Do I need a visa for Sri Lanka?
Most visitors need an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) before arrival. Apply only on the official government site, and keep the approval on your phone.
Rules, fees and the nationalities that pay less or nothing change from time to time, so check the official site for your passport before you book. Your passport will generally need plenty of validity left beyond your arrival date.
How do I avoid fake ETA websites?
Search results include agency sites that look official and charge extra. Apply only on the official government site, and check the web address carefully before you pay. If a site asks for much more than you expected, stop and check again.
Keep a photo of your passport and ETA on your phone and in your email. If your phone is lost, you can still reach both.
How do I get from the airport to Colombo?
Sri Lanka’s main international airport, Bandaranaike International at Katunayake, lies north of Colombo. The Airport Express bus to Colombo is cheap and runs often.
A pre-booked taxi or PickMe to Colombo costs about LKR 5,000 to 7,000. The drive is usually under an hour on the expressway, longer in heavy traffic. Booking ahead also means someone is waiting for you if you land late at night.
Should I stay in Negombo or Colombo on my first night?
Negombo is twenty minutes from the airport and a gentler first night than Colombo, with a beach, a lagoon and guesthouses used to late arrivals. Many will collect you from the airport if you ask when you book.
Colombo makes sense if you have things to do in the city or an early train to Kandy or down the coast. For a very late arrival or a very early flight home, Negombo is the easier choice.
What should I sort out at the airport?
Change a small amount of money at the airport for the first day, then use ATMs in town. Buy a tourist SIM from Dialog or Mobitel in the arrivals hall, or set up an eSIM before you fly.
Save the emergency numbers: Police 119, Ambulance 1990, Tourist Police 1912. They are also in the Guide in the Srilor app, which works offline.
- ETA approval saved on your phone and in your email
- A small amount of rupees for the first day
- A tourist SIM or eSIM
- Your first night booked, with the address saved offline
Questions people ask
How do I apply for a Sri Lanka ETA?
Online, before you travel, and only on the official government site. Keep the approval on your phone and in your email.
How much is a taxi from the airport to Colombo?
A pre-booked taxi or PickMe costs about LKR 5,000 to 7,000. The Airport Express bus is much cheaper and runs often.
How far is Negombo from Colombo airport?
About twenty minutes by road, which makes it an easy first or last night in Sri Lanka.
Can I buy a SIM card at the airport in Sri Lanka?
Yes. Dialog and Mobitel sell tourist SIMs in the arrivals hall, or you can buy an eSIM before you fly.
Should I change money at the airport in Sri Lanka?
Change only a small amount for your first day, then use ATMs in town. ATMs from Commercial Bank, Sampath and HNB accept most foreign cards.