Sri Lanka is one of the easiest trips abroad from India. The flight is short, the food is familiar, and since May 2026 there is no visa fee at all.
But a handful of practical details catch people out every year. These are the notes we give everyone we send, whether they go for the Ramayana Trail or the beaches.
The ETA is free - and still compulsory
Sri Lanka made the tourist ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation) free for Indian passport holders, effective 25 May 2026, for stays of up to 30 days. We checked this on the government's own portal, eta.gov.lk.
Free does not mean optional. You still have to apply online before you fly. It is not a visa on arrival, and you will be asked for it.
Apply only at eta.gov.lk. Search for Sri Lanka ETA and you will find a great many lookalike sites and agents. They charge a fee for a document that costs nothing.
December weather: two climates in one week
December is peak season. The coasts are warm, but the hill country is a different world.
Nuwara Eliya sits at over six thousand feet and holds about 12-15°C by day, less at night. Most hotels there have no central heating. Pack a jumper, a jacket and socks, even if the rest of your bag is cotton.
Peak season also means the good rooms in the hills go early. Confirm a December trip well ahead.
Temple dress code is enforced
Cover shoulders and knees, and take off shoes and hats before you enter. At the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy, they will not let you in otherwise.
At some Buddhist sites, it is better to leave leather belts and bags in the vehicle. A light shawl or wrap solves most of it.
Poya days
Every full moon, called Poya, is a public holiday in Sri Lanka. Temples are at their busiest, and the sale of alcohol stops for the day.
If your dates cross a poya, plan temple visits around the crowds.
Money
The currency is the Sri Lankan rupee. Cards work in hotels and in Colombo. They are much less reliable at temples and roadside stops, and entry fees are almost always cash.
Change money at the airport or a bank, not with someone who approaches you.
Ready to go? Read the full Ramayana Trail guide, see our Ramayana Trail, 6N/7D, or find everything on our Sri Lanka page.
