More nature and walking, less people and spending. According to these criteria, the main sightseeing cities of Sri Lanka (Anuradhapura, Kandy, Sigiriya, Dambulla, Pollonaruwa) and even more so the southwestern beaches are definitely out of the question. But villages and small towns, national parks and the east coast, where it’s not the season - that’s for me! Therefore, the general plan turned out to be this: first, climb into the mountain wilderness, and then, for show, go down to the ocean - first to the east, and then, if there is time, to the south. Of course, on such a densely populated island as Sri Lanka, calling something a wilderness can only be conditional.

How did you move?
Basically, on foot and by bus, a couple of times by tuk-tuk, once by train, sometimes they gave us a lift. One day I rented a bicycle. Almost every day I moved to a new place. Sometimes he lingered and studied the surroundings.

Route
First I got to a remote village and spent the day there. Then I rode the train along Sri Lanka's famous highland railway to the island's highest station above sea level. From there I went to the national park, where I climbed the second and third peaks of Sri Lanka. Then I walked along a picturesque section of the railway tracks to a foggy town, where I visited a tea factory on a tour. At this point, the hiking part of the trip was completed, and I went down to the ocean. First to the east coast for a couple of days, then to the south. There I climbed around the surrounding area, swam in the ocean and cracked fruit on the shore, enjoying sunrises and sunsets. Then I went to the capital, walked there for a couple of hours and flew back home.

02) Another clumsy route map:

Where did you spend the night?
I wanted to take a tent, but right before leaving the house I changed my mind. A light one would not withstand the rain, a heavy one would mean an extra 3 kg in the backpack. Still, there are few convenient places to set up a tent in Sri Lanka. I decided to just look for cheaper overnight accommodation, and took with me a rug, a sleeping bag and instructions with options for overnight stays along the planned route. In the mountains these were guest houses (rooms in the houses of local residents), near the ocean - cheap rooms or huts.
The cheapest overnight stay cost 800 rupees (420 rubles) per night, the most expensive - 1,500 rupees (790 rubles).

What did you eat?
When the owners fed me - homemade food: rice with curry, various salads, etc.. When I did it myself - I bought vegetable pies and fruits on the street. I didn’t eat dogs, insects and the like - this is not about Sri Lanka at all, there is rice, spices, and coconuts with bananas.

How's the weather?
Sri Lanka has the same daylight hours all year round because of the equator. Light 12 hours: from 6:00 to 18:00. It gets dark and light within half an hour, as if someone simply turns the sun on and off. Therefore, it is important to find a place to stay for the night before dark - everything is bad with street lighting, and snakes, they say, become more active at night.
From 6 to 9 it’s bearable, but during the day it’s always hot and stuffy, but after a couple of days you get used to it. In an hour you can get burned to the point of blisters, which I did several times. Sunscreen is a dubious assistant, since it would still be washed off O volume. It’s better to simply protect parts of your body with clothing or, like the locals, show off with an umbrella. It's all on the coast. It was easier in the mountains; I even wore a jacket in the morning and evening. But during the day it is still stuffy and hot if there are no clouds or fog.

Have you seen wild animals?
Otherwise! The plan for wildlife was exceeded: I saw everyone I wanted in the natural environment, except for elephants and leopards. But I’ll tell you about the animals in other parts.

Okay, don't be tormented already! How much did you spend?
Air tickets 27,500 rubles;
Visa 35USD, at the rate of 73.87 it came out to 2,585.45 rubles;
Bus Ryazan-Domodedovo-Ryazan 1200 rubles;
On the bus I ate 200 rubles worth of crackers and chips;
In Sri Lanka I spent 310 dollars, which is approximately 23,000 rubles;
(Of these, approximately 7,000 for overnight stays, 7,000 for food and 9,000 for transport and tickets to paid places);
The total cost was 55,000 rubles.
The calculation was this: spend no more than 3,000 rupees (1,600 rubles) per day. Transport and fruit are cheap, housing is whatever you can find. The most painful blows to the wallet are entrance fees to national parks for foreigners, tuk-tuk rides and alcohol.

