Buses are the standard (and often the fastest) means of transport, with services reaching even the remotest corners of the island. Trains offer a more relaxed means of getting about and will get you to many parts of the country – eventually

If you don’t want to put up with the vagaries of public transport, hiring a car and driver can prove a reasonably affordable and extremely convenient way of seeing the island in relative comfort. If you’re really in a rush, domestic flights offer speedy connections between Colombo and other parts of the island.

Buses are the staple mode of transport in Sri Lanka. Buses screech past on the island’s major highways every few seconds, and any town of even the remotest consequence will be served by fairly regular connections.

That’s the good news. The bad news is that bus travel in Sri Lanka is almost uniformly uncomfortable and frequently nerve-racking as well, given the gung-ho driving styles of some drivers.

Buses come in a variety of forms. The basic distinction is between government or SLTB (Sri Lanka Transport Board) buses and private services.

Sri Lanka’s train network, originally built by the British during the nineteenth century, has seen massive changes over the past decade, meaning getting around Sri Lanka by train is no longer conducted at a snail’s pace.

Timings for journeys on some routes vary massively between express services (making only a few stops), standard intercity services, which make more stops, and slow services, which halt at practically every station en route.

Although roads are generally in quite good condition, the myriad hazards they present – crowds of pedestrians, erratic cyclists, crazed bus drivers and suicidal dogs, to name just a few – plus the very idiosyncratic set of road rules followed by Sri Lankan drivers, makes driving a challenge in many parts of the island.

Self-driving: If you’re determined to drive yourself, you’ll need to bring an international driving licence. You’ll also need an additional permit to drive in Sri Lanka, which you can get from the Automobile Association of Ceylon in Colombo.

Car and driver: A large proportion of visitors opt to tour Sri Lanka by hiring a car and driver, which offers unlimited flexibility and can be less expensive than you might expect.

Tuk-tuks (auto-rickshaws) are the staple means of travelling short distances in Sri Lanka, principally short hops within towns. Except in Colombo, Sri Lankan auto-rickshaws are unmetered; the fare will be whatever you can negotiate with the driver. Never set off without agreeing the fare beforehand.

Taxi booking services are available at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) arrival lounge. Also, online taxi booking apps such as Uber and PickMe are available to download for anyone with a local sim card. Local sim cards are also available to purchase at the BIA arrival lounge.

You may also opt to book your taxi via Kangaroo Cabs who offer booking services online or on their dedicated phone line, +94-112 588 588

Domestic air services provide a superfast alternative to long journeys by road or rail and are memorable in their own right, with frequently beautiful views of the island from above.

Fares aren’t particularly cheap, although the flights are wonderfully scenic. Also, on many routes you’ll either take off from and/or land on water, which adds an extra pinch of fun.