Insights & Stories
Discover why Sri Lanka is rising fast on global travel lists and how to turn those rankings into an unforgettable itinerary.
114 articles
No train runs all the way from Kandy to Ella right now. But the most beautiful stretch, Nanu Oya to Ella, is open again. Here is exactly how the line works for the 2026/27 season and how to plan around the gaps.
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December is the start of Sri Lanka's main tourist season for the west and south coasts. It is also wet in the east, busy at Christmas, and still affected by rail repairs. Here is what December 2026 is really like.
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Most 2-week Sri Lanka itineraries online still assume you can ride the train from Kandy to Ella. You can't, for now. This route is built for the 2026/27 season as it really is.
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Most Sri Lankans you meet will treat you fairly. But tourists do get overcharged, usually on tuk-tuks, fake visa sites and train tickets. Here are the real prices to know for 2026/27 and simple ways to protect yourself.
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Deepavali in Sri Lanka falls on Sunday 8 November 2026 and Thursday 28 October 2027, according to the government's holiday gazettes. It is a public and bank holiday, but it is a quieter, more family- and temple-centred festival than Diwali in much of India. Here is where to experience it, what to expect, and what Indian travellers should know before they book.
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Posts saying Sri Lanka's ETA becomes mandatory 'from 15 October' are recirculating, but that rule dates from October 2025. The current answer is simpler: if you are a tourist, you need an ETA before you fly, even if your country is one of the 40 that get it free. The bigger question for winter 2026–2027 travellers is how long the free scheme will run.
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Yes, Uber works in Sri Lanka, but PickMe is the app most visitors end up relying on, and neither works smoothly everywhere. Since late 2025, app drivers have faced intimidation in tourist towns like Ella, Weligama and Sigiriya, and foreign cards are still hit and miss. Here is which app to install, how to pay, and what to do when the app is not an option.
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Sri Lanka's snacks are some of the best food on the island, and some of the easiest to get wrong. The bakery plate isn't free, many 'vegetable' snacks contain fish, and several sweets you'd love to take home contain dairy that the UK bans from Sri Lanka outright. Here is what to eat, when, and what to pack.
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