Travel Tips

With effects from 1st January 2012, all tourists or business travelers to Sri Lanka must have the electronic travel authorization (ETA) to enter Sri Lanka.
please visit https://www.eta.gov.lk for more information.

An intended traveler visiting Sri Lanka for a short stay for the following purposes must obtain prior approval for an ETA before their arrival.

Apply for your visa using this link. https://eta.gov.lk/etaslvisa/etaNavServ

Sri Lanka, been a tropical country, cotton clothing is the ideal clothing to wear. Swim suites are a must if you are visiting the beaches. Being an island in the equator, the sun could be very intense, so sun block is a must.

If you are visiting the cultural and religious sites, wear appropriate clothing. Gents are required to wear trousers to cover their knees or a “sarong” with a shirt or T-shirt. Ladies should ideally wear decent attire such as a trouser or a skirt to cover the knees and a blouse or T-shirt. It may not be advisable for ladies to wear deep necked or a sleeveless top.

Since our very first days as a tour operator, travelling responsibly and safety has been at the heart of everything we do. with this mind, we monitor world events very closely. intrepid makes operational decision based on informed advice from a number of sources.

Plan your trip to Sri Lanka with the seasons in mind! The south coast and west coast of Sri Lanka are affected by the southwest monsoon from May to September. Between November and March is when the northeast monsoon occurs. Expect short, sharp downpours mixed with long, hot sunny weather.

Sri Lanka is a year round destination with an abundance of sunshine all year round. The average temperature is around 27°C – 30°C in most parts of Island. The temperature gradually drops as the land rises towards the hill country, with some parts of the highland as low as below 10°C.

The island has two wet monsoon seasons; briefly between May and July in the south-west region and between December and January in the north-east. However, Sri Lanka has no off season per se as clear blue skied bright sunny days are the general rule even during the wet season.

Sri Lanka is 5 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Median Time), 2½ hours behind Singapore and
4½ hours behind Australia EST (Eastern Standard Time).

Hotels and shops accept most international credit cards. No surcharge is required for their use. Cash advances may be acquired against credit cards at certain bank ATMs. Most widely accepted cards are American Express, Visa and MasterCard.

It is advisable to enquire if your card type is accepted by the establishment before the use of any services.
Banks are generally open from 9.00am to 1.00pm from Monday to Friday. Some city banks close at 3.00pm, while others offer night banking facilities. Banks are closed on Saturdays, Sundays, all public holidays and special bank holidays on June 30th and December 31st. ATMs are most found adjoining bank branches island-wide.

Foreign currency and Traveler’s Cheques may be changed at any hotel, although commercial banks offer better rates. Converting Sri Lankan rupees back to foreign currency can be done at the airport bank.

Please retain your money changing receipts.

Currency notes are in 10s, 20s, 50s, 100s, 200s, 500s, 1000s,2000s ,5000s.

Foreign currency and Traveler’s Cheques may be changed at any hotel, although commercial banks offer better rates. Converting Sri Lankan rupees back to foreign currency can be done at the airport bank.

Please retain your money changing receipts.

Currency notes are in 10s, 20s, 50s, 100s, 200s, 500s, 1000s,2000s ,5000s.

If you need a doctor, please contact the hotel reception. The hotel will have a doctor within the hotel premises or nearby. Pharmacies can generally be found at the commercial center of most towns.

There are many private hospitals in Sri Lanka, including Nawaloka Hospital, Asiri Surgical Hospital, and Lanka Hospitals. These hospitals offer high-quality healthcare services with modern facilities and specialized treatment options.

Sri Lanka primarily relies on a mix of thermal (oil and coal), hydroelectric, and renewable energy sources for electricity generation. The country has been increasingly focusing on renewable energy sources to diversify its energy mix

220 Volts/50 Hz Ac. Two and three pin plugs are used mostly.