29/05/2026
5 Things We Wish We Knew Before Travelling to Sri Lanka 🇱🇰
(Real tips that saved us money, time & stress)
All costs mentioned:
LKR = Sri Lankan Rupees | ₹ = Indian Rupees | $ = USD
1. Indians Need ETA Before Flying ✈️
Sri Lanka visa is currently FREE for Indians, but you still need to apply for ETA before your flight.
The process is super simple:
Passport
First hotel address
That’s it.
Approval usually comes within a few hours (sometimes instantly).
Visa validity: 30 days, extendable later if needed.
2. Don’t Stay in Colombo on Day 1 🌙
If you’re landing late at night, stay in Negombo instead. Trust us.
• Negombo → only 15–20 mins from airport
• Colombo → almost 1+ hour depending on traffic
After a tiring flight, Negombo is perfect for a relaxed first night.
We stayed at Mario Villa Homestay in Negombo.
Simple, peaceful & budget friendly.
3. Airport SIM Cards Are Actually Worth Buying 📱
For once, airport SIMs are NOT a scam.
Prices at the airport are almost the same as city prices, so buying one right after landing is the easiest option.
Best networks:
• Dialog
• Mobitel
• SLT
We used Dialog:
20GB for 1,400 LKR (~₹380 / $5) with 30-day validity.
4. Exchange Your USD at the Airport 💵
This surprised us the most.
Usually airport exchange rates are terrible… but in Sri Lanka, they were almost identical to Google rates.
We exchanged money at the Bank of Ceylon counter at the airport:
Google rate: 1 USD = 307 LKR
We got: 305.5 LKR
So yes, airport exchange here is actually fine.
5. Download PickMe Before Landing 🚖
Avoid hotel taxis if you can.
PickMe & Uber are MUCH cheaper in Sri Lanka.
Our airport-to-hotel ride for 4 people at 12:30 AM cost only:
1,500 LKR (~₹400 / $5)
The hotel quoted us almost $20 for the same route 💀
Travel Dates: 13 Dec – 22 Dec
We’ll also share:
• best train routes
• hidden beaches
• road trip tips
• scams to avoid
• real Sri Lanka budget breakdown
Save this for your Sri Lanka trip 🇱🇰
Comment “Sri Lanka” and I’ll send you my complete itinerary once I finish this trip🇱🇰🌻
[ srilanka, Columbo, weligama, Mirrisa, travelwithsrishti, Solo female travel ]