How is a visa issued?
In January 2016, everything was like this: I submitted an application on the website https://eta.gov.lk and paid by card. After 5 minutes, confirmation of receipt of the application arrived. A day later, the visa approval and the corresponding number arrived. Just in case, I printed out the approval and took it with me (it wasn’t useful, everything was already in the database). Once approved, you have 60 days to enter Sri Lanka once and stay for 30 days. You can also get a visa at the airport, but it is a little more expensive. Upon arrival, you must fill out an immigration card. In the “address in Sri Lanka” section, I indicated the address of the first hotel I came across from my memos.

Information preparation
I bought tickets back in October and immediately began to prepare. Here are my main sources of information in order of depth:
1. Wikipedia and all sorts of thematic sites. This is a good place to start for the general idea;
2. Corresponding thread on the Vinsky forum. Useful in terms of choosing attractions and beaches. There is little information for ascetics;
3. Guide to Sri Lanka by A. Krotova. A great guide for budget travelers. Unfortunately, it's from 2011, so some of the information is outdated. However, according to Krotov’s book, you can prepare for your trip to such a level that locals will wonder how you know so much about their country;
4. Lonely Planet guide 2014 (English). There are many inaccuracies; in terms of costs, it is intended for Europeans. But there is a lot of information about interesting places where tourists have rarely set foot, and good maps. Using this guide, it’s convenient to choose places in the area where you didn’t end up according to plan;
5. English website Lakdasun. Where local tourists share their hiking reports. The best site for hikers to find interesting wildernesses.

What to take with you?
Traveling for two weeks with hand luggage, so as not to worry about luggage, is an idea that is as tempting as it is dubious. Therefore, I took a Nordway creek 45 backpack. With all the things it came out to 14 kg.
When packing clothes, take into account the scorching sun - daytime clothes should be as light as possible, but covered. Also, all things should be quick-drying: due to high humidity, a whole night or a cloudy day may not be enough to dry things completely if you get caught in the rain or get a basin and wash something.
It’s better to take a lot of cheap socks so that you can throw them away, rather than wash them or take them back.
It is better to wear a Panama hat on your head to protect your ears.
For drying things, 10m of rope will not be superfluous.
It’s cool at night, especially in the mountains, and guesthouse owners usually only provide a sheet as a blanket, so a sleeping bag came in very handy.
Things are bad with garbage bins in Sri Lanka, take more bags to carry garbage with you. They are also useful for protecting things from moisture.
In your first aid kit, put what you know how to use.
A USB cord with an output to the desired device for charging is very useful - airports and airplanes often have a USB connector rather than a power outlet.
Don’t take too much toilet paper, they don’t use it in Sri Lanka, every toilet has a shower for cleaning.
It is important to have a notebook with a pen. They will be useful not only for overcoming the language barrier. The fact is that in Sri Lanka, sockets have three holes, one of which blocks the ones where the plug is inserted. Therefore, when you plug the plug into the socket, you need to poke it into the third hole with a handle. Just don’t get confused about where to stick what.
You can take a snack and water, depending on the flight parameters and the route of the first day.
Install the Maps.Me program with offline maps on your phone - it is free and very convenient.

So, let's look into the 45-liter backpack:
- Clothes: shorts, socks (8 pairs), 2 shirts, a T-shirt, two pants, shorts, a hat, a light buff, a jacket, a raincoat-poncho (so you can cover yourself with a backpack), sneakers, slippers;
- Sleeping bag, small folding 10L tramp backpack, rope + clips, bags, spoon, mug, boiler, lighter, first aid kit, camera, phone, player, flashlight, chargers, batteries, batteries, USB cable;
- Hygiene: dry and wet napkins, handkerchief, antiseptic gel, soap accessories, towel;
- Wallet, documents (+ copies), memos, watches, notebook with pen.

Flights
Flight with a transfer to Abu Dhabi (UAE). Etihad and Sri Lankan Airlines. The level of service is approximately the same: meals with metal cutlery and a vegetarian option for the main course, headphones, a pillow with a blanket and a variety of drinks to choose from: beer, wine, whiskey, cognac, gin, rum. In general, there is a lot to do during the flight. Flights were 5 hours long, transfers were 4 hours long. I always took a window seat - there was something to see, especially over Iran. While flying back and forth, I was afraid to sleep through the food, so instead of sleeping, I watched a bunch of films (some in Russian): “Everest”, “The Martian”, “Bridge of Spies”, “The Assassin”, “Black Mass”. I wanted to take a blanket with me, but decided to honestly ask permission. The flight attendant replied with a hint: “since you asked, then you can’t.”

