If you are looking for a destination that you can really enjoy on a budget, Sri Lanka should be at the top of your list. Renowned as a pretty affordable travel destination, Sri Lanka has many budget-friendly activities for everyone. This vibrant and culturally rich island offers a multitude of experiences to enjoy without spending a lot. From its stunning beaches, ancient cities, and lush jungles to amazing wildlife, you can do many new things with a limited travel budget.
With cheap accommodation and transportation, Sri Lanka considers a budget travelers’ paradise. You can just travel like a local, eat the local food, select your activities carefully, and explore this wonderful island even with a tight budget.
Here we will provide you with all the valuable tips and insights to budget travel in Sri Lanka. Certainly, this ultimate guide will help you to save money and travel in style without lowering the quality of your experience.
1. Visit in the low season
There are two prominent tourism seasons in Sri Lanka. December to April is the high season and May to October is the low season. Due to the mild temperatures and less rainfall, more visitors prefer to travel in the peak season. Therefore, prices for accommodations and transportation tend to be higher during this peak tourist season. Hotels and lodgings are quite expensive in these months due to the high influx of travelers.
One of the best ways to save money while traveling in Sri Lanka is to plan your trip during the low season from May to October. You can find unbelievable discounts and offers during this season. Moreover, you can take advantage of lower hotel rates, discounted tickets, and fewer crowds. Thus, visiting Sri Lanka in law season helps you to save a lot of money.
2. Stay in hostels or homestays
A few years ago, the only tourist accommodation available in Sri Lanka was luxury or semi-luxury hotels. Affordable, quality lodging was harder to find throughout the island. Currently, Sri Lanka offers plenty of choices for tourists, from budget-friendly hostels, guesthouses to homestays.
Particularly, hostels have become Sri Lanka’s favorite accommodation that gives a home away from home. With dorm beds starting at just 6 USD, Sri Lankan hostels are backpacker-friendly and help you to meet fellow travelers. Even the most elegantly designed hostels usually only cost around 10-15 USD per night.
Moreover, homestays are becoming a more popular option for budget travel in Sri Lanka. They are smaller than guesthouses, often with only a couple of rooms for guests. These family-run homestays are pretty popular because the hosts are quite friendly to the guests. You’ll get the chance to live more like a local and eat home-cooked meals during your stay. You can interact with friendly locals and experience the Sri Lankan way of life.
As well, you can use booking.com and find out quick deals to find cheap accommodation. Instead of staying at expensive luxury resorts or international hotel chains, consider choosing local hotels with discounts. These deals not only offer comfortable and affordable accommodations but are also pocket-friendly to save your travel budget.
3. Always use metered taxi
Tuk tuks are the easiest way to travel short distances within the country. Unfortunately, they are infamous for ripping off tourists and even the locals. Sometimes, foreign travelers are overcharged double or triple the regular price. Thus, always remember to use a metered taxi for your rides. You can use the PickMe or Uber app to book your ride easily and cheaply. These taxi-booking apps are quite useful for budget travelers in Sri Lanka.
4. Eat the local food
You will find plenty of high-end restaurants serving international cuisine in Sri Lanka. But these Western foods like Pizza, Hamburger, or KFC is quite expensive and a meal usually costs 15-30 USD per person. Enjoying these foods in Sri Lanka isn’t pocket-friendly for budget travelers. Therefore, eating at local restaurants is the best option and a delicious way to immerse yourself in Sri Lanka’s culinary scene.
The local eateries offer authentic flavors at a fraction of the cost compared to fancy restaurants. You can taste delicious local meals for as little as 1-3 USD per person. These traditional dishes give a yummy taste. Fish or chicken are prepared as spicy red curry, but they are delicious and quite popular dishes among tourists. If you don’t tolerate spicy food, many restaurants in tourist hubs offer less spicy versions. Thus, remember to enjoy these yummy local culinary delights and save your money in Sri Lanka.
Although rice and curry are the staple on the island, you can try various other popular dishes in Sri Lanka. Try to expand your palate by tasting yummy hoppers, string hoppers, kottu, or Lamprais. These traditional dishes are scrumptious, filling meals that will keep both your belly and your wallet full. Vegetarian meals have the lowest prices while adding meats like chicken, beef or seafood will slightly increase the price.
5. Use public transportation
Bandaranaike International Airport is located around 35 km from the main Colombo city centre. Unless you are traveling as a group, airport taxi charges are quite expensive for budget travelers. Therefore, you can catch the shuttle bus between Colombo Airport and the Katunayake Airport Bus Station which is located 50 m from the terminals. Then, catch the direct expressway public bus to reach Colombo (Pettah) central bus stand within 30 minutes. From there, you will be able to travel to any part of the country. This is the cheapest way to reach Colombo to save your transportation cost.
Many visitors to Sri Lanka tend to hire a taxi and driver for their trip because it is more convenient. But the taxi cost is quite high and it will take a considerable amount of your travel budget. Instead of hiring private taxis, consider using public transportation to get around the country. The bus fares are pretty affordable and they are readily available. Buses can take you anywhere for a very cheap price.
