Follow the link to our Sri Lanka weather page for information about the climate in Sri Lanka, the best time to visit and for a detailed six-day Colombo weather forecast.

The international country code for Sri Lanka is +94. To dial overseas from within Sri Lanka, dial 00 followed by the relevant country code and phone number.

Emergency numbers within Sri Lanka are: 691095 or 699935.

Mobile telephone coverage is available throughout the country as part of roaming agreements with some international mobile phone companies, however the coverage can be sporadic.

Internet coverage in Sri Lanka is far from extensive. Although internet cafes are available in most major towns and resorts, the services can be extremely slow, with high-speed internet almost non-existent.

The postal system in Sri Lanka is relatively efficient with a good local system which delivers mail to most rural villages. Postal services to overseas destinations can take up to 2 weeks.

Sri Lanka runs off a 230V/ 50Hz electrical system. Some larger hotels in Sri Lanka provide electricity converters.

Population - 20 million people
Total Area - 65,610 square kilometres
Capital - Colombo (2 million people)
Time Zone - Standard time zone: UTC/GMT +5:30 hours

To view the current time in Colombo, click on this link to TimeAndDate.com.

The two official languages are Sinhala (the official and national language) 74%; and Tamil (national language) 18%. The remaining 8% speaks other languages. English is commonly used in government and is spoken competently by about 10% of the population; and even in remote areas, you will usually find someone who can speak English. Some common Sinhala phrases which will make your travel to Sri Lanka an even better experience include:

Yes - PRONOUNCED ow
No - nae
Thank you - sthuthiyi
You are welcome - sa-dha.ra.yen.piliganimu
Please - karuna-ka.ra.la
Excuse me - sama-wenna.
Hello - hallo
Goodbye - gihin ennam
Good morning - a-yubo-wan, suba. Udhae-sa.nak
Good night - ayubo-wan, suba. Ra-thriyak
English - engreesi
What is your name? - oya-ge nama.Mokakdha?
Nice to meet you - hambu una eka loku sathutak
How are you? - kohomadha. Ithin?
Good - hondha
Bad - nara.ka

Sri Lanka celebrates a great many public holidays, quite possibly more than any other country. It celebrates about 72 holidays each year. The reason for this is they observe all Buddhist, Hindu, Christian, Muslim, and national festival days. One of these is the regularly occurring Full Moon Day (called Poya) - a Buddhist holiday, on which all bars, entertainment and alcohol establishments close. 

Follow the link to view a current list of public holidays in Sri Lanka.

All travellers to Sri Lanka with foreign passports require a visa; however the process and requirements are quite straightforward. You should have your return air ticket, valid tourist documents, enough currency equivalent to US$30 per day, and at least 6 months validity on your passport. Nationals of Australia, UK, EU countries, USA and Canada can receive their visa on arrival free of charge.

Types of Visa:

- Single-Entry Tourist Visa (the most frequently used) - Valid for 1 month
- Business Visa - (usually single-entry) - for 30 days. You can also apply for a 3 month multiple entry visa.

Check out more Detailed information about Sri Lanka Visa Rules.

It is recommended you check all information regarding Sri Lanka visas, as well as passport and entry requirements with your relevant consulate prior to travel.

Sri Lanka is not a large country, and it lies in both the northern and eastern hemispheres. It is an island which is surrounded by the Bay of Bengal, Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Mannar - east of the southern edge of India. Its coastline is covered with amazing beaches, rising to mountainous areas, especially in the south and central regions. The island has an immensely amount of forests, which cover about 40% of the land. You can often find some great accommodation in these stunning mountain locations, with panoramic views of the coastline.

Pidurutalagala, the country's highest point; as well as Adam's Peak (the country's famous religious site) both are found in the mountains directly east of Colombo. There are many important rivers throughout the island, including the Kala, Kalu, Kirindi and Yan Rivers. Sri Lanka suffered its worst disaster in late 2004 when giant waves generated by an undersea earthquake off Indonesia swept ashore, killing more than 30,000 people and devastating swathes of the coast.

Sri Lanka came into existence on 1972. Before this is was knows as Ceylon and was under British rule from 1796 until 1948. Sri Lanka was relinquished to them by the Dutch. The Dutch had control of the island during the 17th century, and the Portuguese before them during the 16th century.

However, the island has been inhabited since the Sinhalese arrived here around the 6th century BC. Around the 3rd century BC, Buddhism was introduced to the island. A Tamil kingdom was established after an invasion by a dynasty from southern India in the 14th century. Today, tensions and violence are still apparent between the Tamil separatists and the Sinhalese majority. This exploded in the 80's and continued until a December ceasefire in 2001. There are still outbursts of violence which has cost the lives of tens of thousands of people over the past decades.

Sri Lanka is an island south of India, in the Indian Ocean. To view a map of Sri Lanka, click on this link to WorldAtlas.com.