Sri Lanka travelogue: How much did the moon cost us in Sri Lanka and what did we experience?

Last Updated on 18.8.2025 by Vojta

We knew we wanted to go to Asia for a longer period of time, and since it was June, we chose according to where it would be nice. Sri Lanka caught our eye, so we set off for an adventure with a one-way ticket. We had a few things in our backpack and accommodation for the first night. What will happen next was literally in the stars. We liked Sri Lanka so much that we spent a month there. Our experiences and tips on what to see in Sri Lanka include this Sri Lanka travelogue. And we will also reveal how much this holiday in Sri Lanka cost us.

Sri Lanka as Little India

It is said that Sri Lanka is such a small India. Sri Lanka has a culturally and historically strong link to India. Both Hinduism and Buddhism came to the island from here, which is reflected in architecture, language and extra hot cuisine (it is even said that there is even hotter food in Sri Lanka than in India).

Sri Lanka travelogue: First of all, we have some practical information for you that you need to know before you go to Sri Lanka. After that, you will find our experiences and how much money the monthly journey cost us.

Sri Lanka travelogue: When to go to Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is the most great in that you can go there all year round. There are two seasons, but it’s always nice on one part of the island. If you’re wondering what the weather is like for Sri Lanka, we’ve written a separate article on it so you can orientate yourself well by the months.

Tip: What is the weather like in Sri Lanka and when to go?

Sri Lanka – Visas: What you need and where to fill it

If you go to Sri Lanka, you will need a visa. But don’t worry, they are quite easy do the work online on the official website And within a few days you have them. Visas in Sri Lanka cost 30 UDS and are valid for 30 days. Upon arrival, the visas will cost you 50 UDS and you will have to stand in line.

Sri Lanka – Currency

In Sri Lanka, the Sri Lankan currency is the Sri Lankan rupee (1 LKR =0.078 CZK), So you practice counting. Ideally, bring dollars or euros with you here and exchange them on the spot. Attention, almost everywhere in Sri Lanka is paid in cash, even in accommodation (they don’t really want dollars), so always have enough cash and smaller bills with you. ATMs will be in larger cities, but it is better to simply go to an exchange office. Sometimes they will also want to bargain, so don’t worry if something seems too expensive.

Sri Lanka travelogue: When to buy flights to Sri Lanka

Wherever you are going to Asia, it is generally true that it is It is better to buy tickets 2 to 4 months in advance. So if you’re wondering when to buy tickets to Sri Lanka, and you’re not pressed for time, look for a few months in advance. Tickets to Sri Lanka can be found very cheaply, even for 8 thousand. CZK with return. The most expensive are between holidays such as Christmas, Easter or other holidays.

Cheap flights to Sri Lanka and best connections

Who wouldn’t want cheap flights to Sri Lanka, ideally with as few transfers as possible? Recently, a new route from Abu Dhabi to Colombo (the capital of Sri Lanka) began in years. So the best route is from Vienna to Abu Dhabi and from there to Colombo. Of course, there are many options, but this route tends to be fast and cheap.

Tip: 13 things to pack on the plane for a long flight to survive it in good health.

How to travel to Sri Lanka and how did we do it?

If you are attracted to a holiday in Sri Lanka, definitely go. We can really recommend this country for us. How to travel to Sri Lanka? Most of the travelers from the capital go on a tour of the royal cities across the hinterland and the mountains to the southern coast, where the most beautiful beaches are in Sri Lanka. We did the exact opposite. We were the first to head south and then continued more and more to the central part of the island.

Thanks to this, buses and trains were empty and we didn’t have to squeeze anywhere. 

Sri Lanka – Accommodation 

Well. Accommodation in Sri Lanka can really be all kinds and it depends on your budget. we book mostly over booking And we have great experience with it.. At first we took the most low cost, which always looked great in the photos, but in reality it was moldy mattresses, not to mention insects without air conditioning. Since we moved a lot, we have tips for you on the best accommodation in Sri Lanka, which we had and it cost a few crowns. Our TOP Sri Lanka accommodation:

Accommodation Colombo

After arriving, everyone needs a little comfort to be able to catch up a long flight. I have some tips for you for more luxurious and cheaper accommodation.

• Luxury accommodation in Colombo: Sayura House, Marino Beach Colombo
• Cheaper accommodation: Breeze of Paradise, Anugaa in the City

Accommodation Mirrisa

• Accommodation near the beach with air conditioning (you will really appreciate it): Blue Sky, Palm Villa Mirrisa
• Extra Low Cost Accommodation: Jumera Villa Mirrisa, WeerAgiri Home Stay

Accommodation with NP Yala

• Accommodation on the edge of Yala NP (really great for us)

Accommodation Ella

In Elle, we recommend accommodation for the most center and tourist events, because there are restaurants, buses and you can also go on various trips from there

• Hostel in Elle with a beautiful view

Transportation to Sri Lanka and how to travel in Sri Lanka

Due to Sri Lanka being a British colony in the past, there is a good train network built across the island, which cannot be said much about other Asian countries. The transport to Sri Lanka is divine and wild and will definitely be a powerful experience.

