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Budget Trip to Sri Lanka From India: Practical Guide
How Indian travellers plan a cost-conscious 5-7 day Sri Lanka trip.
A budget trip to Sri Lanka from India costs INR 35,000-55,000 per person for 5-7 days including round-trip flight from Chennai, Bangalore or Mumbai (INR 15,000-25,000), ETA (approx USD 50), budget hotels (INR 1,500-3,000 per night) and shared private van driver (approx USD 60-80 per day split 4 ways). Short flights, visa-on-arrival ETA process, and a shared private driver keep costs down.
Flights
Chennai-Colombo under 1 hour. Bangalore and Mumbai also direct. INR 15,000-25,000 return in off-season.
Visa
ETA online at eta.gov.lk, cheap and quick for Indian passport.
On-ground
Shared private driver (sedan or van split 3-4 ways) beats trains plus taxis on cost and convenience.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Can Indian rupees be used in Sri Lanka?
No - change to LKR at the airport or an ATM.
5 or 7 days?
7 lets you add Ella or Galle; 5 covers Sigiriya, Kandy and a beach day.