Sri Lanka has excellent air connectivity with direct flights from various international destinations. The Bandaranaike International Airport (Colombo Airport), situate 35km noth of Colombo is the main international airport.

As the Official Airline Partner of the WONCA South Asia Region Conference 2024 Sri Lankan Airlines would offer all participants and accompanying persons a 15 % discount on economy class airfare and a 10% discount on business class airfare (on the prevailing market fare at the time of ticketing) for purchase of tickets for registered delegates travelling to Sri Lanka from all online stations.

Launched in 1979, SriLankan, member of the 'One world' alliance, is Sri Lanka's national carrier. It has a solid reputation for inflight service.
Operating from Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo, it provides convenient connections to its global route network of 112 destinations in 58 countries.
As the Official Airline Partner of the WONCA South Asia Region Conference 2024 Sri Lankan Airlines would offer all participants and accompanying persons a 15 % discount on economy class airfare and a 10% discount on business class airfare (on the prevailing market fare at the time of ticketing) for purchase of tickets for registered delegates travelling to Sri Lanka from all online stations.

Sri Lankan Airlines on-line stations

All foreign participants who attend the conference should obtain an Electronic Travel Authorization before entering Sri Lanka. The visa will be issued under Business Visa – Standard Visitor Visa category for persons participating in Seminars, Conferences and Workshops.
 

ETA applications could be submitted using one of the following methods;
• Online through the official ETA portal of Sri Lanka prior to travel
• At a Sri Lanka Mission overseas prior to travel
• On arrival at the Airport

It is strongly advised that participants obtain the ETA prior to travel to avoid potential delays at the airport. The online ETA portal is considered reliable, efficient and user friendly.

APPLY VISA ONLINE
https://www.srilankaevisa.lk

A visitor is allowed to bring into the country duty free 1.5 litres of spirits, two bottles of wine, a quarter-litre of toilet water, and a small quantity of perfume and souvenirs with a value not exceeding US $250. The import of personal equipment such as cameras and laptop computers is allowed but must be declared on arrival. However, personal equipment must be taken out of the country upon the visitor's departure.

The import of non-prescription drugs and pornography of any form is an offence.

Sri Lank Offers visitors an excellent range of accommodation facilities to suit all budgets from luxury hotels to low budget accommodations.

The organizers have negotiated special rates applicable to conference participants with Official Hotels. Return shuttle transfers will be provided from official hotels to the conference venue for the participants who make reservations at official hotels through the Conference Secretariat.

There are no restrictions on the amount of foreign currency that can be brought into Sri Lanka. However, if the value of the currency exceeds USD 10,000 or its equivalent, it must be declared upon arrival.

Visitors are allowed to take out the unspent portion of the foreign currency they brought into Sri Lanka. Unspent rupees converted from foreign currencies also can be re-converted to the original currency on departure as long as encashment receipts can be produced.

The local currency is the Sri Lankan Rupee, divided into 100 cents (you rarely come across cents today). Currency notes are Rs. 5,000, Rs. 2,000, Rs. 1,000, Rs. 500, Rs. 100, Rs. 50 and Rs.20.

Beware of mistaking the Rs. 500 note for the somewhat similar Rs. 100 one. To check whether notes are genuine when not given at a bank, look for a lion watermark. Coins, should you have received them, will be in denominations up to Rs. 10.

Sri Lanka Standard Time is five and a half hours ahead of GMT. (Allowance should be made for summer-time changes in Europe.)

The standard voltage of electricity in Sri Lanka is 230 volts and operates on a 50Hz frequency.

Type G plug, also known as the British BS-1363 plug, is the standard electrical plug used in Sri Lanka. The Type G plug has three rectangular-shaped pins in a triangular pattern and is designed to operate at a voltage of 230 volts and a frequency of 50 Hz.

Most hotels, restaurants and shopping centres accept credit cards.

Banks are open from 0900 hrs to 1500 hrs, Monday to Friday.

It is easy to withdraw money across the island at ATMs using international credit cards or debit cards.

Sri Lanka has two official languages. Sinhala and Tamil - with English as a link language. Most people have some knowledge of English, and signboards are often in English.

Due to the location of Sri Lanka, within the tropics between 5o 55' to 9o 51' North latitude and between 79o 42' to 81o 53' East longitude, the climate of the island could be characterized as tropical.

The central part of the southern half of the island is mountainous with heights more than 2.5 Km. The core regions of the central highlands contain many complex topographical features such as ridges, peaks, plateaus, basins, valleys and escarpments. The remainder of the island is practically flat except for several small hills that rise abruptly in the lowlands. These topographical features strongly affect the spatial patterns of winds, seasonal rainfall, temperature, relative humidity and other climatic elements, particularly during the monsoon season.

The Climate of Sri Lanka is dominated by the above-mentioned topographical features of the country and the Southwest and Northeast monsoons regional scale wind regimes. The Climate experienced during 12 months period in Sri Lanka can be characterized in to 4 climate seasons as follows.

1. First Inter-Monsoon Season - March - April
2. Southwest Monsoon Season - May - September
3. Second Inter-Monsoon Season - October - November
4. Northeast Monsoon Season - December - February

Sri Lanka is a round-the-year destination for the visitors who seek for sun and sea and the best time to visit the island is considered from November to April.
 

Sri Lanka has a tropical climate, so it is recommended to wear lightweight and breathable fabrics such as cotton or linen to stay cool and comfortable in the hot and humid weather.

When visiting temples, mosques, or other religious sites, it is important to dress modestly and remove footwear before entering. Long pants or skirts and shirts that cover the shoulders are typically appropriate.

Sri Lanka is a tremendously photogenic island. The stunning landscapes, the captivating fauna and lush flora, and the stupendous archaeological remains provide great opportunities: a bonus is that Sri Lankans love to be captured on camera.

Permits
Tourists who wish to visit and or photograph the principal ancient monuments in Sri Lanka are required to purchase a ticket at the site.

Restrictions
There are some important restrictions that apply to photography in religious places. When you visit a temple or other religious site, remember that photography should not be carried out in a manner causing disrespect. For instance, it is strictly forbidden to be photographed in front of or beside any statues and murals. Flash photography should not be carried out as it can damage old murals.