With beautiful beaches, gorgeous weather and historical sites from one end of the country to the other, Sri Lanka is a must-visit destination for every traveler. However, it’s safe to say that between air fare and everything else you need to make the vacation happen, you expect to spend a lot of money – even more if you’re bringing along a travel partner or your entire family. Luckily, it’s easier than you may think to stick to a budget while abroad in Sri Lanka.

Book a Package

Stay at a boutique hotel in Sri Lanka that offers packages that include not only your room in your villa or cabin, but also extras like food and activities. When you know that one or more of your meals is provided, that’s one less thing you have to factor into your budget. When you can count on getting a massage with the package, you have one evening’s, afternoon’s or morning’s activity planned, and it’s the perfect way to recharge your energy mid-trip. The same goes for an activity like archery, horse riding or jungle kayaking. Plus, if you can count on transportation to and from the airport, you won’t have the unexpected cost of getting a taxi.

Account for Taxes

They may not seem like much for every individual purchase, but the taxes on your expenses add up during your trip. Luckily, a resort package usually includes taxes so you know how much you’re spending upfront, but be sure to calculate the approximate amount of taxes you’ll be spending on everything you do that’s not included with the package. Include some wiggle room in your budget for this extra cost.

Use a Pre-Paid Card

Instead of charging everything to your debit and credit card without adding up every expenditure, manage your purchases by bringing along pre-paid cards so you can’t spend more than that pre-determined amount on extraneous purchases. While it’s still a good idea to have a credit card along for emergencies, vow not to use it for souvenirs and restaurants because you’ve already set aside your budget for those in the form of a pre-paid card. To make the money stretch further, buy some groceries to make dinners or lunches back at your villa and don’t eat out for every meal.
If you feel like you’re missing out any anything, it’s simply a matter of speaking to your resort concierge and asking about tours and trips from the resort out to best shopping venues and tourist sites around. You can even participate in day-long excursions without worrying about paying for cab fare or public transit.