Planning a trip to Sri Lanka? This beautiful island is a treasure trove of experiences, from lush tea plantations and pristine beaches to vibrant cities and ancient temples. To ensure you make the most of your adventure, packing the right essentials is key. Sure, for many tourists visiting Sri Lanka or any tropical country has the same list of “What to Pack” but let’s make sure you got it all covered in this post. Here’s a detailed guide on what to pack for your Sri Lanka trip.
What to pack for Sri Lanka Trip?
what to pack for your Sri Lanka trip: Clothing
Sri Lanka’s tropical climate means you’ll want to pack light, airy clothing. Here are some essentials:
- T-Shirts: Pack a variety of colors and styles to mix and match.
- Shorts: A few pairs of shorts are perfect for hot days.
- Skirts: Skirts are a great option for hot days and can also be worn at temples or other religious sites.
- Long-sleeved shirts and pants: These are necessary for visiting temples or engaging in outdoor activities like hiking.
- Swimsuit: Sri Lanka has many beautiful beaches, so don’t forget your swimsuit.
- Footwear: A quick summary is Shoes and Flip-Flops are essential.
- Comfortable Walking Shoes: Opt for shoes that provide good support for long walks and hikes.
- Sandals: Pack a pair of comfortable sandals for casual outings or beach visits.
- Flip-Flops: Flip-flops are great for walking around your accommodation or at the beach.
If your tour includes Temple or religious places, it’s best you wear White or Light-colored clothing. And the clothing has to cover up to Elbows & Knee length as a sign of respect. Most of the time, outside the Temples, there are places to buy large pieces of white cloth to wrap around in case you miss out on wearing clothing up to knee length.
Sri Lanka has restrictions against Nudity. There are no Private Beaches even though some hotels might advertise as such. So, clothing and most importantly swimwear is best recommended as no nudity is allowed and frowned upon as it’s not in the Sri Lankan culture.
Meshaun from Meshaun Journeys – Your Sri Lankan Travel Expert
Note: Clothing in Sri Lanka is cheap and there are so many clothing stores for almost all types of designs. Whether it’s casual wear, formal wear, skim wear, footwear, Sri Lanka has it all. In fact, every town, city, mall has lots of places for you select from a wide range of clothing options. And it’s fairly cheap and good value for money.
what to pack for your Sri Lanka trip: Electronics
Of course electricity is available throughout the country except for some remote locations or remote villages. When planning your tour itinerary and trip plan, your tour designer will share this information with you. If you self-planned this trip, just send us a message or join us for a video consultation and we will provide with more information on more Travel Essentials for you.
- Smartphone and Charger: For navigation, communication, and capturing memories.
- Travel Adapter: Bring a travel adapter to keep your devices charged.
- Universal Power Bank: Keep your devices charged on the go with a universal power bank.
- Camera: Capture the stunning landscapes of Sri Lanka with a good-quality camera.
- Laptop/iPad: If you plan on working or studying while in Sri Lanka, bring your laptop.
For Sri Lanka there are two associated plug types, types D and G. Plug type D is the plug which has three round pins in a triangular pattern and plug type G is the plug which has three rectangular pins in a triangular pattern. Sri Lanka operates on a 230V supply voltage and 50Hz. From recent years, only the type G plugs (3 rectangular pins) are installed and almost all hotels, restaurants, cafes has these available.
Note: if you are planning to buy a local sim card, you can do so at the Colombo Airport upon arrival. There are a few network operators like Mobitel, Dialog (both with a wide network coverage in the country) and Hutch which also has affordable sim plans with data and calls. eSIM is also available for all 3 Network providers making it easier for newer phone models.
what to pack for your Sri Lanka trip: Medicines and Health
When arriving for Sri Lanka, there are no medical requirements or vaccinations that is essential for the visa. Public Hospitals in many towns offer free Doctor consultations at the Government hospitals but that takes a lot of time as many use this free-service. Medical Dispensaries and Private Hospitals are widely available in each area of the country. And Pharmacies to buy medicines are readily available. However, a doctor approved medicine prescription is required for medicines other than the usual painkillers or balms.
- Basic Medications: Pain relievers, antihistamines, and any personal prescriptions.