03) The seat has a built-in touch screen with the route - you always know where you are currently flying if you know Arabic or geography

04) Snow and frost, goodbye for 2 weeks!

04) Transit area of ​​Abu Dhabi airport. A mosaic flower rises from the first floor to the ceiling of the second.

05) I could be wrong, but I think a Big Mac cost 8 USD. In Sri Lanka, with this money you can gorge yourself on fruit for 2 days.

06) Free cameras for charging devices. You can enter your code and go for a walk or sleep without fear of your phone being dropped.

What do you remember?
I will tell you what is remarkable about each of the places visited in the relevant parts of the report. In general, the trip was memorable for its varied landscapes, wild animals, temples and monasteries of different faiths, hospitable people, spicy cuisine, the ocean, heat and coconuts.

Where would you go next in Sri Lanka?
The concentration of interesting places on an island the size of the Stavropol Territory is so great that visiting them all in one trip is not possible even with the tightest schedule. Sri Lanka is one of those places where you should return not so much to repeat an unforgettable adventure you’ve already completed, but to visit a bunch of other unknown things. So the priority white spots on the map of Sri Lanka for me remained: the Lakegala, Ella Rock and Little Adam's Peak mountains, the north of the island, Anuradhapura, Yalla National Park and the Spice Garden. But that’s not all.

However, enough general phrases, let’s move on to specific days, and with illustrations! The next part is dedicated to arriving on the island and getting to know Sri Lanka.

Other parts:
> Part 00: Preparation, impressions, recommendations

It is considered an inexpensive country, although prices are slightly higher compared to other Asian countries. The question of how much money to take for a vacation is relative, since each person has his own concept of “expensive” and “cheap”.

The travel budget will be determined by the popularity of the resort, its distance from the airport, the star rating of the hotel, food - you can purchase the all-inclusive service or visit local cafes. It is also necessary to provide for expenses for excursions and shopping.

Average prices for products

You can convert all prices into rubles at the current rate using our currency calculator

Accommodation

The price of accommodation largely depends on the season.

An average 3 or 4 star hotel will cost from 35 to 70 USD per day for a 2-bed room.

You can rent a room from local residents with a shared kitchen and toilet. Price - from 15 to 25 USD per day.

Cafes and restaurants

Food prices are not high, but if you prefer exclusively lobster for breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as other delicacies, then such gastronomic preferences will not be cheap.

There are 2 types of cafes: for locals and for tourists. In all establishments, the portions are quite generous, so it is quite possible to take one dish for two.

Lunch or dinner at a budget establishment will cost an average of 500 to 800 rupees.

The most popular foods are rotti (flatbread with fillings) and kottu (chopped flatbread with fillings).

• Vegetable rotti - 40 Rs.
• Egg rotti - 50 Rs.
• Chicken rotti - 100 Rs.
• Cheese rotti - 120 Rs.

• Vegetable kottu - 60 Rs.
• Kottu with cheese and chicken - 150 Rs.

• Rice with chicken and vegetables - 250-260 Rs.

In tourist cafes and restaurants, prices are much higher. The same rotti and kottu will cost 2.5 - 3 times more.

• Fried rice with seafood - 480 Rs.
• Fried rice with chicken - 300 Rs.
• Egg noodles - 250 Rs.
• Fish curry - 250 Rs.
• Potato curry -150 Rs.
• Grilled seafood platter, served with lettuce and rice - from 800 Rs.
• Grilled fish - from 600 Rs.
• Lobster - 700 Rs per 100 g.
• Squid with rice - 880 Rs.

• Tomato soup - 300 Rs.
• Seafood soup - 400 Rs.

• Juice - from 200 Rs.
• Wine 0.7 local bottling - from 2500 Rs.

Sri Lankans rarely eat meat, so it is practically not represented in restaurants and cafes of the middle and minimum price categories.

