• Skip to main content

Lollivia

Learn how to travel the world while living the life of a digital nomad.

  • Home
    • Privacy Policy
  • About me
  • Digital Nomad Blog
    • Digital Nomad Jobs
    • Digital Nomad Life
      • Vietnam
      • Spain
      • France
      • Thailand
      • Indonesia
      • Japan
      • Malaysia
      • Jamaica
      • Portugal
      • Sri Lanka
      • Cambodia
    • Travel hacking
    • Digital Nomad Accommodation
    • Awesome travel resources
    • Income Report
  • Ebook
  • Shop
    • Cart
    • Checkout
    • My account
  • Contact us

Sri Lanka

Should you consider Sri Lanka as a digital nomad destination?

March 28, 2018 by David James Leave a Comment

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links.

I visited Sri Lanka a couple of years ago and thought it was one of the most amazing countries that I ever visited. There was something about the island culture, the food and the locals that really attracted me to the lifestyle there. I’ve personally been able to make local friends who reside in Sri Lanka and always tell me to come back. If only?

Rather than sit and think about it, I decided to look into a way of making it happen.

If you’ve wanted to visit Sri Lanka, but you’ve never been sure how to travel to and stay there, then this is the post for you.

Visa options for visiting Sri Lanka.

There are a couple of tourist visa options for visiting Sri Lanka. The first is opting for an electronic visa, which will allow you to stay in Sri Lanka for up to 30 days. (However, check the details on the immigration website). The fee will cost $40USD.

If you want to stay in Sri Lanka for longer, you can actually apply for a 60-day extension that will allow you to stay in the country for up to 3 months. To do this, you will need to visit the Sri Lankan immigration office and apply for the visa in person. The fee to stay an extra two months will cost $30 USD. You can use the map below to find your way to the immigration centre.

Getting to Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka is an island south of India’s Tamil Nadu. The best way to get there is by flying.

At the time, we were able to book an inexpensive ticket from Bangkok to Sri Lanka. Depending on the route that you want to take (i.e. direct or through India or Malaysia); as well as your budget, prices will vary. At the time, we opted for a direct ticket to Colombo.

When landing, you will actually be outside of the city in Negombo, which is slightly north of Colombo. From there, you can catch a bus into the city or opt to stay in Negombo and start your trip from there.

Accommodation options in Sri Lanka.

Accommodation prices in Sri Lanka can vary. I usually recommend to budget up to $2000 a month maximum, however that is to get accommodation that is more high-end.

A search for monthly rentals on Airbnb can help you find accommodation for as little as $400AUD a month, although the prices seem to average between $850-1200/month.

You can use the following sites to find long-term accommodation deals. While you are there, you can also ask locals to recommend places to stay as the prices tend to be cheaper for walk-ins compared to online bookings.

Budget accommodation in Sri Lanka Facebook Group

Airbnb homes in Sri Lanka

Getting around Sri Lanka

Private chauffeur

At the time we were there, we only had a tight timeframe of two weeks to see the country. Plus, we’d gone to a friend’s wedding, so I decided to hire a car with a chauffeur to take us to destinations in Sri Lanka. There were a couple of reasons why I opted for a private driver.

  1. The cost to hire the driver with the car was beneficial since we were in a rush and he knew the roads really well.
  2. Driving in Sri Lanka requires different driving skills. I wasn’t confident enough to drive on the roads, which are more chaotic than driving on Western roads.
  3. I was prepared to spend extra due to our time constraints.

Tuk Tuk

You will find Tuk Tuks everywhere in Sri Lanka. If you want to get around in Colombo, it is very easy to hail a Tuk Tuk, which can take you to your location quickly and easily. It is also relatively inexpensive. Just make sure to have them use their meter.

Scooter rental

If you are happy to navigate on the road at your own pace, then renting a local scooter is a good option. This is a particularly attractive option when you visit the quieter areas of Sri Lanka like Mirissa. Filling up the tank in a scooter can be quite inexpensive, thus making scooter travel an economic way to travel.

Taxi

If you need to get around, contact Kangaroo Cabs. They also have an app that you can download.

Buses

There are cheap bus travel options in Colombo. You can view the timetable here.

