FAQ

Yes, you will need a visa to enter Sri Lanka. In addition, if you intend visiting Sri Lanka on a short visit,you will need to obtain an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) prior to arrival.

What is an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) ?

The Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) is an official authorization for a Short Visit to Sri Lanka and is issued through an on-line system. You need to obtain an ETA if you intend visiting Sri Lanka as a Tourist, on Business or on Transit. No passport copies, documents or photographs are required to obtain the ETA. ETA holders will be issued a 30 day Short Visit visa at the port of entry in Sri Lanka.

Nationals of all countries required to obtain an ETA to visit Sri Lanka.

with the exception of citizens of Singapore / Maldives / Seychelles

The non-refundable ETA processing fee for a Tourist visa with Double Entry for 30 days for citizens of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries will cost US$ 15, all other countries will cost US$ 30. Children below 12 years of age are exempt from the ETA fee.

A complete list of ETA processing fees could be obtained from the  ETA website.

How do I apply for the ETA?

You can submit the ETA application online through the ETA website. Select the language, click ‘Apply’ and follow the instructions.
Other options for you to apply are;

  • By Third party
  • By Registered agents
  • At Sri Lanka Overseas Missions
  • At the head office of the Department of Immigration and Emigration (DI&E), Colombo
  • On arrival at the port of entry in Sri Lanka

Answers to FAQ’s on the ETA can be found at the official web site,

How can I obtain an extension to my visa?

You can either apply and obtain an extended visa from a Sri Lankan Embassy/ Consulate from your country of residence prior to arrival in Sri Lanka or get an extension from the Department of Immigration and Emigration in Colombo 10. This procedure will take about 2-3 hours, and you will have to give a bona fide reason for staying over 30 days. If you are staying in a resort for a long period, the staff will be able to help you with the application.

  • 2 pairs of cotton / Denim pants
  • 2 pair of shorts 
  • 2 pairs long (ankle–length) cotton skirts (women)
  • 1 Set of White or Light colored Clothing Ankle Length to Visit Temples
  • 1 Set of ‘semi Formal/ Smart Casual Clothes – Some Hotels require you to wear these for Dinner Service
  • few T-shirts or lightweight shirts
  • sweater for cooler nights in the hills
  • one pair of sneakers or shoes
  • socks – useful for visiting temples, specially areas exposed to the sun
  • sandals, slippers (flip flops, thongs) 
  • underwear & swimming gear
  • sun hat or umbrella

  • Evening wear – advisable to bring one set, as larger hotels insist on ‘long attire’ for men during dinner (no shorts and no sandals). Ladies could come in dresses, skirts or long shorts, but not in any beach/ swimwear.

    Dress modestly at religious sites. You should remove your shoes and hat when entering a Buddhist or Hindu temple, if carrying an umbrella fold it. Your legs & shoulders should be covered; never enter a temple in beach wear (i.e. shorts or singlet). 

    Nudity is absolutely not allowed anywhere in the island. This includes at the beach. Even topless sunbathing is prohibited

    Last but not least, try getting a sarong. Very light, cool and Packs down to nothing; suits all purposes and occasions, including the temple etiquette.

  • Accommodation we provide is shared twin-bed room with a supplementary charge for single occupancy. We offer a wide range of accommodation from private boutique hotels, villas, and eco lodge, The package price include meals on Bed and Breakfast as specified in each tour program.

  • Sri Lankan dishes are based on rice, with a large variety of vegetables, fish & fruits. Sri Lankan diet, will surely make your trip a voyage of culinary discovery!

    Local Sri Lankan curries could be little too piquant for foreign palates, but worth trying. Most Tourist hotels and restaurants offer a mid version of Curry to suite  most tourists.  International food of any kind is found in all major Sri Lankan Hotels & Restaurants. Also a simple international dishes such as Fish & Chips, Burgers , Pizza , Pasta is widely server in most Restaurants in Tourist Sites. Kindly note that Kottu is not a sri Lankan National Dish but it is very Popular among everyone in Sri Lanka as it is cost effective and easy to prepare with minimal Time and effort. please be careful when eating “Kottu “ as  some small time  restaurants use stall ingredients to make them. It is always advisable to eat Rice and curry   in mild version.

    Most coastal towns have excellent seafood including prawns & delicious crab. Rates are quite inexpensive. Being a tropical country, Sri Lanka is blessed with a large variety of fruits. Some fruits like mangoes and Bananas come in over a dozen of sub varieties of shapes, sizes & tastes! Fruits such as Rambutan, Pineapple, Mangosteen, Papaya, wood apple, melons, passion fruit, guavas, etc., are but a small sample of the amazing variety of fruits to be discovered and enjoyed.

  • Hotels and restaurants have a ‘vegetarian section’ in the menu. In smaller local ‘rice and curry’ restaurants you may find vegetarian option on request.The ‘South Indian’ vegetarian restaurants are 100% vegetarian.

