Traveling in Sri Lanka Tips & Trick's
To make your visit to Sri Lanka as hassle free as possible we have compiled the most essential Sri Lanka tips & tricks for you.
This section is regularly updated but if you cannot find what you are looking for please don't hesitate to contact us.
Can I leave my valuables in the hotel room?
I heard about power cuts in Sri Lanka, what's the story?
Beach Boys, Vendors and Guides
How safe or unsafe is it to drive a car or motorbike in Sri Lanka?
What is the best way to send a parcel from Sri Lanka?
What is the cheapest way to call from Sri Lanka?
Can I leave my valuables in the hotel room?
I heard about power cuts, what's the story?
Most hotels however do have generators, so even if you don't stay in one go and chill in their bar.
Beach Boys, Vendors and Guides
Same goes for all the "friendly" guides and touts you meet on the road trying to sell you tours, trips and other "local knowledge".
Mostly you end up in places paying commission to the "guides" plus any transportation fare most likely will be astronomical.
Beach vendors in Sri Lanka are a different chapter. While they are very much in evidence in certain resorts, trying to sell their wares as souvenirs they, despite their persistence, normally they do understand "no thanks". Especially if followed by a smile.
It is possible you may also be offered illegal substances, which should be refused at all times, as penalties for possession can be severe.
How safe or unsafe is it to drive a car or motorbike in Sri Lanka?
Still you must realize that the traffic in Sri Lanka is most likely very different to what you know from back home.
It is beautiful to drive along the beaches or tea plantations but at the same time you share the roads with cats, dogs, public buses (overtaking each other in villages at a speed of 80 km/h) and drivers who appear to be on a suicide mission.
Indicators are used for a lot of things (like "indicating" that you are allowed to overtake. Or not...) but very rarely for what indicators are actually installed for.
Don't get us wrong, it's great to drive on this tropical island but you only should consider it if you do have some driving experience and if you are able to cope with "strange" situations.
Maybe its a good idea to get started with one of our organized Sri Lanka motorbike tours.
What is the best way to send a parcel from Sri Lanka?
They are all good value for shipping by air or sea.
If you are looking for a courier and/or registered delivery go for the DHL, FedEx, TNT or one of the other international courier services.
Their agencies can be found in the bigger cities like Colombo, Galle, Matara, Kandy and Negombo.
What is the cheapest way to call from Sri Lanka?
For people who need more flexibility and want to be reachable, our advice would be a Sri Lankan SIM Card.
SIM cards can be bought activated and are recharged by scratch cards or Online.
The biggest providers are DIALOG and Sri Lanka Telecom's MOBITEL.
They all have outlets at the airport.
Whether you are an independent traveler, or looking for a family holiday, go-lanka.com is your full-service one-stop partner that gives you full access to hundreds of hotels, resorts and guesthouses in Sri Lanka at unbeatable prices.