Travel information
centers are maintained by the Ceylon Tourist Board to assist
tourists by advising them on all aspects of their stays in the
Island.
Colombo
Travel Information
Centre, 78 Steuart Place, Colombo
Phone: 2437059,
2437060, 2437952, 2437055
Kandy
Travel
Information Centre, "Headmans Lodge", 3 Deva Veediya, Kandy,
Phone: 081-2222261
The Tourist
Board also maintains Information Centers at Bandaranayke
International Airport.
Phone: 2252411
Air Lanka
general Information phone: 073 5555
Visa
Immigration
Basics
A valid passport
Sufficient funds for maintenance An outward or return ticket, or
foreign exchange to purchase as outward ticket.
Visas
Nationals of the
following countries coming to Sri Lanka as bond-fide tourists,
do not require entry visas for a period of thirty days: Albania,
Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Bangladesh, Bulgaria,
Canada, Cyprus, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Finland, France, West
Germany, Greece, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy,
Japan, Korea, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Maldives,
Netherlands, Norway, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines,
Portugal, Poland, Romania, Qatar, Singapore, Saudi Arabia,
Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, U.A.E., U.S.A., U.K.,
Thailand, Yugoslavia, Turkey, 15 New States of the Former Soviet
Union, 5 New States of Former Yugoslavia.
Such tourist
should, however, have a visa for the country to which they are
proceeding from Sri Lanka if the law of that country requires
it. Nationals of the above countries require visit visa enter
Sri Lanka if they are not coming as Bona-fide tourists. Visit
visa are issued by Sri Lanka diplomatic mission abroad.
Nationals of
all countries not included in the above list require a visa for
entry into Sri Lanka.
Time
Difference
Sri Lanka is 5
hrs. Ahead of Greenwich Mean Time.
Telephone, fax,
E-mail & Internet facilities International Direct Dialing. Telex
Facilities, Internet & E-mail and postal and telegraphic
facilities are widely available.
Currency
Sri Lanka
follows decimal currency system in Rupees (Rs.) and cents (Cts.)
with 100 cents equal to a rupee. Currency notes are available in
the denominations of Rs. 2,10,20,50,100,200, 500 and 1000. Coins
are issued in values of Cts.1,2,5,10, 25 and 50 and Rs.1,2,5 and
10. The intervention currency continuously will be the US
Dollar.
Banking
Hours
Normal Banking
hours are : 0900 hrs. to 1500 hrs. on Mondays to Fridays. Banks
are closed on Saturdays, Sundays and Public holidays. Credit
cards Reputed credit and charge cards are widely accepted by
tourist establishments in Sri Lanka.
Television
Operates on
nine channels- ITN, Rupavahini, Rupavahini 2 (mainly Discover
Channel) , MTV (BBC News), Sirasa TV, ETV (Sky News), Teleshan (T.N.L.),
Swarnavahini & Dynavision. (CNN News)
Staellite TV &
Cable TV is available at all 5 star hotels.
Embarkation
Tax
Embarkation Tax
should be paid at
departure. (At the Bandaranayke International Airport, Katunayake
- These taxes
are Subjected to change).
Museums
The Department
of National Museums is devoted to the study and display of
objects of culture and of artistic and scientific interest
pertaining to Sri Lanka's prehistory, archaeology, anthropology,
zoology, entomology, geology and paleontology. Museums are
situated in Colombo, Pettah, Kandy, Kotte, Rathnapura,
Anuradhapura, Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa, Jafna.
Archaeological Museums
The department
of the Archaeology maintains archaeological museums at
Anuradhpura, Kandy, Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa, jafna,
Panaduwasnuwara, Ampara, Yapahuwa adn Dedigama.
