Sri Lanka Flights and Travel Guide

The pear-shaped island of Sri Lanka is only 270 miles long and 140 miles wide, but it’s swathed in beauty and is alluring to visitors seeking sun-soaked vacations. Travelers booking flights to Sri Lanka are sure to spend time on the beaches, but there is more to do and see besides bake in the sun. Sri Lanka is filled with various ethnicities and cultures, all providing a little flare to this tiny island.

Buddhist art and architecture dominate the Sri Lanka scenery. First time visitors booking flights to Sri Lanka will want to spend a few days in Anuradhapura exploring the ancient city. It was pronounced the capital city in 380 BC and Sinhalese kings ruled from Anuradhapura for more than 1000 years. Buddha is the defining figure throughout Sri Lanka and there’s good reason: legend has it that Buddha achieved enlightenment from the Sacred Bo-Tree and his right collar bone is in the Thuparama Dagoba, the oldest temple in Anuradhapura.

Find flights to Sri Lanka

Back to top

Sri Lanka Climate

Back to top

When to Fly to Sri Lanka

Thanks to the tropical weather that graces the island, there is no bad time to book your flight to Sri Lanka!

Peak Season: Flights to Sri Lanka tend to be full from November through April, when the resorts open up to accommodate the swell in tourism.

Off-peak Season: Cheap flights to Sri Lanka are plentiful during monsoon season, when tourists shy away from the Sri Lankan shores pummeled by heavy precipitation. Try booking your Sri Lanka cheap flight for the weeks following monsoon season before the resorts and flights fill up.

Find flights to Sri Lanka

Back to top

Getting Around Sri Lanka

After your Sri Lanka flight arrives in Colombo, board domestic Sri Lanka flights to nearby cities or head into the city center courtesy of taxi or train.  The bus and train networks of Sri Lanka are wide-reaching, making travel within Sri Lanka affordable and easy to coordinate.  With four international ports, Sri Lanka sees many cruise ships in its harbors, though the regular ferries that formally serviced South India and Sri Lanka are no longer running due to international conflict.

The following chart gives approximate journey times from Colombo (in hours and minutes) to other major cities and towns in Sri Lanka.

Back to top

Sri Lanka Insider Information

• Beach bums and sunbathers are filling up flights to Sri Lanka during the dry season, and Bentota on Sri Lanka’s southern coast is a popular favorite when it comes to the island’s beaches.  The south is also home to the breathtaking coral reefs of Hikkadawa and Unawatuna, which make for excellent snorkeling and scuba excursions.
• Buddhists and history buffs alike book Sri Lanka cheap flights to see Kandy’s Dalada Maligawa.  This temple was built to house the tooth of Buddha, which was brought to Sri Lanka in the 4^th century.  Stop by Dalada Maligawa and witness religious services accompanied by traditional music.
• Want a better view than you got from window seat on your flight to Sri Lanka?  Brave the hike to reach the top of Adam’s Peak, which is one of the highest points in the country.  Buddha’s foot is believed to have left a footprint at the summit of the mountain on his third visit, and homage is paid to the site especially between the months of December and April.  
• A safety concern to consider before booking your cheap flight to Sri Lanka: Due to the calamities resulting from national conflict between the Sri Lankan military and the LTTE, known as the Tamil Tigers, civilians in northern Sri Lanka suffer under the continued fighting in the area.  Keep this in mind while planning your visit to Sri Lanka, and steer clear of Jaffna, Mannar, Welioya and Vavuniya.  

Back to top

Sri Lanka Airports

Back to top

Passport/Visa

Back to top

Entry Requirements

Back to top