Excursions

A wide variety of excursions are available in any resort town. Approximate prices are:

• Trip to Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa, Dambulla, Anuradhapura - 20-35 USD per person.
• Sinharaja National Park - 30-50 USD per person.
• Zoo in Colombo - 10 USD per person.
• Galle Fort - 35-40 USD per person.
• Coral Pigeon Island - from 20 USD per person.
• Whales (excursion available only from January to April) - from 55 to 75 USD per person, depending on the number of people in the boat.
• Sightseeing tour of the city of Kandy with a visit to the elephant nursery, tea factory, spice plantation, botanical garden for the whole day with meals - from 100 USD per person.
• Elephant nursery - from 15 USD per person.
• Yala and Udawalawe national parks with overnight stay - from 95 USD per person.
• Adam's Peak (Sri Pada) and Ella Falls with a visit to tea plantations and the Peace Pagoda. The duration of the excursion is 2 days. Price - from 85 USD per person.
• Trincomalee and Passikuda Bay (National Marine Park). The duration of the excursion is 2 days. Price - from 200 USD per person.

You can visit any cultural, historical and natural attractions on your own, armed with a map and a ticket for one of the modes of transport.

Getting around Sri Lanka

Knock Knock

The most democratic way of transportation is a tuk-tuk.

The auto rickshaw comes with or without a meter. If you have a device that takes into account mileage, the cost of travel is obvious. If the tuk-tuk is not equipped with a meter, you will have to agree on the price of the trip in advance and remember to bargain. The cost of travel for 10 km is approximately 350 Rs.

Taxi

Taxis are not very common in Sri Lanka. They can only be found in large cities and busy resorts. There are 2 types of trips: metered and at a fixed price from point A to point B. If you have a long journey from the airport to a hotel on the coast, it is better to take a car with a fixed fee. Price for 10 km - from 500 Rs.

Train

Sri Lanka has developed railway communications. However, it is not always possible to get to the desired location by train. Often the carriages are overcrowded, and travel conditions are far from sanitary standards. The ticket price depends on the class of carriage. It's not worth saving. It is better to buy tickets for special tourist pastures and trains that travel to the most picturesque places in the country, for example, Badulla, Kandy, Ella, Nuwara Eliya. Ticket price from 250 Rs.

Scooter and car rental

The cost of renting a scooter varies from 6 to 10 USD per day. If the price is high, it will be worth bargaining. Ask for a discount if you rent a vehicle for several days. The longer the lease, the lower the payment should be. There are no mileage restrictions.

Renting a car is troublesome and expensive. Prices start from 40 USD per day. Often the driver is not allowed to drive more than 100 km per day. Additional fees apply for “overspending.” There are problems with obtaining a driver's license, since Sri Lanka only recognizes driver's licenses issued by local authorities.

The cost of gasoline is approximately 170 Rs/liter.

Entertainment

The life of the island is subject to the wishes of tourists, who make a tangible contribution to the well-being of the country. Here are just some of the available entertainment:

• Individual surfing lesson (3 hours) - from 2,500 Rs.
• Surfboard rental on the beach - from 250 Rs.
• An Ayurvedic massage session (45 minutes) in a regular salon - 2,200 Rs. The same procedure in a hotel will cost 2.5 or 3 times more.
• Hot air balloon flight - 38,000 Rs for 4 people.
• Rental of equipment for snorkeling on the beach - from 300 Rs.
• Elephant safari - 4,000 Rs. The ride lasts 1 hour.
• H2O Water Park in Colombo - from 500 Rs.
• Diving. Training - from 20,000 Rs. Diving with an instructor - from 6,500 Rs. Equipment rental - from 1,500 Rs/hour.
• Boat trip with diving - from 25,000 Rs per person.
• Snorkeling on local beaches- for free

Spend June 2019 in Sri Lanka and leave your review. - an island state, until 1972 it was known as Ceylon. The name Sri Lanka is translated into Russian as “Blessed Land”. This is a real paradise located in the middle of the ocean - sandy beaches, cozy hotels, an abundance of rapidly growing tropical greenery, fragrant exotic flowers, ancient cities carefully hidden in the greenery of the jungle.

