The author will be travelling to Sri Lanka from 10 November to 19 November 2019.
As someone who has travelled across 40 countries on five continents, I find myself truly excited to visit Sri Lanka, a country gaining attention as a place where World Heritage sites are concentrated.
Before travelling, I would like to explain in an easy-to-understand manner, based on experience, everything from the actual preparations to points to note during the trip, and the highlights of the tourist attractions.
Today, as the first instalment of our Sri Lanka travel preparations,
- How to book airline tickets
- How to Plan a Trip
- Arranging transport
- How to obtain a visa
I would like to tell you about.
- How to book flights! For the cheapest possible arrangements, a single stopover is recommended.
- Booking through a tour is very expensive.
- For itinerary planning and transport, we recommend the taxi charter service 'Sri Lanka Taxi Service'.
- How to obtain a visa
- Don't forget to arrange your travel insurance online in advance!
- Summary
How to book flights! For the cheapest possible arrangements, a single stopover is recommended.
First and foremost, the most important item is the flight ticket.
I cannot make travel plans until I secure the flight tickets.
Now, I'd like to share how to secure airline tickets for a cost-effective trip to Sri Lanka.
Direct flights operate four times a week, though the price is on the high side.
Direct flights from Narita to Colombo, Sri Lanka's largest city, operate four times a week.
This is a code-share flight operated by SriLankan Airlines and Japan Airlines.
Now then, regarding the crucial matter of price, we handle budget airline tickets at 'Travel-chanLet's check it out!
On a direct flight, the outbound journey takes 13 hours and 40 minutes due to the influence of the westerlies, while the return journey takes 8 hours and 10 minutes.
However, the price is extremely high, and despite attempting to book two months in advance, it still costs around ¥190,000.
With one transfer, reservations are possible for between ¥50,000 and ¥70,000.
On the other hand, connecting flights can be obtained for around ¥70,000. (Depending on the season, they may be available for under ¥50,000.)
Price-wise, the two-stop connection is the cheapest, but there's barely a £10 difference compared to the one-stop option.
Considering the time and physical exertion involved, the most realistic option is a single transfer.
Due to time constraints, the flight plan I secured is via China Eastern Airlines as follows:
Many other travellers book AirAsia flights via Malaysia, so it would be advisable to check the flight times and select the itinerary that best suits your needs.
I chose the option where my portion departs in the morning and arrives in Sri Lanka by evening, as that was appealing.
The following is the final price including some optional extras.
All in all, it came to ¥71,824, which is just under ¥70,000, so it was quite reasonable.
Booking through a tour is very expensive.
I imagine some people might find it a bother to make all the reservations.
Such individuals are likely to seek out package tours.
However, package tours have two drawbacks.
The first is the high price.
Below are the prices for a trip to Sri Lanka when searched on HIS for the same dates as mine.
It can be seen that the price per person is over ¥240,000.
Taking the whole family of three would cost around ¥800,000, so it's quite a large expense.
The second drawback is that you cannot create a plan entirely to your own specifications. One of the great pleasures of travel lies in customising your itinerary to suit your own preferences.
If one can only travel according to a predetermined itinerary, the appeal of travel is diminished by half.
For itinerary planning and transport, we recommend the taxi charter service 'Sri Lanka Taxi Service'.
Now then, I should like to move on to the crucial matter of transport.
First, consider your own itinerary.
Once you've booked your flight and fixed your departure and return dates, it's finally time to decide on your itinerary.
Sri Lanka is a World Heritage powerhouse, boasting eight World Heritage Sites within an area equivalent to 80% of Hokkaido.
The author decided to plan a trip to visit all the World Heritage Sites during their eight-night, nine-day stay in Sri Lanka.
For those considering a four-night, five-day or five-night, six-day trip, it would be best to focus on exploring the Cultural Triangle, encompassing Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and Kandy.
Five World Heritage sites are clustered within a compact area, making it highly efficient to visit them all.
Incidentally, Sigiriya Rock, the most famous of all, is also situated at the heart of the Cultural Triangle.
Consult a professional for a detailed itinerary free of charge
Sri Lanka also has public transport such as buses and trains.
However, having backpacked through numerous emerging nations during my student days, I felt uneasy about the reliability of timetables.
Naturally, as we'll be arriving at the destination with hotel bookings already secured, any disruption to the schedule would be a critical issue.
I was thinking how I'd hate to fret over transport once I started working, when I came across Sri Lanka Taxi Service.
The company provides dedicated chauffeur-driven taxis, trained during the itinerary, to support all travel arrangements throughout the trip.
Furthermore, as Sri Lanka Taxi Service reportedly offers itinerary suggestions under local supervision, I promptly decided to place an order.
The following morning, a sincere email was received in reply, presenting the proposed itinerary alongside details of the services offered.
