Tips for women traveling alone
In principle, traveling in Sri Lanka is safe – even for women traveling alone. However, as a woman traveling alone, you usually get a lot of attention (especially from men). However, if you consider just a few things before embarking on this adventure, your solo vacation in Sri Lanka will definitely be a little more enjoyable:
- Dress appropriately.With shorts, wide necklines or transparent clothing (away from tourist beaches) you attract a lot of unpleasant looks.
- Do not travel alone on public transport after dark.
- If you want to be left alone by pushy men, say you’re married. So always carry a “wedding ring” with you.
- For Sri Lankan men, a friendly smile back from a lady can mean something “more”. In 99% of cases, dates for dinner or a drink are interpreted as an interest in a partnership or sexual contact and should therefore only be accepted if this exists. In this regard, please note that it is usually not so easy to get rid of Sri Lankan admirers “afterwards” (the men are often very persistent).
- Women traveling alone who drink alcohol are considered easy girls in Sri Lanka. Above all, you should not get drunk, otherwise you will soon have a whole lot of questionable suitors around you.
- Keep an eye on your drinks and stay away from restaurants/bars where there are a lot of beach boys. Unfortunately, there have been incidents in Sri Lanka involving drugs or knockout dropsgiven to women through drinks.
Probably the most pleasant form of travel for women traveling alone in Sri Lanka is a private tour with a guide . Here you are under the “protection” of your professional travel companion and are therefore not exposed to any harassment.
Drinking water in Sri Lanka
Water from the tap should not be drunk in Sri Lanka. Plastic bottles with drinking water are therefore available everywhere in Sri Lanka. If you want to travel sustainably, we recommend that you take an ecological drinking bottle with you, for example made of stainless steel or glass. Many hotels and restaurants already offer options to fill them up
On all Sri Lanka trips from Expeditions Of Srilanka, you will be provided with free drinking water in the car throughout the entire tour. Please help us avoid plastic waste by using reusable bottles.
behavior in public
Sri Lanka is a very conservative country. Kissing or showing other forms of affection in public (except holding hands) is considered offensive and sometimes attracts unwanted attention. It is also frowned upon to appear drunk in public – this especially applies to women. Also make sure your clothing is appropriate and do not walk through the streets in beachwear (bikini and swimming trunks).
Homosexuality is (still) officially prohibited in Sri Lanka (however, a draft law to decriminalize homosexuality is already before the Sri Lankan parliament and is awaiting implementation). But gay couples don’t have to be afraid of vacationing in Sri Lanka. In Sri Lanka it is completely normal for both women and men to share a room (and a bed). Holding hands between people of the same sex is also quite common in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka’s LGBTQ+ community is even publicly demonstrating against discrimination and for equality (see Global Voices report ). Please note, however, that homosexual people in Sri Lanka unfortunately still occasionally have to deal with tolerance problems and should therefore keep a low profile about their sexual preference during their stay in Sri Lanka.
Transport in Sri Lanka
There is left-hand traffic in Sri Lanka. For this reason alone, driving yourself in Sri Lanka is a big challenge for many tourists. In addition, there are somewhat unclear traffic rules and sometimes a lot of chaos on the streets (especially in metropolitan areas). Cars, trucks, buses, tuk-tuks, motorcycles, cyclists, pedestrians, dogs, cows and sometimes even elephants characterize the streetscape in Sri Lanka. If you want to rent a car here to explore the country on your own, you need strong nerves (and unrestricted concentration!).
Traffic in Sri Lanka works primarily because the locals communicate with each other through eye contact and honking. Anyone who doesn’t know the “road codes” usually gets the short end of the stick. Unfortunately, tourist accidents are not uncommon in Sri Lanka. Our tip: Save yourself the adrenaline rush and hire a driver who knows the traffic customs and who can maneuver you safely through the country. After all, it should be a relaxing vacation.
Finally, a word of advice: stay away from drugs in Sri Lanka
The use of drugs is illegal in Sri Lanka. Drug trafficking carries the death penalty (although this has not been carried out since 1976). The Sri Lankan police repeatedly carry out checks in the beach regions that are popular with tourists. Anyone caught using drugs faces a short prison sentence and fines.
Please note: Drugs in Sri Lanka are often contaminated and can therefore cause significant health damage. For example, “Kerala Ganja” in Sri Lanka has a reputation for being laced with toxic chemicals and causing irreparable mental disorders.
So: Stay “clean” and enjoy your vacation in Sri Lanka without any worries!
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