Sri Lanka is a year-round destination with an abundance of sunshine all year. The average temperature is around 27°C to 30°C in most parts of he island. The temperature gradually drops as the land rises towards the hill country, with some parts of the highland as low as below 10 °C.
The island has two wet monsoon seasons: briefly between May and July in the south-west region and between December and January in the north-east. However, Sri Lanka has no off season, as clear blue skies and bright sunny days are the general rule even during the wet season.
Sri Lanka is 5 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time), 2 hours behind Singapore, and 4 hours behind Australia EST (Eastern Standard Time).
Sri Lanka is a tropical country, and cotton clothes are the most ideal to wear. Of course, bathing suits are a must if you are visiting the beaches. Sun tan lotion could be very handy, as it can be very hot sometimes.
If you are visiting cultural and religious sites, it is a must that you wear appropriate clothing. Gents are required to wear trousers to cover their knees or a sarong with a shirt or T-shirt. Ladies should ideally wear decent attire, such as a trouser or skirt to cover the knees and a blouse or T-shirt. It may not be advisable for ladies to wear a deep-necked or sleeveless top.
If you are interested in booking a Round Trip programe, the flight times is an important component when making the maximum use of your stay. Most travelers prefer to stay near airport in the first night (if they arrive in evenings). However most European and Middle East carriers arrive early morning to Sri Lanka which is ideal for most travelers to start the tour in the same day.
Foreign currency and Traveler's Cheques may be changed at any hotel, although commercial banks offer better rates. Converting Sri Lankan rupees back to a selected foreign denomination could be done at the airport bank which is open 24 hours of the day. Please retain your money changing receipts.
Currency notes are in 10s, 20s, 50s, 100s, 200s, 500s, 1000s, 2000s, 5000s.
Hotels and shops accept most international credit cards. No surcharge is required for their use. Cash advances may be acquired against credit cards at certain bank ATMs. Most widely accepted cards are American Express, Visa and Master Card.
It is advisable to enquire if your card type is accepted by the establishment before the use of any services.
Banks are generally open from 9.00am to 1.00pm from Monday to Friday. Some city banks close at 3.00pm, while others offer night banking facilities. Banks are closed on Saturdays, Sundays, all public holidays and special bank holidays on June 30th and December 31st. ATM are most found adjoining bank branches island-wide.
Mobile phones have been made so affordable in Sri Lanka that almost everybody has one, and coverage has extended beyond the major cities. There are four main network operators on the island: Dialog GSM, Mobitel, Etisalat, Airtel and Hutch. If you rather not use your own mobile phone on roaming but still want to be connectable, the cheapest alternative is to get a mobile phone connection with one of these major companies.