Train

Taking the train in Sri Lanka is a great way to see the country at a steady pace. You can actually go from city to city and just jump off at a station as and when you feel like it. The trains aren’t super fast, so you can actually take in the experience of the country at a nice pace. The one-way fare is relatively inexpensive. Expect to pay around $16AUD for a 1-way fare from Colombo to Kandy for a first class berth. You can use this service to find train options in Sri Lanka.

You can also read a more extensive travel guide on Seat 61.

Wi-Fi connectivity

This is probably the aspect that deters most digital nomads from visiting Sri Lanka. There is internet connection across the island, but the connectivity varies from place to place. Obviously, the best connections will be in the more developed areas of Sri Lanka, such as Colombo or Galle.

You can opt for a USB router and load it up with data. This will give you more freedom for accessing the internet whilst you are travelling. Alternatively, you can take advantage of the tourist pack, which provides up to 40GB for 1999Rs (approx. $17AUD).

Things to do in Sri Lanka.

If you want a new sense of adventure, you can’t really go past what Sri Lanka has to offer. Whether it is living the city life in Colombo or chilling out by the beach in Mirissa or heading to the tea farm area in Kandy, there will be something for you.

Photography & videography.

One thing that I can promise you about Sri Lanka is that you will get the opportunity to take several photogenic pictures during your travels. The nature and the vast and vivid colours will jump out in the shots that you will take. If you are active with your DSLR Camera or if you enjoy posting on Instagram, you will get several opportunities to take beautiful snaps during your travels.

Get some inspiration with the video below.

Enjoy being outdoors.

If you go to the right areas in Sri Lanka, you can get up close and personal with monkeys and even elephants. (Although you should exercise caution)

Food

Food in Sri Lanka
Food in Sri Lanka

There is an abundance of food that you must try while you stay in Sri Lanka. There are several delicacies that are infused with coconut, local spices and intrinsic aromas that you will only find on the island. Sweet, salty, mains, entrees, desserts, you name it.

The best bet is to follow the recommendations of others. You can’t really go wrong by following the recommendations from Yamu. Expect to pay 300 Rupees for an inexpensive meal and upwards.

Useful links

I’ve provided some other useful links that can help you with planning your stay in Sri Lanka.

2 months in Sri Lanka

The hidden tropical hub for digital nomads

Bonus!

Fully discover Sri Lanka by purchasing a tourist guide book that will tell you exactly where and what you should experience while visiting Sri Lanka.

Click here to see the travel book options on Amazon.

Filed Under: Digital Nomads, Sri Lanka, Travel hacking Tagged With: 2 months in sri lanka, cheapest places for digital nomads, digital nomad sri lanka

16 Fun, But Different Ways To Explore Jamaica!

June 17, 2015 by David James 3 Comments

Ever thought about how to jam in Jamaica like a local, off the beaten track or to do something completely mindblowing. Break out of your shell, do something different and daring for your next holiday and experience Jamaican life in ways you never expected!

1. Be daring and dive off the cliff at Rick’s Café in Negril Beach.

rickscafeword
Recafo / Via recafo.wordpress.com

Home to live music and free flowing drinks. This happy go lucky place offers a fun filled atmosphere with tourists trying their chance at cliff diving. There are the 2 metre platforms for the mere kiddies. Or if you are courageous, challenge yourself to take the dive of a lifetime. (Literally!)

2. Open up your mind to curry goat cuisine

Open up your mind to curry goat cuisine

Girl Interuppted Eating / Via girlinterruptedeating.wordpress.com

One of Jamaica’s national dishes, while you are in Jamaica you will be offered a goat curry with rice and peas. The goat is often seen as a deterrent with fewer than most wanting to try this flavoursome cuisine. Finding the meat through the serving of bones may be a bit tricky, but the flavour will leave your lips smacking for more!

3. Learn about nanny and the maroons in Accompong

Learn about nanny and the maroons in Accompong

Pinterest / Via pinterest.com

Learn about the true history in Jamaica with the plight of the maroons, the slaves who escaped and setup their own villages and townships in Jamaica.

4. Swim in the iconic blue lagoon

Swim in the iconic blue lagoon

Pinterest / Via pinterest.com

The film that skyrocketed Brooke Shields film career, the Blue Lagoon offers tourists the experience into film fantasy with a touch of Jamaican reality. Swim with your loved ones or take a trip with a local to explore the surroundings.