The climate in Sri Lanka is humid, warm, tropical, so you can have an amazing holiday here all year round - year-round summer, what could be more tempting?

Sri Lankans are cheerful and pleasant people, smiling, therefore, tourists themselves involuntarily become softer and more welcoming while on vacation in Sri Lanka. Religion here is characterized by Buddhism and Judaism, which often affects the traditions, customs and rituals of local residents, therefore, tourists should respect religious objects, temples, etc. while on holiday in the island nation.

The national cuisine is very similar to Indian, and this is not surprising, since the island state is divided by a narrow strait. The Sri Lankan diet includes fish, rice, seafood, vegetables and fruits, meat, and poultry. Most dishes are topped with curry and coconut flakes as a savory addition. Fish powder (umbalakada) is often added to curry; it adds a special flavor to the dish. A tourist can enjoy the amazing and at the same time simple cuisine of Sri Lanka throughout the entire holiday.

Sri Lanka is the island of elephants, these animals are everywhere here, living in the wild and serving the locals to transport heavy loads or plow the land. National parks and elephant nurseries are the main attraction of the island nation of Sri Lanka.

Prices for holidays in Sri Lanka

All prices for holidays in 2019 are approximate!

• departure from Moscow
• round trip flight
• accommodation for 2 people in a double room
• vacation in June for 10 days in Sri Lanka (+-3 days for some countries)

• excursions
• additional food

According to reviews, holidays in Sri Lanka in July and August are much cheaper than tours for the New Year. The cost of such a holiday for the New Year 2019 is 1.5 to 2.5 times more expensive than a regular tour. We also recommend reading the section “How much money to take to Sri Lanka in June”, so as not to sit in a hotel, but to spend your holiday with pleasure.

Attractions

Pinnawala Elephant Nursery. The elephant nursery is a real landmark of Sri Lanka; it is almost the only place where elephants abandoned by their owners have found their home. The nursery has been operating for many years, elephants of various ages live here, many have survived serious illnesses, some have found their mates here, and cubs have appeared. Tourists come on excursions to the nursery for the whole day; some elephants are tame, and vacationers can pet or feed the giants.

The Kandy Valley is one of the main attractions of Sri Lanka. The valley stretches for 116 kilometers and is a picturesque landscape with hills, ancient buildings and untouched spaces. On the territory of the valley is the city of Kandy, which was previously the capital of Sri Lanka, but at the moment the city still remains the cultural capital of the island state, since ancient buildings of historical value have been preserved on its territory.

Fort Trincomalee. The fort, today, is a picturesque remains that can be visited by any interested tourist. This picturesque fort is bordered by numerous bays and the Swami Rock cliff, on which the ruins of the fort are located. After visiting the fort, you can relax in one of the small and picturesque bays, sunbathing on the coast.

Interesting things about the country:

• Excursions

Hotels

After visiting the hotels, do not forget leave feedback, it will help future tourists make the right choice.
Hilton Colombo 5* (Colombo). The hotel is a 19-story building housing rooms, bars, restaurants, fitness centers, spa salons, sauna, billiards - everything you need for a pleasant stay. In the room, guests will find a private bathroom, hairdryer, bathrobes, toiletries, mini-bar, satellite TV, telephone. The hotel accommodates couples with children; if necessary, the hotel provides a cot in the room, a child seat in the restaurant, a children's menu, etc.

Riverina 4*(Beruvala). A wonderful hotel for those who want to spend their honeymoon or celebrate a wedding here. The hotel provides services for organizing wedding ceremonies. In each hotel room, guests will find a private bathroom, hairdryer, everything you need for making tea and coffee, satellite TV, telephone and much more that can make your stay easier and more comfortable.

Amaya Reef 3* (Hikadduwa). A cozy and comfortable hotel offers its guests relaxation by a large swimming pool overlooking palm trees and green groves. In each hotel room, the vacationer will have a bath or shower, air conditioning, a balcony or terrace, and a telephone. On-site activities include playing volleyball, basketball, table tennis or surfing on the coast.