Trains are a pretty low-cost option and the journey will be more comfortable. In particular, upcountry trains offer scenic routes through tea plantations, providing an opportunity to witness the country’s natural scenic beauty. Remember to book your train tickets in advance, especially for popular routes such as Kandy – Ella train ride. Definitely, traveling by train helps you to save a lot on your travel expenses.
6. Select the attractions
Selecting attractions is one of the most important tips for budget travel in Sri Lanka. If you are traveling on a tight budget, you can avoid costly attractions and select cheap ones. For example, one of the major tourist attractions in the country is Sigiriya Rock Fortress. But the entrance fee is quite expensive and it costs 30 USD. Thus, many budget travelers visit nearby Pidurangala Rock instead of Sigiriya, by paying only 3 USD. Although these two places aren’t similar, it gives a more economical experience to budget travelers.
Moreover, foreigners are charged 35 USD plus the safari vehicle fee to enter the national parks in Sri Lanka. If you want to visit several national parks, it will make a large hole in your pocket. In order to save your holiday budget, select one national park where you can enjoy the amazing wildlife to the fullest, such as Yala National Park.
There are also plenty of free destinations to visit in Sri Lanka. The Hill Country is famous for its spectacular scenery and natural beauty. Thus, you can plan a hike in one of the breathtaking hiking trails in Sri Lanka. There are no entry fees for hiking and trekking where the journey will reward you with amazing sceneries.
7. Find the cheap air tickets
The official airline in the country is Sri Lankan Airlines. You can browse all the exclusive Sri Lankan Airlines special offers on this official webpage. They offer the best airfare deals with brand-new offers updated regularly. Choose from the best discount flights and remember to check back for the latest deals. Since travel agents often add a service fee, booking directly with the airline helps you to save a lot of money.
If you like to choose some other carriers, check out pages that offer cheap airfares and book it as soon as possible. You can use Skyscanner or any other flight ticket booking flatforms to find more economical flight tickets to Sri Lanka. These cheap flight offers are available only for a limited time and you need to grab them quickly.
8. Share the safari vehicle
This is one of the most important budget travel tips in Sri Lanka. When you are planning a safari trip, try to visit as a group with some friends or fellow travelers. By sharing the cost of the safari vehicle, you can save money.
For example, the Yala National Park entrance fee per foreign adult is 35 USD. Jeep hire is separate, often something between 35 – 45 USD for a half-day safari and double for a full-day safari. The rates are for 1 jeep and you can include up to 6 people. By sharing the jeep with 6 travelers, your safari cost will be greatly reduced.
You can follow the same procedure when using the electric cart to explore the botanical gardens in Sri Lanka. When visiting botanical gardens, you need to buy the entrance ticket and a separate ticket for 2000 LKR to use the 7-seater electric cart. If you are traveling as a group with seven friends or fellow travelers, it helps you to share this cost and save your travel budget.
9. Rent a scooter or tuk tuk
If you like to drive yourself, renting a scooter is the most economical way to explore Sri Lanka. In this way, you can avoid crowds in public transportation and travel comfortably throughout all corners of the island. Most importantly, this is the cheapest way to move around the country. The charge is starting from 6 USD per day and it will save a lot of money on your transportation cost.
Renting a self-drive tuk-tuk is quite cheap where you need only 14 USD and you can drive around 150 km per day. First, you should get a short training and license paper, then you are ready to go. Driving a tuk-tuk is very easy and just needs little attention to the gear system. This will give you the maximum freedom to travel anywhere like a local and have a budget-friendly vacation in Sri Lanka.
10. Join travel communities
Joining Sri Lanka travel groups is something quite important for tourists. One of the most famous travel forums in Sri Lanka is the TripAdvisor travel forum where you can get a lot of valuable information. In this forum, you can meet like-minded travelers who like to share their experiences. You can ask any travel-related question and experts will answer within seconds. Moreover, if you like to share the taxi costs, you can ask other fellow travelers to find a travel buddy.
Another important Facebook community is the Sri Lanka Travel and Tourism Group. There are more than 47 K members to share travel-related information. The members include travelers, bloggers, writers, tour companies, tour guides, coach operators, accommodation providers, and knowledgeable reviewers. They contribute to cheap accommodation and transport options to help travelers.
To sum up, Sri Lanka offers plenty of budget-friendly activities that won’t break the bank. Here we have mentioned the most important budget-travel tips for you. Moreover, you can bargain when shopping for Sri Lankan souvenirs, clothes, or handicrafts. This is a common practice in Sri Lanka where you can often secure better deals and save money. Additionally, be cautious of tourist traps and avoid scammers before making expensive purchases such as gemstones and jewelry. Welcome guys, enjoy a budget-friendly travel in Sri Lanka.!
Text by Magnificent Sri Lanka. Images from Wikimedia Commons, Pixabay, Unsplash, Facebook, and Twitter. all the copyrights are reserved by the original authors.