- Insect Repellent: To ward off mosquitoes, especially in rural areas. (This is mostly provided at the Hotels or you can purchase from pharmacies/supermarkets)
A Taboo Topic which might be of interest: (Especially for couples travelling together): Protection for intimacy is available throughout the country. Condoms (Durex, Moods, Stamina) are widely available as well the Contraceptive Pills (Postinor, Mithuri) can be purchased from Pharmacies, Supermarkets. More info.
what to pack for your Sri Lanka trip: Essential Documents & Money
Visa is essential to enter Sri Lanka. You can refer the Visa process details here: https://www.meshaunjourneys.com/blog/sri-lanka-visa-guide-updated-april-2024/
Some more documentation that you need to carry with you once in the country:
- Passport and Visa: Ensure they are valid and within easy reach.
- Travel Insurance: Purchase travel insurance that covers medical emergencies, trip cancellations, and other unforeseen events.
- Local Currency: Carry some Sri Lankan Rupees (LKR) in small denominations for convenience.
- Credit/Debit Cards: Widely accepted in cities, hotels, restaurant, tourist establishments.
You can use the Mini-Banks at the Colombo Airport Arrival lobby to exchange currency to Sri Lankan Rupees (LKR). For a start, we would recommend about LKR 25,000 in change and you can decide with more currency exchanges while on tour. Every bank, designated money exchangers are available in the country to ease this process.
Make sure you update your Bank (overseas) that you will use the Credit/Debit cards in Sri Lanka during the travel period.
Bitcoins and crypto currency is not used in Sri Lanka.
It’s advisable to carry to fanny-pack with the documentation and keep with you at all times. Theft is not a common occurrence in Sri Lanka but it’s better to stay vigilant and alert about your belongings at all times.
Hygiene and self-care
Probably you’ve booked hotels to stay and many of the hotels (at least 3-star and above) offer the below amenities with your hotel stay:
- Toothbrush, Toothpaste, Shampoo, Body Wash/Soap. (You can even purchase these at your own convenience from almost everywhere).
- Sunscreen: Protect yourself from the strong sun with sunscreen.
- Sunglasses: A must-have for Sri Lanka’s bright sunshine but it’s a matter of personal choice.
Carrying a Neck-Pillow is a wonderful idea and helps you travel with easy during the long drives in the vehicles. Even though it’s available to purchase, since the flight itself is a long-time travel, having one from the start would be a good idea.
Optional Extras
Some of the below items are completely dependent on your personal choice. After all, packing light and travel is easier. And many items could be purchased from Sri Lanka during the tour as well. If you are travelling with a Chauffeur/Tour Guide from Meshaun Journeys, you can easily get recommendations about everything from your guide.
- Reusable Water Bottle: Stay hydrated while reducing plastic waste. Many hotels and cafes offer refill stations.
- Rain Jacket: Pack a lightweight rain jacket to be prepared for sudden rain showers.
- Umbrellas: Provided with each Vehicle hire whether it’s a Car, Van, Bus hire and the Tour Guide will provide these for you for free during the tour.
- Sweater or Warm Layer: If you’re planning on visiting higher altitude areas, pack a light sweater or jacket.
- Dry bag: Protects your belongings from rain or splashes during water activities.
- Hat/Cap: Protect yourself from the sun with a wide-brimmed hat.
Noteworthy On-Tour PRACTICES
- Most hotels/resorts offer Laundry Service. It takes at least 12 hours for the laundry process but since you won’t be travelling to a whole new hotel/resort everyday, you can use the hotel’s Laundry service for cleaning clothes.
- First-Aid is available with every tour package: The chauffeur/Tour guide will help you with the First-Aid in case of an emergency.
- Towels: All Hotels provide clean towels during your stay.
- Clean Bed-linen: Provided at all hotels.
Have you already planned out the Trip to Sri Lanka and would like some professional tips and tricks to make the most of your Sri Lanka tour? Let’s connect on a Video Consultation where a Sri Lankan Expert will guide you through everything Sri Lanka. Visit the Meshaun Journeys homepage and click: Book an Online Consultation.
If you like for one of the Sri Lanka experts to plan your Sri Lanka Tour/Holiday: contact Meshaun Journeys.
- Email: hello@meshaunjourneys.com
- WhatsApp/iMessage: +94 70 324 4444
- Website: www.meshaunjourneys.com
Hope you enjoyed the information about What to Pack for Sri Lanka Trip and Enjoy my beautiful Sri Lanka! Ayubowan…