Beach holiday in Sri Lanka in June 2019

Read the reviews and don't miss out on your beach holiday in 2019! The island state of Sri Lanka is located in the Indian Ocean, it is a real pearl that attracts tourists on vacation from all over the world. All year round, hot summer weather, warm ocean water, endless golden sands, fragrant greenery, hiding historical monuments, forts, buildings, ancient temples. There is everything you need to spend your holiday in an exotic country.

Beaches of Negombo. Negombo is one of the most popular resorts in Sri Lanka. The atmosphere and arrangement of the city still retains the imprint of those years when the island was colonized. There are many fishing villages along the coast, thanks to which vacationers can enjoy fresh fish and delicacies. The beaches here are extensive; tourists can find here both luxury hotels and affordable hotels at low cost. On the beaches themselves, tourists can relax by diving, underwater photography, or sunbathe on the purest golden sand.

Beaches of Hikkaduwa. The beaches of this resort town are considered the most beautiful, since here the cleanest sandy shore and turquoise clear water of the ocean create the image of a real paradise. Coral reefs, with their variety of colors, color the clear waters of the Indian Ocean in different shades. Vacationers must remember that breaking and lifting corals from the ocean floor is prohibited; this may result in a large fine.

Trincomalee beaches are beaches for those who choose a “lazy holiday”. Tourists who want to relax away from the hustle and bustle, noise and need an abundance of silence and tranquility will find what they are looking for on the beaches of Trincomalee. Unity with nature, leisurely and measured relaxation are guaranteed!

Visa

If you are planning a holiday in Sri Lanka, then you should hurry up, since visa-free entry for citizens of Russia and the CIS will be valid until December 31, 2011. From January 1, 2012, tourists will have to apply for a visa to visit Sri Lanka.

For visa-free entry, a tourist will need a foreign passport (which would be valid for another 6 months from the date of departure from Sri Lanka), plane tickets with a fixed departure date from Sri Lanka, a tourist voucher that can be issued at the country’s airport, as well as sufficient vacation amount of money with the calculation of $25 per day per person.

From January 1, 2012, all tourists must obtain a visa to enter Sri Lanka. This can be done independently by obtaining a visa before departure using the website www.eta.gov.lk. To obtain a visa on your own, a tourist must pay $50. If you are on the “A list” - CIS countries and Russia included, then you can get a visa upon arrival at the airport. But, you will be issued a visa only if the purpose of your visit is tourism.

So, if you arrived in Sri Lanka as a tourist and do not plan to stay in this country for more than 30 days, then you are required to provide a foreign passport (validity must be at least 6 months from the date of departure from Sri Lanka) . The tourist must have a return plane ticket, a voucher confirming hotel accommodation, and cash at the rate of $25 per day per person.

How much money to take to Sri Lanka in June

Without money there is nothing to do on vacation, and the point is not that you come to an exotic country solely for relaxation and do not need luxury, but banal food, the desire to go on an excursion or visit local discos or take a photo with an elephant requires money. As useful information: tourists are not recommended to stay in 2* hotels since the price of accommodation in a 2* and 3* hotel does not differ significantly, but in hotels with three stars the service will be much higher and of better quality than in hotels with two stars.

Here is an approximate list of prices for products, services and excursions in Sri Lanka:
Prices in a roadside cafe are very low, so lunch will cost $4-6; in a more civilized cafe, lunch will cost $15-35. If a vacationer visits restaurants, the bill per person will vary from 20 to 40 dollars, excluding alcohol and drinks.
Alcohol prices are as follows: local beer under the Lion brand costs $0.8 per bottle, red wine per 0.7 liter bottle costs $7-10, red rum $9, gin $8.
The clothes are quite cheap, a tank top or T-shirt costs from $4 to $6, good jeans can be bought for $10. Leather sandals sell for $20; clothing stores also sell items from Italy, but they are much more expensive.
As for transport, a motorcycle taxi costs $2-3 per 10 kilometers, an air-conditioned taxi costs $4-5 per 10 kilometers.
The cost of excursions is quite cheap, a visit to the elephant nursery will cost $10, a two-hour walk along the river costs $15, a jeep trip to the national park costs $20-25, a visit to the botanical garden costs $10.

