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Destination: Sri Lanka (Ceylon), an island in the Indian Ocean south of India. Currency: Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR). Capital: Colombo (the main airport — Bandaranaike — is near Colombo). Languages: Sinhala and Tamil; English is widely spoken in tourist areas. Main regions: the south coast (beaches), the hill country (tea, trekking), and the cultural triangle (ancient cities).
Entry: an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) visa is required for most nationalities (including Russia/CIS). It costs ~$35 online (cheaper than ~$40 on arrival), allows 2 entries in 30 days, and is usually issued within a day. Bring a passport valid 6+ months; a migration card is filled on the plane (name, nationality, passport number, first hotel address). The visa can be extended to 3 months (up to 6 in special cases) at the Colombo immigration office.
Climate: tropical, warm year-round. Two monsoons affect different coasts at different times (south-west monsoon ~May–September, north-east ~October–January). Best beaches on the south/west coast are December–March; the east coast is best May–September. The hill country is cooler. Best overall: December–April for beaches, year-round for the cultural triangle.
Getting there: no direct scheduled flights from Moscow — fly Emirates/Qatar/Etihad with one connection (Dubai/Doha/Abu Dhabi), ~12–14 h total; charters run in the winter high season (~8.5 h). FlyDubai serves other Russian cities via Dubai. Prices drop in March and October sales.
Regions: the south coast (Tangalle to Weligama) has the best beaches; the south-west (Bentota) is the classic resort strip; the east coast is quieter with coral reefs; the hill country (Ella, Nuwara Eliya) is for tea plantations and trekking; the cultural triangle (Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Kandy) has the ancient cities and temples.
Getting around: trains are scenic but slow (the Ella–Kandy route is famous); buses are cheap and go everywhere; tuk-tuks are the standard short-distance ride (agree the price first); private cars/drivers are common for multi-day tours. Driving is on the LEFT.
What to do: the Sigiriya rock fortress, the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy, the ancient cities of Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa, the tea country around Ella and Nuwara Eliya, safari in Yala or Udawalawe national parks (elephants, leopards), whale watching from Mirissa, and the beaches of the south coast.
Food: Sri Lankan cuisine is rice + curry with coconut and spices, but street food is the highlight. Five things to try: roti (stuffed flatbread), kottu roti (chopped roti fried with vegetables/meat/cheese), hoppers (bowl-shaped rice pancakes; with egg or coconut), string hoppers (rice vermicelli), and ulundu vadai (lentil doughnuts). Drinks: Ceylon tea, king coconut, fresh fruit juices, and arrack (coconut spirit).
Money: Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR). Cards work in hotels, bigger restaurants and shops; carry cash for street food, tuk-tuks and small shops. ATMs are common in towns. Alcohol is sold only in special "Wine Stores", not supermarkets. Verify the current LKR rate.
Shopping: bargaining is expected outside fixed-price shops (you can often halve the price). Bring back: gemstones (rubies, sapphires, topaz — keep the certificate), Ceylon tea (best from the Ella/Nuwara Eliya highlands), spices, and national-style jewellery. Fixed prices in duty-free, supermarkets and malls (Colombo).
Mobile: buy a local SIM at the airport (Dialog, Mobitel and Airtel are the main operators) — data is cheap. Wi-Fi is common in hotels and cafés.
Safety: generally safe, but take normal precautions — agree tuk-tuk/taxi prices in advance, watch valuables on beaches, and be wary of common tourist scams (overpriced guides, gem shops). Avoid travelling alone late at night in remote areas.