Holiday Extras Travel Guides
🇱🇰 Sri Lanka Travel Guide 🇱🇰 | Travel better in SRI LANKA!
Here’s our Essential 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka Travel Guide 🇱🇰, giving you EVERYTHING you need to know to travel better for your own Asian adventure!
If you want to read more about Sri Lanka - https://goo.gl/v1dmMD
Want to watch more on Sri Lanka? 🇱🇰
GALLE & JUNGLE BEACH VLOG - https://youtu.be/5biJsewGHZY
UDAWALAWE NATIONAL PARK VLOG - https://youtu.be/T_mhxIr9fZE
ELLA TO KANDY TRAIN RIDE VLOG - https://youtu.be/TYkQrjcrSzQ
KANDY TO DAMBULLA VLOG - https://youtu.be/JTzTbkJKfXM
DAMBULLA TO COLOMBO VLOG - https://youtu.be/ojg-VROlcJY
Some useful links for your own South Asian adventure!
Sri Lanka Tourism - http://www.srilanka.travel/
Travel Planner App - http://www.heha.com/
Book an airport Lounge - goo.gl/Y7zv5y
Pre-book an airport taxi - http://bit.ly/2DQmGv3
Travel Insurance - http://bit.ly/2v1fZ9f
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Transcript:
Welcome to Sri Lanka!
This island off the coast of India has long been on my bucket-list for loads of reasons, like having the best safari outside of Africa, boasting eight UNESCO World Heritage sites to explore, and lots of lovely, gorgeous beaches complete with idyllic white sand and crystal clear water that's perfect for surfing.
In fact, for an island about a ¼ of the size of the UK, there's loads to see and do, depending, of course, on what you want out of your trip.
Coming up, I'm going to tell you about getting here, some tips on transport, then some stuff on food, money and language and some awesome places to visit.
So, let's get on with it…
We flew 10 hours direct from Heathrow to Colombo, which is Sri Lanka’s capital city. Flights arrive at Bandaranaike International airport, which is 30km north of the city.
Taxis are very cheap in Sri Lanka, and this can be the easiest, and certainly quickest way to reach your destination from the airport. If you’re heading straight into Colombo you can catch the express bus which takes about 25 minutes, but to be honest the taxis are so cheap it’s a no-brainer.
To enter the country, you’re gonna need a visa. Now this can be done when you get here, but, after ten hours in the air ..why bother with the extra admin!?
Get it done before you leave. Applications cost $35 and take around 24 hours to process.
Also, you’re gonna need to make sure that your vaccinations are up to date, like your tetanus and typhoid. Check with your GP beforehand.
What do you need to know about public transport in Sri Lanka? Well, in all honesty, quite a bit…
Public transport conditions aren't great, but are popular with locals as it's very cheap.
Buses tend to leave when they’re full, so for anyone on a schedule we’d give them a miss.
Also, trains are often slower and less efficient than simply getting a taxi.
My advice: take anything described as luxury or express with a generous pinch of salt.
The key thing in Sri Lanka is that your money goes a long way, for example our two-hour taxi from Colombo to Unawatuna cost 9000 rupees, which is about 40 quid, so for this reason we made the most of getting around with private car hire and tuk-tuks.
Hiring a driver to chauffeur you around is surprisingly affordable and, let's face it, way more luxurious! It's also a big timesaver which is a massive a bonus.
The roads are in surprisingly good condition...
...just watch out for the tourists, the cyclists, the buffalo, stray dogs, and massive lizards they all make it a little hair-raising at times.
We used Uber to navigate Colombo and Red Cabs for everywhere else.
Failing that you could always haggle for a tuk tuk, which are ideal for quick journeys. There are a couple of things you need to know before you start off. Number 1 always agree the price before settings off and number 2 be direct about where you want to go, don’t settle for any detours or any other places they might want to take you.
Anyway, up next, here are some of my favourite things to do in Sri Lanka.
Unawatuna is loved by locals and tourists alike, and with palm trees, white sands and blue waters, it's easy to see why it’s one of Sri Lanka’s most popular beaches.
Right behind the beach is a small shopping strip for souvenirs and restaurants...
… And Ladies, going topless on the beach is a definite no-no, and if you're a couple, make the P in PDA stand for PRIVATE, not PUBLIC.
OK, Newsflash!!! Sri Lanka has the best safari outside of Africa since the country has one of the highest rates of indigenous plants and animals in the world. Udawalawe National Park is a personal highlight of mine and home to some 200 different species.