Sri Lanka key facts
Airport
Columbo airport is 32 km (20 miles) from the city.
Climate
The climate is tropical. Upland areas are cool and dry; coastal areas are warm but refreshed by sea breezes. The northeast monsoon blows from November to February, and the southwest monsoon from May to September. Rainfall can be sudden and torrential.
Credit cards
Major international cards are widely accepted in large hotels, restaurants and shops.
Customs Allowance
Free import of 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 375g of tobacco; 2 bottles of wine and 1.5 litres of spirits; a small quantity of perfume or 250 ml of eau de toilette. Precious metals , including gold, platinum and silver (including jewellery), must be declared on arrival. Antiques (anything more than 50 years old) cannot be taken out of the country.
Electricity
230-240 V, 50 cycles AC. Plugs with three round prongs are used.
Holidays
January 1: New Year's Day
February 4: Independence Commemoration Day
May 1: May Day
May 22: National Heroes' Day
June 30: Bank Holiday
December 25: Christmas Day
December 26: Christmas Day
Moveable: Thai Pongal, Eid al-Fitr (end of Ramadan), Good Friday, Easter Monday, Sinhalese and Tamil New Year, Eid al-Adha (Hadji Festival Day), Milad un-Nabi (Birth of the Prophet), Deepavali Festival (October). In addition, there is a poya holiday on the day of each full moon, when shops and offices close.
Media
Daily newspapers published in English include the Daily News, the Evening Observer and The Island. The Midweek Mirror comes out each Wednesday, while the Lanka Guardian is an informative current-affairs magazine published every two weeks.
Radio Sri Lanka has regular national and international news and takes in programmes from the BBC. The government-run television stations Rupavahini 1 and 2, and ITN, have programmes in English as well as Sinhalese and Tamil.
Safety
Beware of pickpockets in crowded places. Don't carry valuables and don't linger on beaches after dark.
Telephone
International Direct Dialing is available at most big hotels, and increasingly from public pay phones using telephone cards. Phone booths are operated by different companies, such as Lanka and Metrocard, whose cards are not interchangeable.
Tipping
Most hotels include a service charge of 10%. Extra tipping is optional. Taxi drivers expect a 10% tip.
Transport
Colombo has a good bus service, including private buses and minibuses. Most towns have taxis. Trains connect Colombo with all tourist towns.
