Feeling inspired? Talk to one of our experts today and start creating your unique off-the-beaten-track trip to Sri Lanka. Call us on Call Contact Us. Destinations Back. Costa Rica. Africa Back. Botswana Safaris. Kenya Safaris. South Africa. Tanzania Safaris. The Seychelles. Gorilla Trekking. Europe Back. Luxury Rail Journeys. Asia Back. South Korea. Indian Subcontinent Back. In towns and cities eg Colombo, Kandy, Galle etc I did when walking around and in monuments.
I was concerned that wearing a mask for a large portion of the holiday would be uncomfortable and annoying, particularly in the heat. The vast majority of masks in Sri Lanka are either surgical and thus very lightweight or the kn95 masks which I wore inside monuments, buildings or in the vehicle from time to time.
When outside I wore the surgical masks which compared to the branded, designer cotton masks over here are much more comfortable to wear in the heat. Yes, you can. It set the tone for my trip as after just two hours in the country, along with my chauffeur-guide I had lunch at a local roadside restaurant south of Dambulla for rice and curry yum! My chauffeur-guide asked if it was OK and the owners said, absolutely. I walked in with my mask on, sat down and within minutes was devouring the delicious dish.
I went to a number of other local restaurants throughout the trip along with more mainstream restaurants in Galle Fort and Colombo — like hotels the mainstream restaurants take your temperature and ask you to sanitise your hands. I also went on a street food and drink tour in Colombo — a local bar followed by street food tour in the Colombo 12 district which was great fun with all the street food vendors open and a vibrant evening atmosphere.
Again I do caveat this by noting that I was accompanied by my chauffeur guide. I would like to think, based on my experience, that it would be the same for those travelling alone, although communication might not be as smooth.
In Colombo, most shops were open — of varying types — supermarkets, groceries, electrics etc. In the more rural areas empty shops were more obvious. Backpacker havens like Ella, Habarana near Sigiriya and Unawatuna were looking a bit sad though.
Although particularly in Unawatuna things did seem to be turning with more travellers heading to the south coast. The place I noticed shops closures the most though was in Galle fort. It did feel rather sad to see an atmospheric place so quiet. I walked along a number of lanes with my colleague Thushni and we had them to ourselves.
A world away from my last visit in when the place was so happy and full of life. However, at least a number of shops were being visibly refurbed on the basis of increasing tourists from December onwards…so I hope there will be more life in the area in the coming months. However, travellers that are not fully vaccinated will have to self-isolate on return. James is an India and Southeast Asia travel specialist.
He first left Europe aged 19, travelling first to California and South America. But his eight-month journey through India was the travel experience that truly changed his life. Follow the Department of State on Facebook and Twitter. Travel Advisory Levels. Assistance for U. Embassy Colombo. Sri Lanka Map. View Larger Map. Search for Travel Advisories. You are about to visit:. Where else in the world can you visit a BC city in the morning and take a wildlife safari in the afternoon?
Sri Lanka is blessed with magnificent landscapes, historic capitals and temples that are so unique they are considered to be of global importance. Sri Lanka is open to visitors from the majority of countries but all foreign travellers will need a visa, health insurance, and a negative COVID test result taken 72 hours before they arrive. Fully vaccinated travellers visiting from unrestricted countries also no longer have to undergo a COVID test on day seven.
For visitors coming from the UK, the island has recently been removed from the red list. There is also a way that unvaccinated visitors can visit. This concept allows tourists to travel the country in semi-isolated groups and means they can sightsee without mixing with the local population.
Sri Lanka is a paradise for the post COVID traveller and we are excited to welcome tourists and flourish the tourism industry. It surprised us to learn that Sri Lanka has the highest density of leopards anywhere in the world.
Setting off into Yala as the sun rises is an epic experience and gives the best chance of spotting the leopard and an array of wildlife that inhabits this arid zone. Sri Lanka is the only country where you can see both the elephant and the blue whale - the largest land and sea mammals on the planet and all within a few hours of each other.
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