Vacation with children

Sri Lanka is an exotic resort, like Thailand and Turkey, but if your choice falls on Sri Lanka, then you should think through the route in advance and choose the island on which you and your child will feel as comfortable as possible. Tourists should know that from January 1, 2012, everyone who enters the territory of the island state is required to obtain a visa, therefore, if your child is over 14 years old, he must present a passport, and the child must be included in the parents’ documents, even if he has his own identity document.

A large number of hotels in Sri Lanka offer accommodation with children, as well as a number of services that facilitate a comfortable stay with children: a cot in the parents' room, a children's chair in the restaurant, a children's menu, children's mini clubs, as well as a special swimming pool for children with a small depth.

The resort towns of Sri Lanka are well suited for families with children; moreover, you can go here at any time of the year, it is always warm and sunny here. Each hotel has its own beach, with equipped recreation areas; on the territory of hotels and hotels you can engage in active recreation: table tennis, volleyball, basketball, children can fly kites, build sand castles on the beach or go on excursions with their parents.

The only downside is the rather long flight; as a rule, children have a very hard time with airplane flights, pressure, sitting in one position for a long time, you can’t make noise, run, or jump, so your vacation can only be overshadowed by the fact that your child gets very tired on the road. . Don't forget to take unforgettable photos of June 2019 with your children!

If you are going on holiday to Sri Lanka, you will be wondering how much money to take to Sri Lanka. Let's look at this issue in more detail, and also learn about the Long Beach 4 Sri Lanka Koggala and Centara Ceysands Sri Lanka hotels. Tourists also find Sri Lanka tips for holidaymakers. But first things first.

In September we visited the beautiful and mysterious island of Ceylon. Holidays in Sri Lanka, in my opinion, are a little different from holidays in other countries in Southeast Asia. Perhaps this is due to the fact that this amazing region is not yet as oversaturated with tourists as neighboring Thailand and Vietnam. One way or another, this trip was full of exoticism, and it was in Sri Lanka that we saw the real Asia, full of mystery and enigma.

Hotels in Sri Lanka

There are many magnificent resorts on the coast of the island: Bentota, Koggala, Jaffna, Batticaloa and others. Since our vacation fell during the “rainy season,” the best vacation spots were the coast of Bentota and Koggala. These two resorts have fairly good weather conditions at this time of year and the ocean is a little calmer than in the north of the island. During our vacation, we visited two hotels - Long Beach 4 Sri Lanka Koggala and Centara Ceysands Sri Lanka.

Long Beach Resort 4 Sri Lanka Koggala

Long Beach 4 Sri Lanka Koggala- a good four-star hotel in the Koggala resort, located on the Indian Ocean coast. The hotel has two outdoor swimming pools and free wireless Internet. The Long Beach Resort 4 Sri Lanka Koggala hotel is located so that all exits from the buildings lead guests to the ocean. The beach is just great! There are always enough sun loungers! The hotel offers excellent food and a local bar to quench your thirst. At this hotel Long Beach 4 Sri Lanka Koggala only breakfast was included. In the restaurant, all dishes are served on two large tables - on the first European cuisine, and on the second - local cuisine (tasty, but very spicy). Near the Long Beach 4 Sri Lanka Koggala hotel you can have a pretty decent lunch for just $8-10 per person. Most dishes in local restaurants consist of seafood and fish, but for gourmets there are always exotic dishes made from shark and snake meat. Once during our vacation, we bought 1 kilogram of boiled shrimp from the locals for 500 rubles. Very tasty! There is a supermarket a ten-minute walk from Long Beach Resort 4 Sri Lanka Koggala. Be careful when buying fruit there. The fact is that the price tags in this store indicate the cost of the product per 100 grams, and not per kilogram. The average price of mango is about 20 rubles, coconut 10-15 rubles, papaya 35-40 rubles.

Centara Ceysands Sri Lanka

Hotel Centara Sri Lanka- a good “four” at the Bentota resort. I was very pleased with the hotel's number of rooms. This time we chose all-inclusive meals. At the Centara Ceysands Sri Lanka, in addition to the main restaurant, you can dine at the seafood restaurant. The beach at the hotel is simply huge! The only people vacationing on it are hotel guests. There is practically no infrastructure near the hotel. The nearest decent cafe takes about 30 minutes to walk. Therefore, in my opinion, it is more profitable to buy full meals at the Centara Sri Lanka hotel.

