Dates change from year to year. Each full moon is marked by a Poya Day holiday. At present, no U.S. carriers provide service to Sri Lanka, though several U.S. airlines have sales agents in the country. Traffic in Colombo is very congested. Narrow highways, dangerously driven intercity buses, overloaded trucks and a variety of vehicles ranging from ox carts to new four-wheel drive jeeps on the road make driving a challenge, not to mention dangerous.
Many visitors hire cars and drivers, or use local taxi services.
Radio-operated metered taxi cabs and motorized trishaws are freely available in the Colombo area. International direct dialing is available, and cellular phones have become increasingly popular. There are also dozens of fine beach resorts two to three hours away. Housing facilities for expatriates are satisfactory. Stand-alone homes with yards are available but often require extensive effort and resources to rennovate and maintain.