Ultimate Sri Lanka Packing List - What do I need to pack?

You are unsure what you need to take with you on your Sri Lanka adventure. We have compiled a packing list for you in advance with all the important information for your trip.

Checklist travel documents

1. Valid passport (check the validity and renew it if necessary)
2. Copy of passport (save digitally or keep separately from the original)
3. Visa online via ETA or on Arrival
4. Insurance certificate health insurance abroad (online)
5. Vaccination card (check if you need to refresh your vaccinations)
6. Flight ticket (printout or e-ticket)
7. Travel credit card
8. Cash
9. List of emergency contacts and allergies, if applicable.
10. Optional: Driver's license & international driver's license
11. Optional: Diving license
12. Optional: Waterproof document bag

Checklist Electronics

1. Mobile phone with charger
2. Travel plug adapter type F + G*
3. Headphones
4. Powerbank* or Solar charger*
5. Flashlight*/Headlamp* (preferably USB rechargeable)
6. Optional: Camera with charger
7. Optional: Rain cover for your camera
8. Optional: Laptop/tablet/E-Reader*/ Kindle with charger
9. Optional: Multiple socket
10. Optional: Rain cover for your smartphone

Checklist toilet bag

1. Toothbrush*
2. Toothpaste*
3. Dental floss*
4. Deodorant*
5. Hairbrush*
6. Sunscreen*
7. Shaver*
8. Shower gel/soap*
9. Shampoo*/Conditioner
10. Nail care
11. Face lotion
12. Lip protection with UV protection*
13. Tweezers*
14. Microfiber towel
15. Hygiene articles
16. Optional: Make-Up

Checklist first-aid kit

1. Hand disinfectant* or cloths
2. Anti-mosquito products (e.g. Nobite, Autan, with ingredient DEET* or similar)
3. Painkillers (e.g. ibuprofen, aspirin)
4. Diarrhoea medication (e.g. Imodium Akut, charcoal tablets)
5. Wound cream (e.g. Bepanthen)
6. Plasters and blister plasters
7. Tablets for seasickness/travel sickness (e.g. Superpep)

Personal comfort checklist

1. Backpack (make sure your hand luggage measures 55x40x20cm for the plane)
2. Dry Bag
3. Sunglasses
4. Earplugs*/Earplugs*
5. Books/Magazines
6. Headgear/Cap
7. Sleep mask*
8. Travel pillow* (for flight and longer trips)
9. Optional: Card games, board games

Checklist Environmentally Conscious Travel

If you want to protect the environment while packing, you should pack the following small items, among others:

1. Reusable Silicone tubes* Filled with your shampoo, conditioner, shower gel.
2. Reusable bottle (preferably stainless steel for hot and cold)
3. Optional: Reusable cup (preferably stainless steel for hot and cold)
4. Optional: Stainless steel Outdoor cutlery* (knife, spoon, fork, chopsticks, straw)

Climate in Sri Lanka: packing list for every season

Sri Lanka is located on the southeast coast of India and thus has a tropical monsoon climate. The seasons of Sri Lanka are divided into so-called dry and rainy seasons. These are from region to region in different periods of the year. Due to the monsoon climate, there can be heavy rainfall during the rainy season.

The southwest monsoon is responsible for heavy monsoon rains on the south and west coasts of Sri Lanka from May to September. From October to April, it remains almost completely dry in this region of the country. On the north and east coasts, on the other hand, the northeast monsoon occurs only in the period from October to April, and the remaining months remain dry here. During the rainy season, humidity can also reach up to 90 %.

The average annual temperature also varies between regions. In the central highlands, the average annual temperature is a rather mild 15.9 °C, while on the north coast the average annual temperature is 28.5 °C.

Dry season in Sri Lanka

If you look at the different dry seasons of Sri Lanka, you will find that Sri Lanka is good to travel all year round. While it is dry in the south and west of Sri Lanka from December to April, the dry season in the north and east starts in April and ends in September. In these months the humidity is not too high and the average temperatures are around 30°C. The warmest months are in the south and west. The warmest months are June and July.

The central highlands of Sri Lanka offer mild temperatures all year round, and it remains predominantly dry. The dry season for Sri Lanka's interior are the months from January to March, but even from April to December you have to expect only occasional rain showers.

Dry season packing list: clothes and shoes

1. Clothing and shoes
2. Underwear
3. Socks
4. Pajamas/sleepwear
5. Swimwear and towel
6. Long, light pants/jeans
7. Shorts/Skirts
8. T-shirts/tops (some should cover the shoulders)
9. Thin longsleeve
10. Beach dress/beach outfit
11. Light jacket
12. Thin rain jacket
13. Waterproof shoes
14. Sturdy shoes
15. Sneakers
16. Sandals/FlipFlops
17. Trekking equipment
18. Optional: Sarong

Rainy season in Sri Lanka

During the rainy season in Sri Lanka, you have to expect heavy, but also sometimes very short, rain showers. These occur due to the tropical monsoon climate. Thunderstorms are also not uncommon during these periods. However, the rainy seasons of the northeastern and southwestern regions of Sri Lanka alternate, which is why the island nation is easy to travel throughout the year.

In the south and west of Sri Lanka, the southwest monsoon occurs between May and September. This can also result in humidity levels of 70 to 90 %. The northeast monsoon occurs only from October to April, during which time travel to the southwest region is more recommended. Even in the transitional months there may be isolated short rain showers, but these are over after a few hours.

Packing list rainy season extras: clothes and shoes

1. Umbrella/Poncho
2. Rain cover for your backpack

Recommended vaccinations

For your trip to Sri Lanka, the Robert Koch Institute does not prescribe any mandatory vaccinations. However, the following vaccinations are recommended: Hepatitis A and B, Typhoid, Rabies and Japanese Encephalitis.

The best thing to do before you start your trip is to check again that your standard vaccinations according to the vaccination calendar of the Robert Koch Institute all are up to date.

Conclusion

Hiking through the deep rainforest with a heavy suitcase? You can certainly imagine more beautiful things on vacation. So don't pack too much and travel light. Then you'll have enough space for memorable travel souvenirs on the return trip.

Download packing list PDF

As a little help for packing your suitcase, you can download our German packing list or English packing list as a pdf file.