1) Advice for vacationers in Sri Lanka: in all hotels, when checking in, it is best to choose a room on at least the second floor. We must not forget that Sri Lanka has a tropical climate, and the fauna here is very rich. Therefore, if you do not need “uninvited guests” in the form of all kinds of lizards, frogs and small snakes, then the advice for tourists in Sri Lanka is to settle on the upper floors.

2) Advice for tourists in Sri Lanka. The Indian Ocean is rarely calm. The waves there are really very strong and it is very difficult to swim through them. Therefore, even if you are a good swimmer, I do not recommend swimming very far from the shore.

Prices in Sri Lanka. How much money to take to Sri Lanka

If you are going on vacation, you will probably be wondering how much money you need in Sri Lanka for a comfortable holiday. Let's look at each expense category separately.

How much money do you need for air tickets to Sri Lanka?

How much money to take to Sri Lanka 2017 for food

We, like any tourist setting off to conquer a new and unexplored region, are always interested in the question of how much money you need to take with you to Sri Lanka for a more or less comfortable holiday. As I wrote above, food on the island of Ceylon is quite cheap. Local fruits can always be freely purchased anywhere on the island for an average of 20-40 rubles, and the average bill for lunch or dinner in a restaurant was 1000-1500 rubles for two. Now you can calculate how much money you need for food in Sri Lanka, based on your requests. But, in principle, you can get by with a slightly smaller amount. Very often, locals on the beach offer freshly caught fish and seafood. As a rule, for a small fee they will immediately prepare them for you.

How much money to borrow in Sri Lanka for cellular communications

Cellular communications on the island are not expensive. An activated SIM card for a phone costs about 300 rubles, and one minute of conversation on average costs about 4-5 rubles.

How much money do you need for transport to Sri Lanka?

To travel short distances, we always used tuk-tuks. Traveling there costs about 50 rubles. But for long distances, I do not recommend using this type of transport - it is not very maneuverable, and in a tropical climate, with a constant temperature of about 30 degrees, it is very difficult to travel without air conditioning.
We took one long bus trip from Bentota to the capital, Colombo, which cost us only 40 rubles per person. The buses are comfortable and air conditioned.

How much money should you take to Sri Lanka for hotels?

In order to reduce the cost of staying at a hotel, I advise you to book a hotel directly on the spot. How much money does Sri Lanka need for a comfortable hotel stay? The cost of living in an average hotel on the island ranges from 2,500 to 10,000 rubles per day for double occupancy. It is best to come to the reception yourself and arrange check-in. This simple method can reduce the cost of living by 7-15%.

How much money to take to Sri Lanka in 2017 for excursions

We bought all our excursions from local guys on the beach. Nobody deceived us! Be sure to bargain, as their prices are deliberately inflated.
Excursion to Kandy - one day trip. Its cost is 85 dollars. The excursion program included a sightseeing walk around the city of Kandy, visiting temples, an elephant farm and a botanical garden. My favorite was the orchid garden. The excursion is very tiring and long. We left the hotel around five in the morning and returned back only around midnight.
The second excursion was a walk along the Madi River - we saw mangroves, a large number of fancy birds and enjoyed gorgeous local views. The cost of the trip is 300 rubles.
And our third trip was a boat trip on a large ship - we went to watch whales. The cost of excursions is 3500 rubles for two adults. During the last trip we were actually able to see huge whales, as well as curious dolphins and flying fish.

Now you know not only how much money to take for Sri Lanka 2017, but also about the Long Beach 4 Sri Lanka Koggala and Centara Ceysands Sri Lanka hotels. Tourists also find Sri Lanka tips for holidaymakers.

When going to Sri Lanka, my husband and I were very worried. But, having arrived on this fabulous island, all doubts simply disappeared! Huge, almost deserted beaches, the most beautiful ocean, excellent cuisine! I am convinced that two weeks is certainly not enough to completely unravel this mysterious island. So, as a farewell, I whispered: “Goodbye, Sri Lanka! We will definitely see each other again!”