A tropical island where you will need a jumper, socks for temples, and considerably less than you think.
Almost everyone overpacks for Sri Lanka, and almost everyone forgets the same four things. Here is the short version.
The jumper
Nuwara Eliya sits at 1,900 metres and drops to around ten degrees at night. Horton Plains at dawn is colder still, with wind. A fleece or a warm jumper is not optional if your itinerary goes into the hills.
Socks, for temples
Shoes come off at every sacred site, and the stone at Anuradhapura or Dambulla at midday is genuinely too hot to stand on. A pair of thin socks in your day bag solves a problem that catches out most first-time visitors.
Covering up
Shoulders and knees must be covered at all religious sites, for men and women alike. A light long-sleeved shirt and a sarong or scarf handles this without adding weight.
Also worth knowing: photographs posing with your back to a Buddha image cause real offence and have led to arrests. Do not do it.
What you can leave at home
Laundry is fast and cheap almost everywhere, so pack for four or five days rather than fourteen. Toiletries are widely available. Beach towels are provided by every property we use.
Mosquito repellent with DEET is worth bringing; the local versions are weaker. Leech socks are provided by us for rainforest days.
Thinking about a trip like this?
We build every itinerary from scratch. Tell us roughly what you have in mind and we will come back with a written route, suggested properties and an indicative cost.