  • Is ‘Halal’ food available?

    Most Hotels serve ‘Halal’ food.- it is advisable to check with them if they buy Halal meat before order.

  • As a part of the treatment they are very strict on meal plan, food is exclusively based on Sri Lankan rice and curry menu. With less spice and more on herbal and traditional meal preparation, the curries are mostly Sri Lankan low country vegetables; on request Chicken and fish maybe included.

  • Sri Lanka is famous for it’s tea, and pride ourselves in producing ‘Ceylon Tea’, the finest tea in the world. Cofee is not popular in in the island. However Hotels will serve local coffee. Which is not very strong fir western palate.

    Hotels in Colombo and main Cities such as Kandy/ Galle/ Nuwaraeliya ets will serve really good espresso / Capauchino/ Late etc. Highly recommended are the fresh fruit juices. Popular international soft drinks are available even in little village boutiques.

    Sri Lanka has it’s own variety of local beer. Local Spirits are Arrack. Made out of Coconut sap.Fermented and refined.  But in most bars , restaurants and Hotels offer all international Alcohol but could be pricey.
    Thambili or King Coconut is a sweet, clean and cheap natural drink that you’ll find by the wayside. It’s extremely cooling and refreshing!

    We advice not to drink tap water unless it is purified. Bottled water is recommended. Only use water from containers with serrated seal- not tops or corks. Most hotel rooms have boiled water in thermos flasks, which is safe to drink.

Full Moon days (known as Poya days), are of religious significance to Buddhists and devoted to prayer and meditation. In keeping with its significance as a religious day abstinence is practiced. As such places selling liquor (including hotel bars) and Meat shops closed. Places of entertainment such as cinemas, discos and casinos are closed as well.

Also liquor will not be serve on Christmas day.    

No. Smoking and consuming liquor in public areas is banned in Sri Lanka. The smoking ban includes enclosed public places such as restaurants and social clubs. Smoking is not allowed inside vehicles while on tour; however, regular comfort stops will be provided.

Once you are satisfied and finalized with what we offer,  we will guide you through this. We require US $ 100 or 10% advance from your total Invoice (whichever is the Grater) Balance you could pay on Arrival or if you wish you could pay in advance by transferring funds, You may transfer funds Via PayPal or bank Transfer, we will send the Links and Bank Details once we confirm your Booking. 

Yes you can do this provided you do this 48 Hours before your Arrival. If you are within the 48 Hour time frame we will Charge you US 100 from your advance payment as our administration Cost. 

You need to pay 10% or US 100 (equivalent) whichever is greater 14 days before the tour, Balance in full need to be paid on the first day you arrive in Colombo

If your booking is within 7 days of the start date you need to pay 25% or USD 250 ( Equalint) whichever is greater  and balance on the first day of your Arrival in Colombo. 

Yes if you let us know 14 days before the start date we will change it to a new Tour Free of Charge but if the  new Tour cost more than the original tour you need to pay the deference.

Booking multiple tours is easy!  Pls contact us at  hello.edgefield@gmail.com 

Sinhala is the Offical and most common Language, Tamil is Spoken in Northrn ans Easten parts of the Island,  English is a ‘link’ language and generally understood by most people and is easy to get by. Off the beaten track knowledge of it thins. English is spoken at all hotels, major restaurants and shops. Edgefield Escapes Driver Guides Speaks English  We can provides Tour guides in English, German, French, Spanish, Italian and Japanese languages to foreign visitors requiring assistance. Ans will be at a added cost please check with us  all Road signs are written both in Sinhalese & English throughout the country, with few exceptions. 

Telephone facilities are available extensively throughout the country. You could purchase a data SIM for internet access. IDD facilities are available in most tourist hotels.

Dialling in – Sri Lanka’s country code is 94,
Dialling within/ out – If you need to take an overseas call, you’ll have to dial ’00’. 

All mobile operators support the GSM technology on GSM 900/ 1800 bands. WAP & GPRS is widely supported. 4G and wireless broadband is available, Wifi zones are available in selected Hotels, Restaurants and Cafes in major towns.

You Can purchase a At the arrival Halls in Colombo International Airport, or all cities in the Country by producing your Passport.

Be sure that your phone is `dual band’ and unlocked

Yes you can access internet theough your Phone / Tablet / Lap top., All Hotels basically provide internet facility Free of charge, therire are internet cafes in most towns with WIFI connection. 

Sri Lanka is quite a safe destination to travel and one of the most picturesque countries on earth. The country is at peace and we are experiencing record a record number of visitors; as Sri Lanka is considered one of the few ‘un-spoilt’ destinations in Asia . Our tours are conducted in areas which are considered safe for tourists to visit. Many of our clients have become friends and cannot wait to return to their ‘second home’, feeling safe and secure in our care.. 