1. Car rental or tuk-tuk: Roads in Sri Lanka can be unpredictable and drivers even more so. If there are many of you, it is great to rent, for example, a mini bus with a driver. I probably wouldn’t go renting a car here, it’s great to rent a tuk-tuk for that.
2. Buses and local transport: Bus transport is cheap and densely connected. Just step on the side of the road and a bus will definitely arrive. But keep in mind that drivers drive quite wildly and the bus often becomes the fastest (and loudest) vehicle on the road. The interiors of the buses are usually decorated with Buddhist motifs and the local music plays loudly here. As I say, it’s just an experience.
3. Trains in Sri Lanka: When traveling by train, I recommend buying higher classes, because the lower ones are often overcrowded. The train journey from Kandy to Ella is one of the most beautiful routes in the world, where the train passes between tea plantations and mountains (we took this route the other way around).

Tip: Animal Rescue Station – Where does hiker’s money go and how does sea turtle protection work

Sri Lanka – Itinerary: What we have accomplished in a month

In general, we can say that we really liked Sri Lanka. It is a diverse country where everyone can find something for themselves from beautiful beaches, mountains, waterfalls, almost deserts, animals and so on. I dare say that we have seen most of the places where travelers are going. Somewhere we would stay longer and leave out others. Sri Lanka Itinerary:

• Colombo’s capital: We spent the day here, but I would easily skip the city (I’m not much for that). There are a few nice buildings, otherwise chaos and noise just like in other Asian cities.
• Sri Lanka’s South Coast: We spent about 5 days here. We saw several villages on the coast, of which we liked Mirrisa the most, where there is a really beautiful beach and the famous Coconut Hill. Here you can surf, watch whales or simply chill on the beach. In addition, you will also see local fishermen and their unique style of fishing on stilts in the water.
• NP Yala: We made our way to Yala National Park by local buses. The journey was lively. We were here for 2 days and it was beautiful. We stayed at the super camp on the very border of the park, so we were as much in nature as possible.
• Ella and tea plantations: From the heat, we moved inland to the town of Ella, which is surrounded by tea plantations and mountains. Here we extended our stay to 5 days and really went through all the great places.
• Kandy: We took the train from Ella (a familiar and beautiful railway route) to the larger cities of Kandy, where the Temple of the Buddha is famous and the beautiful botanical garden. We were here for 2 days and it was more than enough.
• Sigiriya rock fortress: For a bit of history and culture, we went to see the rock fortress of Sigiriya on Lví skále. It was beautiful, but the entrance fee for tourists was quite greasy.
• Trinconmale: Here we went to watch whales, which were absolutely amazing. There are quite nice beaches here, but otherwise there is not much in the area. We were here for about a week and we would definitely shorten our stay.
• The royal city of Anuradhapura: We took a bus to the great once royal city of Anuradhapura, where there are magnificent Buddhist temples. We took a guide there because you won’t learn much without them. We went through almost all the nice temples, until our socks slipped from the hot ground. We really liked the temples. 
• negombo: We spent the last days before leaving for Malaysia in Negombo, which is near the airport. 

TIP: You can find all the interesting places we visited in our article 12 tips on what to see in Sri Lanka and what attracted us there too.

How much is a holiday in Sri Lanka

We are slowly getting to what some of you are most interested in. But let’s be clear about it. We are backpackers and we travel low cost, which usually means that we really choose from the cheapest accommodations. But at the same time we work online, so we need some space and peace, so we usually don’t sleep in shared rooms, where it’s busy. 

• Airline tickets to Sri Lanka: We bought a one-way ticket at the last minute and it cost 8 thousand. CZK per person. 
• Accommodation in Sri Lanka: On average, we paid 70 to 350 CZK per person depending on the location (if we wanted to be close to the center, beach, etc.).
• Shipping in Sri Lanka: We took longer distances by buses with locals, which cost a few tens of crowns at most. 
• Entrance fee: It’s a bit more here, because maybe we paid about 30 UDS per person just to enter UNESCO Sigiriya, safari in Yala National Park was also not a cheap affair (about 70 UDS per person) and watching whales also cost Enough. In any case, we paid for, for example, entrances to temples, guides (it worked out, for example, 5 UDS), gardens, rescue stations, etc. 
• the food: In larger cities, you can find yourself for a few tens of crowns. In smaller villages, where there are not many options, food costs 70 to 150 CZK. We paid for breakfast at the accommodation, had a bunch of bananas every day and only paid for dinner.

A month cost us 35,000. CZK per person with everything (visa, plane tickets, etc.), Which I actually think is great for what we’ve experienced and where we’ve looked. It could be done cheaper (save on entrance fees and accommodation, for example), but also much more expensive depending on your requirements. 

FAQs (FAQ)

Resources

Radicati, A., 2019. Island Journeys: Fisher Itineraries and National Imaginaries in Colombo. Contemporary South Asia, 27(3), pp.330-341.

Samitha, M., 2005. Cultural Routes of Sri Lanka as Extensions of International Itineraries: Identification of Their Impacts on Tangible and Intangible Heritage. In Proceedings of the Icomos 15th General Assembly and Scientific Symposium. Volume 2 (pp. P-1013).

Manawadu, S., 2005. Cultural Routes of Sri Lanka as Extensions of International Itineraries: Identification of Their Impacts of Tangible and Intangible Heritage.