Pinky swear was established as a step in the right direction for Sri Lanka. It’s a beautiful island with a vivid collection of local experiences, history, culture, wildlife, beaches, nature, chilly hill country, mountains, all year round summer weather and more! We’d love nothing more than to give you a chance to experience it.

As Sri Lanka continues to make great progress we build a network of hotels, excursions and trusted guides to make your holiday extra special!

WE PINKY PROMISE

To strive to design holidays with LGBTQ friendly properties and with the safety of an LGBTQ friendly guide.

To give our friends in the LGBTQ community an exciting holiday in a new destination. To do our best to deliver an unforgettable holiday with your interests in mind!

Frequently Asked Questions

They’ll be able to show you so much more of Sri Lanka than you realise and will be available to assist you if you need anything. Plus you’ll also have a vehicle at your disposal. We definitely recommend travelling with a trusted chauffeur guide who’ll be with you for your entire trip (except at the beach). Your chauffeur guide and transport in an A/C vehicle are included in your quote.

You can do it solo too, it’s just so much nicer to sit, kick your feet back and enjoy the holiday after it’s all planned. You’ll still have plenty to do but there’s no need for the added stress of how to get from point A to B, organise friendly accommodation then wonder if you remembered to book everything and have to deal with changes by yourself.

It’s still functioning under ancient law but Sri Lanka has been opening up over the last few years. We’ve seen amazing improvements and even had our first pride parade a few years ago. Of course we always encourage being mindful that PDA (public display of affection) for straight or gay/lesbian is uncommon and not advised in Sri Lanka. You’ll have all freedom in more private settings.

It is becoming more and more common to see our friends being themselves. Sri Lanka is treading in the right direction for sure! When travelling towards less populated areas keep in mind embracing our LGBTQ family is still relatively new to them so some of them might not be as familiar.

Sri Lanka has a variety of hotels ranging from 3*/4*/5* hotels to boutique hotels. As you venture out of Colombo there are many experiential properties that add to the overall experience of your stay in Sri Lanka. Quite a few of them are unofficially LGBTQ friendly and many others are extremely hospitable to any guest.

THE “YAY” AND “NAY”
IN OUR LITTLE ISLAND

A pearl drop suspended in the glistening Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka, formerly Ceylon, is a tapestry of culture and nature to captivate all. With its rich heritage of past colonization and its spiritual roots, Sri Lanka is a digestible gem of adventure. “the finest island of its size in all the world”

Marco Polo

Sri Lanka’s 833 mile coastline is full of delightful beaches, which range from fun and sociable to quiet and undeveloped. Its wildlife is gobsmacking, too – you can encounter hundreds of species both on land and underwater, thanks to world-renowned National Parks and excellent diving all around the coast.

The island also has a startlingly rich cultural heritage, with dozens of impressive ancient sites open to the public. Add to this a warmly welcoming people, irresistible cuisine, year round tropical sunshine (the island has a dual monsoon system – read more about Sri Lanka’s weather here), and a calendar of lively festivals, and you have one tempting offer. It’s all relatively close together, too – Sri Lanka is only nine hours drive from tip to tip.

Those in the know insist on a number of choice stops in their itinerary. Beautiful Galle, the fortified Colonial capital of the Southern Province, should be on any first time visitor’s list. Six other World Heritage sites include some seriously eyebrow-raising ancient engineering, and some of the largest Buddhist temples ever built.

Wildlife enthusiasts will revel in National Parks like Yala and Uda Walawe, with their populations of leopards, Asian elephants, langurs and lorises, amongst a huge list of species. There’s even a small rainforest biosphere, now protected by UNESCO. When the lowlands get too hot, you can wander up into the moist green hills to explore picturesque tea estates, mountain ranges, Buddhist pilgrim sites, and the jungle-clad city of Kandy, where you can enjoy the old antique shops and a great selection of restaurants.

Straight Up

Acts of homosexuality are illegal in Sri Lanka. Outdated Victorian era laws S365 (unnatural offences) and S365a (gross indecency) are in place. However, prosecutions are very rare. You can go to most big pubs and restaurants and be yourself. Still, some basic rules apply and we will share a detailed list of do’s and don’ts with our clients from the time of the initial conversation. The team at Pinky Swear is geared to make sure you have a holiday of a lifetime and our assurance remains in such a manner where we build our suggested routes and hideouts to avoid such issues.

Not So Straight Up

Sure, the Sri Lankan constitution says homosexuality is illegal in the island. But the country’s people have had no problem embracing the expression of love in all forms. This is more evident in the major cities than the rural suburbs but things are certainly looking up! Gay parades have become the latest trend in areas like Mount Lavinia and it is no longer uncommon to see same sex couples enjoying each other’s company openly in restaurants and hotels. But please do keep in mind that kissing and physical embracing in public is still likely to draw some unnecessary attention, whether you are gay or straight, so this is best left to be enjoyed in private! Having said that, holding hands in public is absolutely fine!