According to accepted norms of travel you should deposit your valuables like money, passport, jewels etc in the hotel safe deposit locker. In accordance with international custom the Hotels in Sri Lanka are not responsible for objects lost in the room. You should also not leave your valuables unattended on the beach, the balconies or terraces.

Never leave your money or passport in your backpack or suitcase. Always keep a record of your Travellers Cheque numbers separately from the Travellers Cheques. It is wise to keep an amount of money (about US$ 200) stashed away separately from your money-belt or pouch.

Sri Lanka has an effective health care system which is considered a model for most developing countries across the WHO. However, emergency medical facilities may not be found outside main cities. You may have to be brought to Colombo for treatment. We recommend you use the private sector hospitals, which are likely to offer better care.

It is mandatory for those travelling to Sri Lanka from Africa or Latin America to have a valid certificate of vaccination for Yellow fever and Meningitis prior to arrival in Sri Lanka. You need up-to-date Hepatitis A, Polio and Tetanus shots.

Mosquito borne diseases like dengue, chckengunya and malaria are common. It’s advised you take adequate protection against mosquitos. Take some Imodium tablets (just in case you get an upset stomach).

Almost every town has a pharmacy selling common medicines. However, we advise you to carry any special medication as the availability of medical supplies may vary. You are strongly advised you take an adequate health insurance cover when travelling to Sri Lanka.

How about mosquitoes and other pests?

Most hotels will provide you with a plug-in mosquito repellent which will usually be switched on during turn down. You can buy the mats (small repellent tablet inserted to the plug-in unit), from most local supermarkets. Mosquito nets in hotels are a rarity. You can also buy the burning coils or citronella candles from the supermarket. It would be advisable to apply some repellent lotion if you plan to have dinner in an outdoor/ alfresco setting. The locally available ‘Siddhalepa balm’ is quite effective to take the itch out of mosquito bites.

The Sri Lankan currency is the Rupee (Rs), divided in to 100 cents. Notes come in denominations of 20, 50, 100, 500, 1000 & 5000. Breakdown larger notes when you change money – it can sometimes be a problem to breakdown a larger Rs 5,000 note.

Hotels and other tourist establishments will quote you the price in US$ or Euro and You could pay in US / GBP or Euro or in Rupees at the prevailing exchange rate.

There is no restriction in bringing money in foreign currencies into Sri Lanka. However, if the total exceeds US$ 15,000, that sum must be declared to the Sri Lanka Customs.

If you wish to take out from Sri Lanka a sum in excess of US$ 5000 in currency notes (out of the money brought in), you must declare the entirety of the sum brought in, even if it is less than US$ 15,000.

Credit Cards are widely used and accepted by local establishments (even in small towns). The most widely used card types are Visa and MasterCard, with Amex to a lesser extent.

ATM’s are available in most main cities. You can take cash against Visa / Mastercard in most ATM’S. 

Ask permission before taking photographs of people and respect their wishes if they refuse. Ask permission before taking pictures either of people or inside temples or other sacred places. For example, it is forbidden to take photographs inside the cave temple complex of Dambulla. Never use flash on murals inside temples and other places; it can damage them. You are not allowed to use flash at the frescoes at Sigiriya, but where there is no ban, please behave responsibly.

Never pose beside or in front of a Buddha statue (i.e. with your back to the statue). Such conduct is considered extremely disrespectful. Never take a photo of a monk without asking permission. 

Our accompanying representatives will be able to guide you on this.
Never take photos of dams, airports, roadblocks or anything to do with the military. Don’t tote the camera around Colombo Fort. Administrative office. Military Camps and Officers

The voltage is Sri Lanka is 220/ 240 volts

What type of plug/s can I use?

Sri Lankan hotels have two types of plug bases; either the UK (Type G) 

Sri Lanka has a wide variety of very attractive handicrafts on sale. Sri Lankan masks are a very popular, batiks, wood carvings, gemstones, semi- precious stones, lacquer-ware, hand made Silver- and Brass objects and the famous ‘Ceylon Tea’. 

Please avoid ornaments made from tortoise shells & ivory. Never buy turtle shell, we even suggest you not to purchase any woodcarving made from ebony, in order to preserve this scarce hardwood.

Sri Lanka is a major garment manufacturer and exporter of all kinds of clothing. There is an excellent selection of Garments available in all shopping malls in Colombo, In City Markets you will find Fake designer labels don’t Get Fooled.

The places with some active night life are  Colombo , Negombo and Hikkaduwa.
Colombo has some decent pubs, night clubs, karaoke lounges and bars. There is a growing pub-culture among the young crowd in Colombo. Friday and Saturday nights are the days for all night partying. The casinos offer a good combination of live entertainment, food and games of chance.

Tipping is widely accepted and generally expected. Tipping is a customary way of showing your appreciation for services rendered. Generally you tip up to 10 % of the Restaurant bills and it depends on your wish.

Visit the official Sri Lanka Tourism Website for more information.