October 18, 2023 | View Online | Sign Up
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Few countries can own their reputation as a true adventurers' paradise like Sri Lanka.
Exploding with life and color, every sense is satisfied in Sri Lanka: the sight of an unforgettable sunset over rolling surf; the feeling of an elephantâs trunk on your shoulder; the smell of tea; the churning sound of a jungle train; and the taste of a delectable cuisine, often overlooked in the western world.
And those are just the quantifiable senses. The warm welcome of the locals is legendary, and it's likely the Sri Lankan smile will stay long in your heart, long after you leave.
Welcome to Sri Lanka.
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| EAT, SLEEP, DO
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Your Guide to the Best of Sri Lanka
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🌄 What to doÂ
The most complicated part of planning a Sri Lanka trip is deciding what to cut from your itinerary. The island is bursting with adventure, from mesmerizing tea plantations and world-famous train rides, to wondrous hiking and laid-back beach days. Sri Lanka truly has it all. Here are just a few of the best things to do on your trip.
🛌🏽 Where to stay
If youâre doing it right, youâll move around the country a bit. Thereâs so much to see and do, and itâs impossible to remain in one corner the whole time. Luckily, accommodation can be wonderfully affordable but still high quality. Check out some of the best places to stay in Sri Lanka.
🍴What to eat
Where to start? Your closest reference point for Sri Lankan food is likely Southern Indian food. But donât make the mistake of assuming itâs the same. Its cuisine is varied, bursting with flavor, and likely to have you seeking out your closest Sri Lankan restaurant when you get home. Here are some of the must-eat foods in Sri Lanka to get you started.
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| MONEY MOVES
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40 Bucks to Paradise
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Sri Lankaâs a long way from anywhere in the US. Flights can be expensive, even with multiple layovers and up to 32 hours of travel time. Thankfully, there are ways to get it far cheaper, making those long travel days a little easier.
If youâre a small business owner with some expenses coming up, you might want to have a look at this card. With its 100,000-point bonus, you could fly from anywhere in the US to Sri Lanka for $199 roundtrip. Just transfer those points to United, and youâre on your way.
Of course, youâll need to spend $8,000 within the first three months of opening the card, but if youâve got those expenses coming up anyway, why not get a cheap trip out of it?
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| TRAVEL INSURANCE
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Best CFAR (Cancel for Any Reason) Travel Insurance
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Traveling can be an incredibly enriching experience, exposing us to new cultures, landscapes, and adventures. However, unforeseen events can disrupt even the most carefully planned trips. Thatâs where Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR) travel insurance comes to the rescue. CFAR insurance provides travelers with added flexibility and peace of mind, allowing them to cancel their trip for any reason and receive a partial refund of their prepaid and non-refundable
expenses.Â
Click here to see the top six CFAR travel insurance options available in the market, each with unique features to cater to diverse traveler needs.
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| SRI LANKA FASTÂ FACTS
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🐘 Small but Mighty:Â Sri Lanka is only the size of West Virginia, but it packs a lot into its compact spaceâespecially wildlife. Hidden amongst the islandâs jungles, you can find elephants, leopards, and crocodiles, as well as 121 other mammals, 227 species of birds, and 122 amphibians.
âTea is Big Business: The British brought tea to Sri Lanka from China, opening plantations in the 1800s to help support the British peopleâs favorite drink. Nowadays, the industry supports 1 million of its 22 million inhabitants.
🤯Serendipitous Sri Lanka: Serendip was the word used by the Persians for Sri Lanka. Sound familiar? Thatâs because an English writer invented the word serendipity after reading a Sri Lankan fairy tale named âThe Three Princes of Serendip.â The characters in the story were prone to finding new things by accidentâŠsome might say serendipitously.
🤨 Shake for Yes: Donât get confused if someone tells you âyesâ while shaking their head. In Sri Lanka, shaking your head to affirm the positive is customary. Youâll catch on, donât worry.
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| KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
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Preparation is Key
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Donât be the tourist turning up at the airport without your documentation. Before setting off, make sure you apply for your visa. While it is possible to obtain one on arrival, itâs more expensive and leaves you at the mercy of the border agents. You can grab your Electronic Travel Authorization online. It costs about $50 for a double entry 30-day visa. This means you can visit twice for thirty days.
For safety, itâs worth checking out your vaccination certificate. Itâs a tropical country, so there are some diseases not found in the US. While theyâre not mandatory, the general recommendations are polio, Hep A and B, tetanus, and diphtheria. Rabies is also a possibility too.Â
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Cash is King
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Cash will be the main method of payment in Sri Lanka. Unless youâre splashing on a fancier hotel or restaurant in the more built-up areas, itâll be the only method.
But donât over-prepare. You can grab plenty of cash from ATMs in the country, and as the Sri Lankan rupee is a pain to exchange elsewhere, make sure youâre not leaving with any, either. Weâd recommend withdrawing smaller amounts from the Bank of Ceylon ATMS. These ones usually donât charge a fee.
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Keep Your Goals Reasonable
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We get it. You might not have another chance to see Sri Lanka, so you want to squeeze as much in as possible. But spreading yourself too thin will likely impact your trip's enjoyment. Many backpackers spend a month on the island and only just scratch the surface.
If youâre tighter on time, plan a hierarchy of things to do. At the top, put the things you canât miss and work down from there. Youâll want to take your time and soak it all in. Thatâs impossible if youâre constantly rushing from place to place. The public transport can be a bit chaotic too.
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| WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING IN SRI LANKA
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