Sri Lanka new hot spot for traveller

SRI Lanka is at the forefront of the hot destinations queue for South African travellers this year, according to a local travel centre.

Bali‚ Seychelles‚ Maldives‚ UAE and Egypt are also expected to be sought-after destinations for South Africans this year.

“South Africans are looking for something different. Many love Mauritius‚ Thailand and Australia and may have travelled there repeatedly‚ but now they’re looking for something different.

“That’s where these destinations come in‚” Carlos Luis from the Flight Centre Travel Group said.

Luis said Sri Lanka was at the forefront of the hot destinations queue because of its beaches‚ culture and wildlife.

“Sri Lanka is becoming a very exciting destination globally and we expect that this will be on South Africans’ bucket lists in 2017‚” he said.

Luis said Sri Lanka and Bali also “offer exciting alternatives to clients who love Thailand but are looking for something different”.

Women planning to visit are advised to practice caution‚ however.

Lonely Planet has flagged Sri Lanka as a place where women travelling solo may experience uncomfortable levels of male attention‚ including groping hands on crowded buses or trains.

A mid-range hotel is priced at under R1 000 a night‚ according to the budget travel site‚ while meals at top-end places cost from R300.

The country is listed eighth out of 12 of the world’s cheapest holiday destinations for this year by international travel search company Skyscanner.