has noone here been to Sri Lanka!??

There's a troll thread currently running but I'll support your attempt at actual discussion.
If you go to Sigiriya go EARLY in the morning, before the stampede of German tourists. For either of the other ancient cities, rent a bike if you can because they're huge and you'll see more without getting tired. I thought the tea plantation area was ugly and a total waste of time.
Order "short eats" at a restaurant, you won't be sorry. The local dark beer is nice too. In Mirissa I talked my way onboard a local fishing boat in exchange for $20 American and a bottle of arrak (that was a while ago, might cost you 2 bottles now). You can buy fresh fish on the beach and have your hotel cook it for you.

>>2854013
Not yet
It has beautiful tropical greenery, a good railway system, low cost of visiting, plenty of nature preserves, friendly people, etc. Roasties have good things to say about the island nation, so it shouldn't be too difficult an experience for a newfag. Yeah, you'll have to pay to get a ride from A to B, but having a driver at your beck and call is a privilege, not a right. If you don't want to pay for the privilege, plan your trip around public transport usage. We're all tired of seeing entitled foreigners demand a driver drop everything to take them where they want to go, then bitch about having to pay the driver for the convenience of on-call, door-to-door service.

>>2854021
Thanks I was thinking of staying out of colombo and being more rural. Is it more low key than india?
>>2854302
That was the vibe I got. Feels weird to have a driver any reason why people dont just rent a car and drive around? from yt vids it didn't seem like the roads were that bad

>>2855373
Nearly every foreign tourist I've met in Asia is dependent on for-hire/rideshare drivers, because they pick random places all over the map with no regard for transport options between the places. Then they complain about having to pay for part of the car's purchase and upkeep expenses. Like duh, car transport is a luxury, not a service you are entitled to at rock bottom rates.

Sri Lanka is just as crowded as India, but less industrious. If you aren't experienced with judging clearances and adjusting your speed based on the width of the available passage, you might hit a pedestrian, and that would be very bad for you.

>>2855373
I'm here right now.
Its a lot more low key and MUCH cleaner than India, streets are chaotic and stressful to walk.

Get the Pick Me app which will allow you to book cheap and safe transport to get around. Theres no real public transport here, and walking anything more than ~500m is pure hell.
If you want to ride the train, ask the conductor at the train station where to buy first class tickets.He will tell you where to find the guy who scalped them so you can buy. Recommended, as thirdclass is crowdedbas fuck since first class gets scalped.
For staying, I recommend looking for "homestays" , renting rooms at local houses. Generally simple accomodation, but much cheaper than hotels and the hosts will often be very helpful with finding your way around the area.
If you intend to travel a lot in a short time, consider hiring a personal driver as getting around can be exhausting.
Foid is generalky safe, Indias hygiene problems do not exist here.Unless a place looks dodgy, it can be assumed to be fine, especially around tourist areas
>>2855398
There are no "transport options" here. The trains are very slow, but useable, and the Highway busses are functional. Thats it.

>>2855373
Also car rentals are not a thing here due to cars being prohibitively expensive due to taxes.
Except the one Highway and a few stretches of coastalroad, roads are narrow, winding, steep and very hard to drive. Even the connection roads to the highway are often just unmarked dirt roads straight through the jungle. Once away from the coast, you can also forget google maps.
This is a much , much wilder country than India. Also people do not speak English a lot either, nothing is marked, eberytgibg is inofficial and word of mouth, unless you speak Sinhala yourself, do not expect to be able to do much outside of tourist areas.

>>2856215
Just use satellite view, bro. Turn off labels and navigate purely by imagery and pin drops for your destinations.

You'd be surprised how primitive much of India remains. Third World transport is Third World, how surprising. It still gets you from A to B provided you figure out which is the right bus.

>>2853826
>is it worse than India?
it's less overwhelming, but also less developed
>safe?
yeah, just don't get hit by traffic

>>2854021
>go EARLY in the morning
this strategy is played out, late afternoon is the new meta

>>2854302
>Not yet
>We're all tired of
???

>>2856211
>ask the conductor at the train station where to buy first class tickets
First class seemed to be the only ones I could buy online? I don't think the AC was on consistently or strong enough to be much better than being able to open the windows, but I guess it was less crowded

>>2856231
The bus drivers here earn most of their money by placing bets onthrmselves with the bus station bookmakers.
No schedules are kept, stops are known by word of mouth even to locals and thr drivers are methed up to increasetheir racing performance.

I have never seen a foreigner use a bus here. Short distance is viable, but travelling this country by public bus is both nearly impossible as it is pointless since taxis are one if the few cheap things here