As for the pricing aspect, I shall address that later; the section focusing on the itinerary is as follows.
It's reassuring that they offer bespoke itineraries tailored to each individual's needs, based on extensive experience, and propose the most efficient routes free of charge.
The proposed itinerary was reasonable, covering the cultural triangle region before proceeding to the central and southwestern areas, so we decided to follow the suggested plan.
Discounted pricing
Sri Lanka Taxi Service provided a sense of security with its well-trained taxi drivers.
Furthermore, compared to other major companies,The cheapest among Japanese suppliersis as follows.
The standard rate for a 9-day charter with Sri Lanka Taxi Service is ¥89,000.
That's a low price, under ¥10,000 per day.
This is strictly the cost per vehicle, so when travelling with three people, the cost per person is ¥29,666, which falls below the ¥30,000 mark.
It's rather splendid that we can keep the cost down to around ¥100,000 for the flight and all travel arrangements, isn't it?
Additionally, those who do not speak English can apply for the Premium Plan to receive priority dispatch of Japanese-speaking drivers.
With major travel agencies, adding a Japanese-speaking driver incurs an additional charge of ¥10,000 per day.
With Sri Lanka Taxi Service, you can enjoy your Sri Lankan travels with excellent drivers, including Japanese-speaking drivers, for approximately ¥1,500 per day per vehicle.
Moreover, even without the premium plan, the drivers are thoroughly trained, so you can use the service with peace of mind.
Even without installing Japanese drivers, you can rest assured that our Japanese helpdesk will provide step-by-step support.
How to obtain a visa
A visa is required to enter Sri Lanka.
There are two methods for obtaining a visa: an Arrival Visa, which is obtained upon arrival at the destination, and an online visa, which is obtained in advance.
Upon obtaining an Arrival Visa
For those who find obtaining a visa in advance troublesome, there is the option of obtaining a visa upon arrival at Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo.
Next to immigration control is the visa application counter; simply present your passport at counter $40 to obtain one easily.
How to Obtain an Online Visa
The arrival visa is convenient, but it has the drawback of causing delays at immigration.
For those wishing to complete immigration smoothly upon arrival, we recommend the online visa.
Obtaining it via online visa is slightly cheaper at $35.
I would like to outline the procedure below.
First, navigate to the following site.
Application for Sri Lanka's online visa
First, click on 'Applicable' → 'By the applicant themselves' on the following page.
This is a forced Japanese translation, so it may be difficult to understand.
It seems you've translated the English word 'apply' as '適用' (to apply).
On the next screen, click Apply again.
On the next page, scroll down and tick the 'I Agree' box.
Then, you will be automatically redirected to the next page.
From here on, the page will be in English.
Click 'Apply for an Individual'.
This is where the application form finally begins.
Please have your passport ready and complete the form as shown in the image below.
Scroll down.
For 'Purpose of visit', select 'Sightseeing or Holiday' as the purpose of your trip.
Also, at the very bottom, do you hold any other visas for Sri Lanka?
That is the question.
I don't believe I possess any of these, so please select 'No' for all.
Scroll down and press the Next button to proceed to the next page.
On the next page, review the details and press 'Confirm'.
Then your visa application will be completed on the next page.
As stated above in English, tourist visa applications are currently free of charge for a limited period.
The free period runs from 1 August for six months, that is, until 31 January.
Forty-eight countries, including Japan, have abolished visa fees to attract tourists.
A special media conference was held at Temple Trees on 31 July 2019.
Visa-free entry will be available to 48 nations and the offer will remain in place for six months.
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe assured that Sri Lanka is now safe for tourists and “security has returned to normalcy.”
Quote:travel voice
Until now, tourist visas were available online for $35, so although it was only for a limited period, it was good value.
Don't forget to arrange your travel insurance online in advance!
When travelling abroad, you never know what might happen.
I too once lost an iPhone in China, but as I had taken out overseas travel insurance, I was fully reimbursed.
You can take out insurance at the airport, but the price is set at a very high amount.
On the other hand, by purchasing it online in advance, you can take out insurance at a significantly lower cost.
The insurance policy the author favours is [Sompo Japan's off!】
The author was able to book an 8-night, 9-day trip for just ¥3,960.
It's rather nice to be able to sign up at half the price when applying in-store.
The author's guarantee plan is as follows.
It is advisable to ensure you have insurance cover, as 'damage to personal belongings' and 'expenses for delayed return luggage on premium flights' are the most frequently utilised types of cover.
Summary
We have covered how to obtain affordable air tickets for travelling to Sri Lanka, along with preparations for transport and accommodation, and visa requirements.
Going forward, I would like to share with you step by step the things to bear in mind when actually undertaking a trip.
We shall endeavour to provide information that will assist you in your travels to Sri Lanka.
→ A comprehensive guide to preparing for your Sri Lanka trip, from a traveller's perspective!
