Travel guide for Indian travellers
Sri Lanka trip from India: cost, visa & best time
Sri Lanka packs ancient rock fortresses, misty tea hills, wildlife and golden beaches into one small island, a short and cheap flight from India. Here is what it costs, the online ETA and which coast to visit when.
- Flight
- 1–3 hours direct
- Budget
- ₹9,000 a day
- Best time
- Dec – Apr
- Visa
- Online ETA for Indians
Why Sri Lanka
Why Indians love a Sri Lanka trip
Next door
One of the shortest, cheapest international flights from India.
So much variety
Sigiriya, Kandy, the Ella train, safaris and Galle beaches.
A scenic train
The Kandy–Ella hill train is one of the world’s most beautiful rides.
Easy food
Rice and curry, dosas and South Indian vegetarian food everywhere.
Cost
How much does a Sri Lanka trip cost from India?
Per person, per day, excluding flights; trip totals are for our 6-day itinerary. Prices are planning estimates for sharing a room.
Budget
₹4,500/ day
About ₹27,000 for 6 days
Guesthouses, trains and buses
ComfortMost popular
₹9,000/ day
About ₹54,000 for 6 days
Boutique hotels and a private car with driver
Luxury
₹20,000/ day
About ₹1.2L for 6 days
Luxury tea-estate bungalows and beach resorts
Best time to visit
When to go to Sri Lanka, month by month
- JanBest
Dry in the south and west
- FebBest
Ideal for Sigiriya and Galle
- MarBest
Sunny, warm
- AprBest
Hot, Sinhala and Tamil New Year
- MayGood
Southwest monsoon starts
- JunGood
East coast is best now
- JulGood
East coast beaches, Kandy Perahera
- AugGood
Perahera festival in Kandy
- SepGood
East coast still good
- OctAvoid
Inter-monsoon rain
- NovAvoid
Northeast monsoon begins
- DecBest
South and hills dry out
Our advice: December to April is best for the classic route — the Cultural Triangle, the hill country and the south coast. From May to September, head to the east coast (Trincomalee, Arugam Bay) instead.
Before you fly
Visa, flights & money for Sri Lanka from India
Visa for Indians
Apply for the ETA on the official Sri Lankan ETA website (eta.gov.lk) a few days before travel; carry the approval with your passport (valid 6 months).
Flights from India
Direct flights to Colombo from Chennai (about 1 hr 15 min), Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kochi, Mumbai and Delhi on SriLankan Airlines, Air India and IndiGo.
Money & payments
Currency is the Sri Lankan rupee (LKR; ₹1 is about LKR 3.5). Cards work in hotels; carry cash for drivers, temples and small shops. Indian rupees are not reliably accepted.
SIM, eSIM & apps
Dialog or Mobitel tourist SIMs at the airport are cheap and cover the hill country well. PickMe and Uber work in Colombo and Kandy.
Plugs & power
Types D and G, 230V. Many Indian three-pin plugs (Type D) fit directly; carry a UK-style adapter too.
Time difference
Sri Lanka uses the same time as India.
Visa and entry rules change. Always confirm on the official embassy or government website before you book.
Vegetarian & Jain food
Where vegetarians eat well in Sri Lanka
Rice and curry is often vegetarian by default, and Kandy has excellent pure-veg Indian restaurants. In smaller towns, ask your driver to recommend vegetarian stops.
Colombo St, Kandy
Nagalingam's BhavanJain food
Pure-veg Tamil thalis cooked without onion, garlic or leeks — a favourite with Jain travellers.
D.S. Senanayake St, Kandy
Balaji Dosai
Pure-veg South Indian restaurant minutes from the Temple of the Tooth.
Ella
Ella Flower Garden Restaurant
Relaxed spot popular with Indian families; adapts vegetarian dishes on request.
Matara Rd, Galle
Indiaan Summer
Indian restaurant with a good vegetarian section for your last evening.
How to ask: Say "vegetarian, no fish, no Maldive fish flakes" — Maldive fish is often added to sambols and curries.
Insider tips
Save money and skip the queues
Save money
Hire a car and driver for the whole trip
A driver for 6 days costs far less than hotel-booked transfers, handles luggage during the train ride and knows vegetarian stops.
Save money
Pay park fees in rupees
Some ticket counters quote dollars at poor rates; pay in Sri Lankan rupees where accepted.
Local secret
Sit on the right for the Ella train
From Kandy to Ella, the right-hand side gets more of the valley and waterfall views between Nanu Oya and Ella.
Local secret
Wear white for the Temple of the Tooth
White or light clothes are customary for the evening puja, and you will need to leave shoes outside.
Best timing
Sigiriya at 7 AM
Gates open early; climbing before 9 AM avoids the heat, the queues on the narrow stairways and the wasps that can be active at midday.
Best timing
Check the Nine Arch train times
Trains cross the bridge only a few times a day. Ask your driver or a café for the schedule and arrive 20 minutes early.
FAQs
Sri Lanka trip questions, answered
What Indian travellers ask us most before booking.
Do Indians need a visa for Sri Lanka?
Indians need an online ETA before travel. Sri Lanka has offered it free to Indian passport holders under recent schemes; check the official ETA website for the current fee and validity.
How much does a 6-day Sri Lanka trip cost from India?
About ₹9,000 per person per day with boutique hotels and a private driver, plus ₹12,000–25,000 for flights — roughly ₹65,000–80,000 per person in total.
Can we use Indian rupees in Sri Lanka?
Not officially. Exchange money for Sri Lankan rupees at the airport or a bank, and use cards at hotels and bigger shops.
Is the Kandy to Ella train worth it?
Yes — it is the highlight for many travellers. Book reserved seats in advance, as they sell out in peak season.
Is Sri Lanka good for vegetarians?
Very. Rice and curry is often vegetarian, and Colombo and Kandy have many South Indian pure-veg restaurants.
Curated by EZYaan
Sri Lanka: Rock Fortresses, Tea Hills & Galle Fort
Climb Sigiriya at dawn, ride the famous hill-country train through tea estates and end inside Galle’s colonial fort.
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