Responsible travel in Sri Lanka

Traveling responsibly in Sri Lanka, or in other countries, should be the priority for anyone who loves travel and discovering the cultures of the world! Responsible tourism is within everyone's reach, especially during a tour in Sri Lanka. Whether you prefer a seaside stay on the shores of the Indian Ocean, a discovery tour through rice fields and temples, or an immersive trip with locals, sustainable tourism is possible, whatever your way of traveling. We’ll tell you why and how you should get started!

What exactly is responsible travel?

It's simply common-sense tourism. Tourism that respects the environment, different cultures, and people. When you travel, you are a guest. It's an opportunity to meet, discover, share, and show humanity.

Responsible travel can and should contribute to the well-being of everyone, in Sri Lanka as well as for every traveler.

This involves lots of small actions you can take and attitudes to adopt during your trip. Because we are all actors, like Pierre Rabhi's hummingbird.
To the little hummingbird who was modestly working to put out a huge forest fire by carrying a few drops of water in its beak, an armadillo said: And the hummingbird replied:

(c) John Gibson – pixabay

Traveling responsibly in Sri Lanka is a matter of behavior and respectful gestures towards the environment and people.

Sri Lanka and the environment

Sri Lanka is an extraordinary country, full of nature, culture, and amazing people.
Known for its temples and monuments listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, such as the ancient cities of Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya, the Golden Temple of Dambulla, or the sacred city of Kandy, to name a few.
Sri Lanka also has natural sites and national parks listed as World Heritage: the Central Highlands of Sri Lanka and the Sinharaja Forest Reserve.
The beauty of the landscapes, the tea plantations and animals, the richness of the culture, and the hospitality of the people make Sri Lanka a truly green and authentic destination.

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Actions are currently being taken in Sri Lanka to protect the environment, as highlighted by the Green Globe study:
Sri Lanka is the first nation in the world to protect all of its mangroves. The goal is to protect this true ecosystem of more than 10,000 hectares.
In 2015, the country was one of the first to permanently ban glyphosate.
The recent measure to ban chainsaws and close sawmills within 5 years to increase forest cover also shows the importance of nature in Sri Lanka.

7 tips for responsible travel in Sri Lanka

Here are some small, common-sense tips to give more meaning to your trip to Sri Lanka:

#1 Travel with a local agency

Your responsible trip to Sri Lanka starts with choosing a local agency that respects environmental and human balances.

The local travel agency Aloka Sanna offers you the chance to take time to experience nature, go hiking, cycling. To immerse yourself in the local culture, take cooking classes, massage classes, yoga, meditation…

A local agency will avoid attractions that are disrespectful to animals. Walking with elephants or going on a boat trip to see whales and dolphins often hides animal abuse.
It is much better to observe animals in their natural habitat, in a national park like Minnériya or in a sanctuary based on animal welfare.

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#2 Offset your CO2 emissions

It's true that, to get to Sri Lanka, the plane is faster and more convenient. This inevitably generates CO2 emissions. However, you can offset your carbon impact by going to the goodplanet.org website. That's already a first step.

You can also choose an airline that has a real policy to limit single-use plastic.

#3 Managing your waste

Many Western countries prefer to send their own plastic waste to Asian countries. The issue of waste is therefore crucial in Asia and in Sri Lanka.

As a precaution, before you leave, you can leave behind unnecessary disposable packaging rather than bringing it to Sri Lanka.

Plastic pollution is one of the greatest ecological challenges. A garbage truck is dumped into the sea every second. The sea is not a trash can.

Sri Lanka is an island and the sea is essential. It must be preserved. A simple plastic bag can be fatal to sea turtles that choke on it.

"Plogging," inspired by Sweden, consists of picking up litter while running. We suggest "Plogbeach." When you walk on the beach, nothing stops you, for a few minutes, from picking up some litter. This helps clean up the environment a bit and, in addition, your action will raise awareness among the local population. Beautiful beaches deserve a little of your time! When traveling as a family, you'll see, your children will find it very fun!

At the beach, choose a sunscreen lotion rather than an oil, as oil forms a film on the water's surface, preventing photosynthesis of underwater plants.
If possible, choose biodegradable body products.

Sri Lanka does not currently have a waste collection system. You have a real active and awareness-raising role to play to avoid waste overabundance.
Of course, it's important to throw your waste in a bin during your visits or activities. When they are not available, take them with you to throw away in town or in your accommodation's bins.
You can also bring back in your return luggage harmful or non-recyclable waste such as batteries, for example.
Smokers can also plan a pocket ashtray to prevent a cigarette butt from taking 2 years to decompose.
Favor reusable containers such as stainless steel water bottles to fill up, instead of plastic water bottles.

#4 Food and shopping

Take advantage of your trip to Sri Lanka to reduce your meat consumption. It's an effective way to reduce your impact on the environment.

Don't deprive yourself of eating the country's fresh fruits and vegetables. Coconut, bananas, rice, tea, spices, here everything is an explosion of flavors!

Tips should be in line with the local cost of living so as not to destabilize the local economy.

#5 Water management while traveling

All over the planet, water is an essential resource. In Sri Lanka in particular, it is sometimes considered a luxury. Prefer quick showers rather than baths, which use on average 5 times more water.

To save water and electricity, you can ask that your towels and sheets not be changed every day in hotels where you stay several days.

When possible, do without air conditioning. Turn off electrical appliances and lights. Electricity is also a resource that must be preserved in Sri Lanka. Moreover, power cuts can occur. And it's in these moments that we realize the importance of this energy.

#6 Activities in Sri Lanka

Take advantage of the wonderful activities the country offers: hiking, surfing, kite-surfing… Doing them means respecting the environment.

Take your time. Live at the pace of the local population.

You can support local initiatives and participate in local actions in orphanages, schools, or animal shelters.
Your contribution is welcome and it's an opportunity for particularly enriching moments of sharing and discovery, full of humanity. Your presence already has a vital impact.

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#7 People and exchange

Make your trip a wonderful opportunity for exchanges and shared moments.

Go to local markets, small stalls, local crafts rather than shopping malls or airport duty-free shops…
It's the best way to spend time with people to discover their daily lives and culture.

Moreover, you directly benefit the local population with your tourist money.
Before taking a photo, kindly ask for permission.
Of course, you should respect places of worship, and not enter if access is forbidden to tourists. Even if Sri Lankans won't hold it against you, they will appreciate your appropriate clothing for the place and circumstance.

Traveling responsibly also means preserving the ecology of the mind. It can do a lot of good to disconnect during your next trip to open up to things and people… Your behavior, your attitude, your responsible traveler gestures will remain like a light in Sri Lanka. You will experience even more authentic moments of openness and sharing. Your pleasure will be multiplied.
It’s not a carbon footprint but a human footprint that you will leave and take with you.