Be it the pristine beaches of Colombo or the stunning gardens of Kandy, the land of serendipity has always been on everybody&rsquos travel bucket list. Well, planning a trip to Sri Lanka is not as much of a hassle anymore. With Sri Lankan government&rsquos recent announcement of free visa on arrival for Indians, a getaway to Sri Lanka has become all the more easy.

With effect from August 1, Sri Lankan government has revived the visa on arrival and free visa programmes for India along with 39 other countries. This policy is part of a larger programme to revive the tourism industry especially between May and October.

Though visitors still have to obtain a visa, the tourism ministry has waived the visa fees. Indian passport holders need to obtain a general Sri Lankan tourist E-Visa application and submit a digital photo, passport with 6 months validity, proof of round trip ticket and proof of funds to cover the travel expenses. The maximum stay duration for this tourist visa is 30 days.

The tourism ministry has also given approval to issue free visa on arrival to 10 other countries in addition to the 39 countries including Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Philippines, Russia and China. Originally this scheme was expected to come into force on May 1, but due to the Easter Sunday attacks on high end hotels and churches across the country, the plan was put on hold and finally came into force on August 1.

Well, we are packing our bags for a much awaited vacation to Sri Lanka. What about you