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Country guide · LK

Sri Lanka

4 destinations & festivals · 2 etiquette rules

Photo: me · CC BY-SA 4.0

Before you go

Read before you go

Red lineTemples & religious sites

Sri Lanka: don't pose with your back to a Buddha statue

  • Respect Buddha statues and religious objects
  • Standing with your back to a Buddha statue for a photo
  • Making offensive remarks about religion

Disrespecting Buddha images is a serious offence and can lead to arrest; people with visible Buddha tattoos may be refused entry or deported.

Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: GOV.UK: Sri Lanka travel advice

TabooDress

Sri Lanka: cover legs and shoulders and remove shoes and hats at Buddhist temples

  • Cover your legs and shoulders, and take off your shoes and hat before entering a shrine
  • Nude or topless sunbathing

At Buddhist temples you must cover your legs and shoulders and remove shoes and hats, or you will offend worshippers; nude or topless sunbathing is not allowed.

Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: GOV.UK: Sri Lanka travel advice

Places & local life

Landmarks, hidden gems & local life

Sri Lankan rice and curry

FoodKandy, Sri Lanka

Sri Lankan rice and curry

A plate of rice with several curries made from fish, meat, vegetables, lentils and fruit.

Panorama of Galle Fort

Classic landmarkGalle, Southern Province, Sri Lanka

Galle Fort

Dutch charm on the Indian Ocean, where colonial history meets everyday street life.

The Temple of the Tooth from outside

Classic landmarkKandy, Sri Lanka

Temple of the Tooth, Kandy

The sacred home of the tooth relic that guards the nation, the holiest temple of Theravada Buddhism.

Sigiriya from a distance

Classic landmarkCentral Province, Sri Lanka

Sigiriya (Lion Rock)

A sky palace on top of a giant rock, the pinnacle of ancient Sri Lankan engineering and art.