New Airport Immigration Rules From Sri Lanka Is the New Bali: 10 Reasons to Visit This Island1: No Physical Boarding Pass Stamp Required

Sri Lanka is becoming the new hub for tropical getaways in Asia. Home to beautiful beaches, hilly areas with fantastic trekking opportunities and some fantastic wildlife areas; all within a small area, meaning you can travel to each location within a short space of time. And with an affordable Sri Lanka tourism package, you can cover all of the essentials for an affordable price.
 

Sri Lanka has gained a lot of popularity as a tourist destination over the last two years. The tropical island nation located at the bottom of India is now preferred over Bali by tourists from the Indian subcontinent and around the world. This is because of its diverse destinations and organised tourist facilities, which can offer more experiences to tourists at affordable prices.

How is Sri Lanka becoming the New Bali:10 Reasons to Visit Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is a beautiful island offering a variety of travel destinations yet is extremely well organised to enable the traveller to have more experiences for his/her buck.

Closer to Indian Cities

Sri Lanka is just a 3-hour flight away from the majority of the Indian cities. In comparison, Bali is a whopping 8 hours away from most of the Indian cities. Hence, for working professionals, a Sri Lanka tourism package is the perfect way to unwind and recharge on a weekend getaway.

Popular Beaches Comparable to Bali

While Bali can boast of a number of fine beaches for surfing, none of them can match the scenic splendour of the numerous fine beaches on the southern coast of Sri Lanka, Mirissa, Unawatuna and Tangalle to name a few. You can even go for a whale watching tour in Mirissa. This is not an experience you can have in Bali.

Heritage Attractions Within Easy Reach

With Heritage Sites like Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and Sigiriya spread out all over the country, a visit to any of these sites is within easy reach of each other and can be explored within a few days. Sigiriya, with its astonishingly well-preserved rock fortress and paintings is one of the most fascinating sites to visit and is indeed one of the most photographed tourist places to visit in Sri Lanka.

Tea Country and Hill Stations

While there are many hill stations around the world, the only foreign destination in this list of destinations for weekend getaways is Sri Lanka. While Ella is famous for its hiking trails and train rides to and from the small town, Nuwara Eliya is more famous for its tea estates and cool evenings and warm mornings.

Wildlife Safaris Available Within the Country

Sri Lanka offers various wildlife tourism options including a chance to watch huge herds of elephants in Udawalawe National Park. None of these can be experienced in Bali as the island is mostly known for its beaches that allow pets and is home to very little wildlife.

Affordable Luxury Accommodation

Sri Lanka has plenty of options for luxury to boutique accommodation and for the price one can get amenities similar to what one would get in a private villa in Bali or Maldives. If you are planning to do a cultural or wildlife tour, it would make sense to book an organised tour package for Sri Lanka. Many hotels offer affordable private transfers as well.

Short Distances Allow Better Time Management

Within a short distance from each other, tropical beaches, wildlife, and cultural heritage of Sri Lanka can be easily accessed within a short drive. As opposed to inter-island flights in Bali, for example, you can see all the desired destinations within a week’s time frame.

Unique Food Culture That Is Still Accessible to Indians

A large portion of Sri Lankan food is eaten by South Indians and people from other parts of Southeast Asia, particularly the hoppers and the kottu roti. Cuisine tourism is fast becoming a new style of travel, as people seek to learn more about new cultures. The cuisine is a big part of the Sri Lankan experience.

High English Proficiency and Approachability

Most hotels and tour operators speak very good English, meaning you’ll find most people are happy to help should you need anything during your trip. Many Indians who travel abroad for the first time often comment on the ease of communication when visiting countries like Sri Lanka.

Emerging Destination, But Less Crowded

Sri Lanka is rapidly growing in terms of tourism, but still it has not reached the levels of its neighbouring countries like Thailand or Indonesia. Hence, travelling to Sri Lanka to experience local tourism would mean visiting to experience more real and more meaningful local tourism sites and attractions as compared to overcrowded tourist destinations of Bali.

How to Plan the Right Trip?

From experience, the average time most people can afford for one trip to Sri Lanka would be about 7-10 days and so it is more sensible to choose between a fixed itinerary package and custom-made tour packages depending on the number of destinations to be covered in that time.

What are Fixed Packages vs Custom Itineraries?

For a first-time traveller to Sri Lanka, a fixed package tour would be the ideal way to experience the Cultural Triangle, hill country and the beautiful beaches of the south. However, for repeat visitors, there is so much more to see and do than can be offered in a standard fixed package tour. Customised tour itineraries allow for great flexibility and can be tailored to meet your individual needs and of course, your budget.

The cost of group tours is generally far better for tourists and travel lovers than what they would pay for a private chauffeur-driven tour. But again, a private tour would be better suited for families and solo travellers, as they would be able to see more in their time of travel.

What is the Best Time to Visit?

The west and south coasts have the west and south monsoon seasons from May to October and the dry seasons from December to March. The east coast, Trincomalee has the dry season from May to September and the wet season from October to December. Note that Sri Lanka has two monsoon seasons in a year which makes it very different to Bali which has only one dry season a year.

How Long Should a Trip to Sri Lanka Be?

A minimum of 7-10 days would be needed to fit in a trip of this nature and allow for day trips to attractions such as Yala National Park or southern beaches from various locations within the country’s Cultural Triangle and hill country locations. As with anywhere, less time would allow for a more specific focus, for example only the southern beaches and Yala or the Cultural Triangle and hill country sites.

What Should  be Your Budget for the Trip? 

Out of every travel expense, accommodation is the biggest. Here we compare prices of similar accommodations in both countries and in most cases Sri Lanka tourist places will cost less than a similar holiday in Bali. Day trips can also be organised to help cut costs and we detail how the typical traveller organises private transfers and stays in high-quality boutique hotels for their middle-class and luxury travel.

Also Read : Why Sri Lanka is Perfect for a Short International Trip from India

Conclusion

Sri Lanka is fast becoming one of the favoured tourist destinations around the globe. Most tourists prefer to have a varied holiday experience rather than being stuck to one location and it is possible in Sri Lanka to have a varied holiday experience within a short period of time compared to Bali. The best way to have an ideal holiday experience is by choosing the right type of travel plan and securing a comprehensive travel insurance plan from a trusted insurer like Niva Bupa so take you and your family can enjoy without any worries. He or she can opt for a group tour or have private chauffeur-driven transfers for his or her holiday experience in the coastal regions, hill country and cultural sites in Sri Lanka.

Frequently Asked Questions 

Is Sri Lanka cheaper than Bali for a similar quality of holiday?

This is generally to be expected, as, while it is possible to find cheaper dining and to stay in cheaper hotels and guesthouses in Sri Lanka than in Bali, the cost of an average day tour, of private transfer, and of other ‘upscale’ travel accessories and services can easily exceed that which would be paid in Bali for similar travel accessories and services.

How many days would one require for a single trip to Sri Lanka?

7-10 days would be the ideal time frame for any first-time traveller to Sri Lanka to experience the main attractions in the Cultural Triangle and the southern beaches. In between these two locations one would expect to visit at least one wildlife park.

What is the best time of year to visit Sri Lanka?

While the west and south coast of Sri Lanka are drier from December to March, the east coast including Trincomalee is the driest from May to September. So while Bali has only one dry season, Sri Lanka has two!

Do Indian travellers need a visa to visit Sri Lanka?

All nationalities can apply for an e-Visa to travel to Sri Lanka. E-Visa requirements for Indian passport holders can change frequently, hence it is best to check with the e-Visa website and apply in advance to ensure a smooth travel experience.