If you are looking for some exotic destination for your vacation, you should learn more about Sri Lanka, which represents a unique place in Asia with an amazing combination of culture, geography, landscape, and more. Also, there is a big difference in the culture of this country and most other Asian countries. Moreover, you should know that visa approval is necessary if you are planning to visit this country. Visit eta-srilankatravel to found out more about the process of getting a visa to travel to this island.
Since there are no major economic or political issues currently in Sri Lanka, there should not be any problem with the visa approval, but you should pay attention that you have a valid passport, which expiring day is over 6 months at the moment when you apply. Nevertheless, if you are interested in learning more about this beautiful country, we have selected some of the most interesting and useful things that you should know.
1. Tourism is Still Under Development
Sri Lanka became a popular destination in recent years, and there are many parts of this country with poor infrastructure when you can’t find an apartment. However, the capital of Sri Lanka, Colombo, already hotels for visitors, but many people would with it as unpleasant that most of the people outside hotels don’t speak English, and they need a lot of investments directed to the entertainment sector. On the other hand, this place is perfect for enthusiasts who are interested in exploring new countries.
2. It is Expensive
The main reason why Sri Lanka is more expensive than other popular destinations in Asia, such as Thailand or Vietnam, is because they have a poor import system, and food and beverages in hotels can be too pricey. On the other side, local food that you can buy on the streets is very cheap, and we advise you to have dinner at some local place instead of a more luxurious hotel. Also, be sure to always carry cash with yourself because most places don’t accept credit cards. Besides that, if you need to convert money into local currency, the best way is to as an ATM instead of local exchanges that might try to charge you much more.
3. Hire a Private Driver
Maybe it sounds too luxurious, but hiring a private driver is a common thing for tourists, and it is quite affordable in this country. The main reason why you should hire some local drivers is that the streets have poor infrastructure, and it would be hard for anyone from another country to cope with Sri Lankan streets. Also, there are many companies where you can find this service, and most of these people speak English, which is another benefit since that person could provide you with some directions or advice about local sites.
4. Pay Attention to Your Safety On Streets
Besides the fact that the Sri Lankan streets are always crowded with many bikes and vehicles, the main issue is related to the regulation of law, which should be stricter for drunk driving. Seeing a driver drunk or high in this country is not a surprise, and you should avoid getting in a car when you notice that a person was drinking alcohol. Besides alcohol, there are some plants that locals are chewing, which can cause them to feel high.
5. Local Food is Cheap and Delicious
We already mentioned that you should avoid luxurious hotels and restaurants because of the prices. The local food is great and cheap, and while there is no standard type of food that we can see in most of the western countries, like pizza, burgers, and more, you will have a chance to enjoy in a local exotic delicatessen. Moreover, there is a great selection of tea and various spices like cinnamon, curry, pepper, nutmeg, and more.
6. Enjoy in Wildlife
While Sri Lanka is not popular as a place where you can go on a safari tour, like Tanzania or India, there are several national parks where you can observe animals in their natural habitat. The most popular species are leopards, elephants, monkeys, and many breeds of birds. Also, you can watch whales and dolphins from the shore. The biggest national park in Yala, where you can see the greatest population of leopards in Asia.
7. It is Safe to Travel to Sri Lanka
There was a civil war in this country that lasted until 2009, but since then, the government is doing everything to remain peaceful. There were some incidents with terrorist organizations in the past years, but the government is heavily focused on building infrastructure and invest in tourism. Also, we recommend you to avoid having any conversation about politics with local people because some of them might get insulted.
8. Local People Are Friendly
The people of Sri Lanka are known as one of the friendliest nations. The advantage of that is that you can freely roam all over the town, and everyone will always be interested in helping you, guide you, or give you some advice. The whole nation is trying to recover from the harsh past, and its best opportunity is to develop tourism. In that matter, you should not worry about having a bad time because of some unpleasant locals.
9. You Should Not Drink Tap Water
It is important to know that the tap water in all of Sri Lanka is not safe for drinking. Also, in case you have a sensitive digestive system, we recommend you to avoid salads in local restaurants because it was most likely washed with tap water. Every hotel has a store where you can buy bottled water, and if you are buying it on the streets, always check the expiration date.
10. Great Selection of Beaches
There are over 1,500 kilometers of beaches around the island. Therefore, it is easy to find the perfect spot for relaxation. Also, you can choose between crowded and beaches where you can enjoy more privacy. However, not all of them are safe, and you should learn more about potential dangers on the beaches by asking your tour guide or local people.
