2019 Sri Lanka’s latest independent travel guide

Sri Lanka is a monsoon island in the Indian Ocean. It is rich in tea, gems, spices and other specialties. It is also very rich in natural resources. The beaches here have not been over-developed and have maintained their original ecology. If you dare not go If you are from India, then come to Sri Lanka, because the customs are very similar to India and it is a very tolerant country. When traveling independently, please read the precautions that the editor has prepared for you before setting off!

1. Air tickets

After the end of the Sri Lankan civil war, the tourism industry has developed rapidly. The domestic cities currently operating direct flights include Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Kunming, Guangzhou, and Hong Kong. A round trip of 3,000-4,000 is a very reasonable price for a direct flight. You can get it. If you want to save money, you can also choose AirAsia and transfer in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Although the air ticket is cheaper at about 2,000, it does not have a checked baggage ticket and in-flight meals, so it takes a long time. .

2. Transportation on the island

Sri Lankan roads are two-lane. If you want to overtake, you must drive in the opposite direction, and nearly half of the journey is a mountain road. The steering wheel follows the British right-hand drive and drives on the left. , self-driving is not recommended. If financial conditions permit, it is recommended to choose a chartered car.

3. Phone card

It is recommended to buy mobitel or dialog. Mobitel is owned by Sri Lanka Telecom. Dialog is the largest communications company in Sri Lanka but it is owned by Malaysia. Both companies have good coverage. Whichever one is less popular, the price is the same.

If you have a customized phone from China Mobile or Telecom, you can only use the 2G network locally because both communication companies use WCDMA, which is the same standard used by China Unicom.

Do I need to buy a phone card in advance on Taobao?

No, you can buy it at the airport, so don’t worry about not finding it. So far, no tourist has been blind enough to say that he can’t find a phone card. place. For 10 US dollars, you can have 4G daytime and 5G night data, which should be enough even if you want to watch a small movie.

4. Accommodation

Sri Lanka is a tourist destination for people from Europe, the Middle East, Australia, and the United States, so booking, airbnb, and agoda are more popular. Hotels and B&Bs of various price ranges are relatively easy to choose from. 30 US dollars a night can meet entry-level needs. With a budget of 50 US dollars, you can choose relatively more comfortable accommodation. The price of a five-star hotel is around 150-200 US dollars. Me

5. Weather

Sri Lanka has a tropical marine climate, which is like summer all year round, with an average annual temperature of 28 degrees. Sri Lanka has no four seasons, only the rainy season and the dry season. The rainy season is Every year from May to August and November to February of the following year, that is when the southwest monsoon and northeast monsoon pass through Sri Lanka. Nuwara Eliya has a higher terrain and the temperature is about 15 degrees lower than the seaside, so when traveling, you only need to look at the weather in Colombo for reference.

In addition, the rainy season will not affect travel, but everyone should avoid the period from May 15th to June 5th. Sri Lanka has experienced heavy rains during this period for two consecutive years. Lanka has high mountains, which can easily cause mudslides, causing casualties every year. But except for this period, traveling is no problem.

6. Is Sri Lanka safe?

Every country has good and bad people. Without monitoring, human nature is difficult to control. Generally speaking, Sri Lanka is a very safe country and ordinary people are relatively friendly. And the people at the bottom are very afraid of the police. If you are alone outside, if you feel scared, no matter what the situation is, take a picture of the license plate number, take a picture of the person, and at least say, my friend has your picture. With restraint, you will feel more confident. I feel confident.

In addition, it is a rule not to leak money outside. The income level of Sri Lankans is relatively low, so don’t leak money and give them such a big temptation to torture their souls.

7. Currency

The Sri Lankan rupee is commonly used in Sri Lanka, and US dollars are not commonly used in life. However, the exchange rate for U.S. dollars is very good. In developed cities, the exchange rate can be 1% lower than the real-time exchange rate, and in remote areas, the exchange rate is about 3% lower than the real-time exchange rate. Jewelry shops of all sizes in Sri Lanka provide currency exchange services.

You can also use UnionPay cards to withdraw money at commercialbank ATM machines, but there are not as many places to exchange US dollars at ATM machines.

Do not use RMB cash for exchange. There are very few places that offer RMB cash exchange, and the exchange rate is very poor. You will lose at least 5% or more. Many local Chinese can provide Alipay for exchange. If the exchange rate is 3% lower than the real-time exchange rate, don’t exchange it. The cash withdrawal fee is not as high as the exchange loss.

8. Culture

Sri Lanka is a great fusion of Buddhism, Hinduism, Muslims and Christianity. Except for those who are not allowed to drink and drink in the mosque, you can visit. However, for Buddhists and Hindus, please pay attention to the dress code and wear long pants or long skirts.

9. Attractions

Sri Lanka has a superior geographical location and tightly controls the throat of India. Although the population is small and the area is about the same as Hainan Island, it has three major ethnic groups and four major religions. It has mountains, plains, and seashores. It has a good natural environment, many wild animals, and rich tourism resources.

Most people will choose the popular route, Negombo (the fusion of four major religions)-Lion Rock (cultural and historical sites)-Kandy (Buddhist holy land, the second largest city in Sri Lanka)-Nuwara Eliya (Horton Plains, British Colonial architecture) - Tissa (Yala National Wildlife Park) - Mirissa (beach, whale watching) - Galle (Dutch castle, small qualification) - Colombo (not as good as the capital of domestic third-tier cities).

The cities covered by this route have their own characteristics and are a microcosm of Sri Lanka. Although it cannot be experienced 360° without blind spots, it is still a good choice for observing Sri Lanka.

10. Food

Sri Lanka mainly focuses on curry, and the dishes are spicy. Prices are high and income is very low, so Sri Lankan traditional dishes contain very little vegetables and meat. The following solution is provided:

1) Vegetables in Sri Lanka are easy to buy, but meat is more difficult to buy. You can make simple meals by yourself, but don’t use coconut oil, use vegetables instead.

2) Don’t miss seafood in coastal cities. Sri Lanka has no industry, no pollution around, and the quality of seafood is quite good. Many people just boiled it and were very happy to eat it.

3) For those who feel that cooking is too troublesome, there are still many Chinese restaurants in Sri Lanka. The reason for the high price is high cost, low table turnover rate, and they cannot be compared with those in domestic business districts. Compared with restaurants, compared with restaurants in domestic scenic spots, the prices are really good.

4) Fruits don’t look good in appearance, but they are better in their original flavor, unlike in China where they are stored in cold storage. There are many varieties of yogurt and the quality is good. You must try it.