It is also worth mentioning that Sri Lankans in general are an inquisitive bunch of people. When you meet Sri Lankans anywhere you go, it is very likely that they would show interest to know things about you – things like where you are from, your profession, who are you travelling with, where else have you travelled etc. Whilst they would not intend to intrude, they would surely love to start up a conversation!

Bargaining is very common in Sri Lanka. Many people feel burdened with bargaining, but here the negotiation really belongs to the culture. You can haggle at markets, souvenir shops and local transport. There are no real guidelines for bargaining. Decide in advance what you want to spend on a product before you start bargaining. You will get farthest with a friendly smile!

The tap water is not drinkable and we therefore advise you to drink water from sealed bottles.

The voltage in Sri Lanka is 230 or 240 volts. The sockets are generally suitable for the so-called three-pole English plugs. We therefore recommend that you take a universal travel plug with you so that you can still use your chargers.

Giving tips is not mandatory, but very common in Sri Lanka. In fact, tipping is an important part of the income for people working in tourism. The amount is entirely free of obligation, but we are happy to give you a guideline! For a guide or driver you can use LKR 2,000 per day and for a bell boy LKR 100 per suitcase or bag. In the better hotels and restaurants, 10% service charge is often included in the bill. However, it is common to add a small tip (5 to 10%) on top of that.

Sri Lanka is a wonderful destination for taking beautiful photos. The versatility of landscapes, the flora and fauna, the beautiful beaches, colonial buildings and religious wonders seem almost to ask for to be recorded on the sensitive plate. Taking photos is no problem in most places in Sri Lanka. However, it is advisable to request permission when you want to photograph people or religious places or events.

Talisman is not a medical institution and therefore may not give official advice. You are advised to contact the GGD, which will receive up-to-date information from the World Health Organization. Vaccinations against hepatitis A and DTP are generally recommended. Depending on your travel time and the areas you visit, additional vaccinations are sometimes recommended. If you are completely off the beaten track, then the use of malaria tablets can also be recommended.

In general it is wise to pack both airy and warm clothing and to take a poncho with you. The Sri Lankans dress fairly conservatively; shorts and a top are not obvious and sometimes even inappropriate. In addition, special clothing regulations apply when you visit religious occasions. It is a requirement to wear clothing that covers your shoulders and knees.

The currency in Sri Lanka is the Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR). You are not allowed to enter Sri Lankan rupees on arrival. You can pin these at the airport and at banks in the cities. Sometimes also in more rural places, but by no means everywhere. You can change money at the airport, at banks and in hotels, but pay attention to the exchange rate. Save the receipts when changing in case you have money left and want to exchange it again. Rupees cannot be exchanged outside Sri Lanka. In many large hotels and stores you can pay with a credit card without any problems. Visa & Mastercard are the most common while American Express is generally available in larger cities. Regarding your payment card; most banks ‘turn off’ their bank cards for use outside Europe/USA/Australia (your continent) as standard to prevent skimmers from abusing them. Ask your bank (or check it online with internet banking) if this applies to your card so that you can have it (temporarily) adjusted to ‘World’. Some establishments may not accept debit cards. Therefore please check with the vendors concerning this. Some small vendors only accept cash.

Sri Lanka is a safe country to travel. However it is wise to always be vigilant about your personal belongings.

7 countries have free visas to Sri Lanka. All other countries require a valid international passport and visa for Sri Lanka. Your passport must be valid for at least six months after returning home. The cost of the visa is USD 50 per person. Obtaining your visa online through www.eta.gov would be the easiest. It is also possible to purchase the visa at the airport, but in this case you have to take into account a longer waiting time on arrival.

It may sound cliched but Sri Lanka is genuinely a year-round holiday destination, although December to mid-April is considered to be the peak season. Temperatures are fairly constant year round, with coastal regions enjoying average temperatures of 25-30°C and the highlands 15-18°C on average. If you’re travelling during the summer months (May to September) you’ll want to head towards the east coast and northern regions for dry, sunny weather, as the west and south west coasts experience rain at this time. On the flip side, the west and south west enjoy favourable weather conditions during the winter months (October to February) when the monsoon season hits the east and north.

Unlike many other Asian destinations, Sri Lanka can lay genuine claim to being a year-round holiday destination. You just have to know which side of the island to focus on in any given month, and this is never more important than when planning your beach destination. Unquestionably, the starting point when planning your trip in Sri Lanka is understanding the two monsoon seasons. The south-western monsoon brings rain to the south-west of Sri Lanka between May and September, while the dry season in this region runs from December to March. In the north and eastern coastal regions of the country, the weather is influenced by the north-eastern monsoon, which brings wind and rain between October and January, and drier weather between May and September. There is also an inter-monsoonal period during October and the first half of November, when rain and thunderstorms can occur across the island. This clears up as December nears, with conditions getting balmier by the day during the second half of November. As with many South-East Asian destinations, the period from December to mid-April is considered the peak season for overall weather and therefore overall visitor numbers. Whilst there is good reason for this, there are equal benefits to travelling outside of this period, with the shoulder season often providing the best of both worlds; namely great weather and a lower visitor numbers.