Sri lanka Holidays

Known for its turbulent history and civil war, peace was declared in Sri Lanka in 2009. It has now very successfully rebuilt itself as a tourist destination and is doing everything to welcome visitors to the country.  Security has been stepped up across the country since April 2019 in response to a singular terrorist attack but the State of Emergency has since been lifted. As when travelling to any destination, we always advise taking precautions when looking after your personal belongings.

With over 126,000 hectares of parkland to explore, visiting Yala is like stepping into the pages of The Jungle Book. Elephants, monkeys, exotic birds and leopards plus an array of other wildlife call Yala home. The park has one of the densest leopard populations in the world.

The local currency is the Sri Lankan Rupee.

ATMs are becoming more widespread in the larger cities, but are more difficult to find outside of these. Before leaving for more rural areas, we advise making sure you have plenty of local currency with you in case ATM access in unavailable. There is a small withdrawal charge of approximately £2.

Sri Lanka is a year-round destination although the weather differs between the north and the south. For the best climate visit the south of the country between January and April and the north from June to December.

Yes, in fact renting a villa of any size is great value and makes for a wonderfully relaxing holiday. A particularly good option for families the villas come with staff and locations range from beachfront to inland depending on your preference. The best selection is found on the south coast near Galle.

British passport holders need a visa which is easily obtained online. It is currently free of charge for British citizens until further notice and is generally issued within approximately five days. Other nationalities please ask for further information.

Sri Lanka was declared free of malaria in 2017 and 2018 after eradicating the disease in 2016. However, do take normal precautions. Wear long-sleeved tops and avoid skin exposure during dusk and dawn when mosquitos are most active. Avoid sitting or staying by any standing water or boggy land. Invest in some repellant when travelling through a jungle and forested regions. Mosquitoes are prevalent and do carry Dengue Fever.

Obviously, wildlife is never guaranteed but chances are good, particularly in Yala National Park which has one of the highest density of leopard in the world.

It is safe to visit Jaffna in the north of the country as well as the new beach resorts around Trincomalee on the north-east coast. However it is worth mentioning that in Jaffna there remains a strong military presence. If you like pioneering travel and are OK with basic accommodation then a visit to the very north of the country could well appeal.One of our female travel experts recently travelled to the north and felt extremely safe throughout.