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 Sri Lanka’s heady mix of beautiful landscapes, incredibly friendly locals and British colonial heritage make it a beguiling destination. With more tourists returning to sRI LANKA after a turbulent few months, now is the perfect time to visit. Here are ten Sri Lanka travel tips to help first-time visitors.

1. Prepare to go slow


Although infrastructure is improving and transport options are plentiful, getting around this modestly sized country, with its tightly winding roads and engine-testing inclines, can feel a little trying at times.
The Hill Country is particularly notorious for eating away time. Whether travelling by bus, tuk-tuk or train, expect to inch from one tea plantation to the next at speeds of around 12-15 miles per hour. For those with little time or deep pockets, taking a seaplane or hiring a car and driver are good alternatives. Rough Guides can Connect you with a local expert in Sri Lanka to organise everything from a private driver to excursions, accommodation and more.

2. Go to relax, not to rave

Outside of Colombo and a few beach resorts, hostels with dorm rooms tend to be thin on the ground. Family-run guesthouses are much more common. This makes it easy to meet locals but harder for solo travellers hoping to make friends on the road.
As an emerging honeymoon hotspot, Sri Lanka also attracts a lot of couples. Those looking for nightlife to rival Bangkok’s Khao San Road will leave unfulfilled: beach bars pepper Arugam Bay on the east coast and Hikkaduwa on the west, but these are mellow affairs and many shut down out of seaso

3. Treat yourself

If you've got Sri Lankan rupees to spare there are plenty of new luxury hotels and resorts where you can spend them. International names such as Aman have already set up shop on the island, and Shangri-La has two new hotels scheduled to open soon. But it’s the home-grown, luxury hotel mini-chains that you ought to keep your eye on. Uga Escapes and Resplendent Ceylon are just two examples of burgeoning local brands that offer more than just copy-and-paste properties.


4. Go north to get away from the crowds

Formerly off-limits, the country'Northern Province sis prime territory for those who want to roam off the beaten path. Once a Tamil Tiger stronghold, it was one of the last areas on the island to reopen to tourists, and has yet to succumb to the same wave of hotels, resorts and other developments – or to receive the same flurry of foreign visitors.
If you’re after deserted golden beaches, remote temples and colonial port towns – go north.

5. Focus on food

Sri Lankan food is delicious, so make the most of it while you’re there. However, knowing where and when to find the good stuff may prove a harder task than you anticipated. Bowl-shaped hoppers (savoury rice flour crêpes) are a highlight, though they are typically only served first thing in the morning or late afternoon. Rice and curry is a lunchtime affair, while kottu rotty (chopped flatbread stir-fried with eggs and vegetables) is only available in the evening.
Those familiar with Asia will be surprised at the lack of street food stalls; instead, some of the best food can be found in the kitchens of small guesthouses.