🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
The ETA is now free for Australians - but you still have to get one.
No visa, but Australians need an approved Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before boarding.
Pack a Type D/G/M adapter for the 230V supply, one Australian dollar buys about 230 LKR, and Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) is compulsory before you fly.
Entry rules last checked 24 October 2026.
Sri Lanka made its tourist ETA free for Australians on 25 May 2026, dropping a fee that used to run to about USD $50. The authorisation itself is still compulsory, which is the part people miss when they read that entry is now free. It takes minutes on the government site and covers 30 days with double entry.
Your Sri Lanka trip setup
21 things Australians need to sort. Tick them off as you go.
Entry requirements
ETA required (free)Up to 30 days View detailsFlights
Compare 3 searchs Search flightsConnectivity
Compare 8 plansFrom $12.50 Compare eSIMsTravel insurance
Compare 7 policysFrom $22 Compare insuranceMoney & payments
Compare 5 cards0.43%-0.65% conversion fee Compare cardsAirport transfer
CMB → ColomboFrom $2 Compare optionsDriving
IDP requiredDrives on the left Compare car hireTravel essentials
Adapter type D/G/MTap water: not safe to drink View guideThings to do
Compare 7 experiencesFrom $18 Explore activitiesSri Lanka at a glance for Australians
Best time to visit
December-March for the south and west, May-September for the east
Sri Lanka has two monsoons hitting opposite coasts at opposite times, so there is always somewhere in the country with good weather. Plan the route around the season rather than the season around the route.
13h 00m from Sydney
Busiest month for Australian travellers: January, quietest June. Sri Lanka travel statistics
Health & safety
Smartraveller: Exercise a high degree of caution
Australia has no reciprocal health care agreement with Sri Lanka. Private hospitals in Colombo are good; care elsewhere is limited, and evacuation cover matters.
Emergency: 119 police / 1990 ambulance
Money
Good in Colombo hotels and tourist restaurants, limited outside them. Most day-to-day spending is cash.
Commercial Bank, Sampath and HNB ATMs accept Australian cards. Withdrawal fees are common - take larger amounts less often.
Tipping: Expected in tourist settings. Around 10% in restaurants where service is not included, a few hundred rupees for a driver per day, and small notes for hotel staff.
Language & culture
Sinhala and Tamil
English: Good in tourist areas and among educated Sri Lankans - English is widely used in business and signage
Capital: Colombo
Australian dollar to Sri Lankan rupee
Rs230 LKR per AUD
Last recorded rate
These are mid-market rates - the rate banks trade at, published by the European Central Bank. It is not what you will be offered. Expect a card or exchange service to take 0.5% to 5% off it, which is exactly what our travel money comparison is for. Past movement doesn't predict future rates, and none of this is financial advice.
View the numbers as a table
Where Australians go in Sri Lanka
Colombo
Kandy
Galle
Ella
Sigiriya
Sri Lanka FAQs for Australian travellers
Do Australians need a visa for Sri Lanka?
Not a visa, but you do need an Electronic Travel Authorisation, and it is compulsory. Since 25 May 2026 the tourist ETA has been free for Australian passport holders. It covers a 30-day stay with double entry.
Is the Sri Lanka ETA really free now?
Yes, for Australians and around 40 other nationalities since 25 May 2026. It used to cost roughly USD $50. Private websites still charge that or more for the same authorisation - apply only at the government site, eta.gov.lk.
Can I buy Sri Lankan rupees before I leave Australia?
No. The rupee is a closed currency that cannot be bought outside Sri Lanka or taken out of it. Bring Australian or US dollars to change on arrival, and spend your rupees down before you fly home.
What power adapter do I need for Sri Lanka?
A universal one. Sri Lanka uses Type D, G and M sockets, often several types within a single guesthouse. The voltage is 230V, the same as Australia, so only the plug shape varies.
When is the best time to visit Sri Lanka?
It depends which coast. Two monsoons hit opposite sides of the island at opposite times: December to March suits the south and west including Colombo and Galle, while May to September suits the east coast around Trincomalee and Arugam Bay.
Should I hire a car in Sri Lanka?
Hire one with a driver. Self-driving requires an International Driving Permit plus a temporary local permit, and the traffic is genuinely difficult. A car and driver costs around AUD $60-$90 a day including fuel, which is barely more than self-drive.
Planning Sri Lanka?
We will send you the Sri Lanka guide as it grows - what to book before you go, which eSIM and travel card are worth it there, and what things actually cost in Australian dollars.