Visa and entry requirements Sri Lanka:
Passport required
A visa is required for Germans in Sri Lanka. This should be done in advance electronically (ETA) using the online procedure www.eta.gov.lk be requested.
Visa costs: 35 USD

Information from the Foreign Office about your trip to Sri Lanka:
https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/de/srilankasicherheit/212254

Sri Lanka, formerly Ceylon, is an island nation in the Indian Ocean with around 22 million inhabitants. The country is geographically located around 55 kilometers south of India.

The two official languages of Sri Lanka are Sinhala and Tamil, the national currency is the Sri Lankan rupee, with 1 euro equaling around 200 LKR.

The largest cities in the island state include Colombo, Kaduwela, Kesbewa, Maharagama, Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, Negombo, Kandy, Moratuwa, Sri Jayawardenepura and Kalmunai.

Almost 72% of Sri Lanka's population profess Buddhism, and there are also around 12% Hindus, 9% Muslims and 6% Christians living in the country.

The spice island of Sri Lanka, with an area of around 450 by 230 kilometers, consists of a highland in the center of the island and a lowland that flattens continuously towards the coast. The highest point on the island is the 2,524 meter high Pidurutalagala mountain. The entire national territory has a consistently tropical climate, with warm temperatures all year round.

The tropical rainforests of the highlands are home to numerous animal species such as elephants, leopards, parrots, snakes, crocodiles, monkeys, pythons, monitor lizards and a diverse range of birds.

Sri Lanka's economy is based primarily on agriculture, the textile industry and constant tourism. The country's most important export product is tea, making the island nation the third largest tea producer in the world. Agricultural products such as cinnamon, coffee, rubber and coconuts are also exported. In the domestic textile industry, countless pieces of clothing of all kinds are produced in numerous factories for large international fashion companies.

The island nation in the Indian Ocean is visited by around 500,000 foreign tourists every year. The most important sights in Sri Lanka include the Lion Rock in Sigiriya, the elephant sanctuary in Kegalle, the Botanical Gardens of Peradeniya, the impressive tea plantations, the Temple of the Tooth and the cemetery in Kandy, the bridge with the nine arches at Ella, the Udawalawe National Park , the soldiers' cemetery in Trincomalee, the rock of Mihintale, the 50 meter high Buddha statue at the rock temple of Gal-Viharaya and the ruins in Polonnaruwa, the holy mountain Sri Pada, the Nallur Kovil temple of Jaffna, the Pigeon Island, the 240 meter high Bambara Falls, the Bird Park in Kalametiya, the Bundala National Park, the Tsunami Museum in Hikkaduwa, the Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara Temple, the Kalutara Bodhiya Temple, St. Anthony's Church, the Independence Square, the Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque, the Kovoli Hindu Temple, the Old Parliament House, the Independence Hall, the Viharamahadevi Park, the Gangaramaya Temple, the Fort and the Buddhist Asokaramaya Temple in Colombo and countless others Tea plantations or long, beautiful sandy beaches.

The capital of Sri Lanka is Sri Jayawardenepura with around 150,000 inhabitants. The city is located on the west coast of the country, only around ten kilometers from the largest city, Colombo.

The practically unofficial capital of Sri Lanka is Colombo with around one million inhabitants. The city of Colombo, with its large port, is the economic center of the island state.

One of my first targeted trips that didn't immediately involve a longer vacation took me to Sri Lanka in December 2011. The main destination of my three-day stay was the city of Colombo and its surroundings.

During a full-day city tour and a short detour to the nearby capital, I got to know the numerous impressive temples with their different religious architecture. My taxi driver, who I booked for just 20 euros, knew his way around the city very well and showed me many non-touristy corners of Colombo throughout the day. Particularly impressive were some of the hugely wide and slightly yellowish sandy beaches or the many densely built-up houses along the country's famous railway line.

The city of Colombo and the country of Sri Lanka are a fantastic destination to have a pleasant and affordable vacation for several days. A beautiful landscape and the consistently warm temperatures ensured an unforgettable stay for me too.