Traveling with Pets in Sri Lanka!
Are you planning on relocating, traveling or moving to Sri Lanka? If you have pets, we have good news that they can join too! For importing your pets to Sri Lanka, please click here for our Sri Lanka Country Profile page. Since there is no quarantine in Sri Lanka, its very easy to bring a pet with you to this teardrop-shaped island in the Indian Ocean.
Sri Lanaka's palm-fringed beaches and lush mountainous greenery beckon you as do her cultural and natural treasures, a delightful mix of ancient cities, monuments distinctive colonial architecture and natural landscapes for your exploration and enjoyment. This is an island of inspirational journeys which will take you to the very heart of wildlife safaris, jungles including elephants, rafting and wilderness parks, as well as tea plantations, spice gardens and tropical beaches. From Jeep rides; or biking around the medieval capital of Polonnaruwa or lunch in one of the 24 wildlife reserves; Sri Lanka offers it all!
Dont forget the Elephant Orphanage at Pinnawela; seriously it is not to be missed!
For more action and fun there are also these great family attractions to discover:
ҕ Bentota Boat Cruise
Dambulla Cave Temple
Rawana Ella Waterfalls
Reef and rainforest tours
Water sports on one of the many beaches
Worlds End
You ready to eat and be merry? Get set to enjoy a lovely cup of freshly brewed tea, as Sri Lanka is one of the world's producers of top quality tea. Sri Lanka, formerly known as Ceylon, enjoys a cuisine that is rice based and quite spicy. Your pet may enjoy some sesame balls and potato alluwa; small sweetmeats that are popular for snacking on between meals. You will enjoy them no doubt as well!
Fiery hot curry with rice and small side of vegetables, meat or fish are typical of a Sri Lankan meal, and if these contain too much heat try some Hoppers: doughy, rice-flour crepes eaten with golden syrup or palm sugar. Vattalappam is a rich egg custard made with palm sugar, coconut milk and cardamom- your puppy will lick up every last tasty bit! Tropical fruits abound including passion fruit, mango and papaya. You can always enjoy some good old fashioned KFC in Ja-Ela for a meal that isnԒt based on curry! Bonus- Your pet can always sit with you outside and enjoy a French fry!
When considering your accommodations for your holiday in Sri Lanka it is best to look for those hotels, resorts or apartments that offer self-catering and are located close to a dog-friendly park; or at least some where that you can enjoy a walk together. There are lots of pet friendly hotels, apartments, caravan parks and even private holiday homes that will welcome well behaved four legged guests! We have heard from many of our expatriate clients, that this is by far the best way of living and enjoying Sri Lanka.
You can easily find listings of pet-friendly accommodation in Sri Lanka, and then it is advisable to contact the ones that you are interested in directly regarding their particular pet policies and booking procedures. Heres a few to start with:
ҕ Nuwarawewa Resthouse
Hotel Shalini
Beebopbeedoobi
Hotel Janaki
Chalet Hotel
Pet Friendly Travel Tip: A pet blanket will instantly make any surface dog-friendly, and if used exclusively for holidays your pet will know instinctively which seat or bed to get comfortable on!
Finally; the traffic in Sri Lanka has been known to crawl at an average speed of 30km/h- so make sure that your pooch has enough room to move and stretch out! Even at this slow speed remember that an unsecured dog in a moving vehicle is a potential danger to you, your passengers, your dog, and other motorists. Buckle up with a harness or secure your pet in a comfortable travel crate- please!
Happy Pet Travels!