5. Try your hand at dominoes with a local

Try your hand at dominoes with a local

Pinterest / Via pinterest.com

Find a local, get some drinks, get ready for banter and be a part of the Jamaican dominoes experience. Experience the tension and hysterics from the passion and tactics that the locals will engage in while the game is in play. Make sure the music plays in the background and enjoy the game play. Don’t be shy to ask a stranger. They are up for the challenge!

6. Get stuck into patties

Get stuck into patties

Pinterest / Via pinterest.com

You will find patty shops all around Jamaica. Duck into a Juici Patties branch and try a patty and cocoa bread. Soft bread, nicely cooked pastry and a little spice to give it that Jamaican kick will be just what the doctor ordered to get your day going.

7. Pump up the volume

Pump up the volume

Pinterest / Via pinterest.com

Jamaicans are known for enjoying their music. No matter where you go, you will be exposed to the upbeat vibrations of reggae music. As the Romans said “When in Rome, do as the Romans do”. Jamaicans will be no different.

8. Awaken your senses on the Blue Mountain

Awaken your senses on the Blue Mountain

Pinterest / Via pinterest.com

Scale the heights of the blue mountain. Famous for its iconic coffee bean and lush greenery, the Blue Mountains are a place that you must visit while you are in Jamaica. Even if you aren’t a coffee enthusiast, the Blue Mountains offer tourists a chance to escape into a part of Jamaican that is relatively untouched when you venture off the beaten path.

9. Herb is the word!

Herb is the word!

Pinterest / Via pinterest.com

Remember guys, this herb isn’t legal in Jamaica. But should you decide to practice enlightenment practices of Rastafarianism, Peace be the journey!

10. Bamboo Avenue

Bamboo Avenue

Lollivia / Via lollivia.com

This photogenic place in Jamaica is on a stretch of road in Jamaica. Take the drive and try to get photos in the early morning or towards the afternoon as the sun sets.

11. Visit the Jamaican Army Base

Visit the Jamaican Army Base

Pinterest / Via pinterest.com

Go up into the mountains and follow the road that goes through one of Jamaica’s army bases. If you are lucky, you may see them performing drills. Be on your best behaviour though.

12. Jam in Jamdown to a soundsystem

 IMG_3041
Lollivia / Via lollivia.com

During the week, there will usually be some sort of musical event going on. But come Friday and Saturday, the sound systems will be out and the musical vibrations will be playing until the early morning. Sleep is for the weak. Get out and get lively!

13. Learn to speak patois to the locals

Learn to speak patois to the locals

Pinterest / Via pinterest.com

The local English language in Jamaica. Learn to speak a few phrases and banter with the locals with some Jamaican words.

14. Whine yo’ body

Whine yo’ body

The Times / Via thetimes.co.uk

Like we said earlier, when you are in Jamaica, you just have the feeling that you need to dance. So get lively, start flexing and move to the beat baby!

15. Pay tribute to Jamaica’s founding fathers

Pay tribute to Jamaica’s founding fathers

Pinterest / Via pinterest.com

Jamaica has a strong line of history with people fighting for independence and civil rights. Learn more about the motives of Marcus Garvey, Nanny of the Maroons, Samuel Sharpe, Paul Bogle and Nelson Manley.

16. Visit the shrines of Jamaica’s reggae king, Bob Marley

Visit the shrines of Jamaica’s reggae king, Bob Marley

wallizia.com / Via wallizia.com

Last but not least, when you visit Jamaica, you will have to visit the reggae shrines of Bob Marley. With iconic buildings and momentos of his life in Trenchtown, Uptown in Kingston and in Nine Mile, you can see more about his life and influences that made him become the reggae superstar.

So what are you waiting for mon?

Filed Under: Jamaica, Jamaica, Japan, Martinique, Myanmar (Burma), Sri Lanka, Thailand, Travel Tagged With: Bamboo avenue, Blue Lagoon, Blue Mountain, Curry Goat, Dominoes, Jamaica, Jamaican, Jamaican army, learn to speak patois, Marcus Garvey, Nanny, Negril, Norman Manley, Patties, pattwa, reggae, Ricks Cafe, Samuel Sharpe, Soundsystem, The Maroons in Jamaica

  • Home
  • About me
  • Digital Nomad Blog
  • Ebook
  • Shop
  • Contact us

Copyright © 2021