Travel to Sri Lanka

cazarol

We are going on holiday to Sri Lanka, for the first 5 days we are doing a 'scenic tour' and then transferring to a beach hotel for the rest of the fortnight. Has anyone any experience of the country and what currency is best to take with us or exchange with when there etc etc
Thanks in anticipation

Incapuppy

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=866027&highlight=sri+lanka+currency

ince_mon

I was there in Nov/Dec. You are very limited with the amount of Sri Lankan currency you can take in the country,i just used my card N'wide Flex.

I stayed in Kandy(England Cricket Tour),and contrary what others think,there was little to do after the Test had finished. Others will probably tell you otherwise.

Nikko5

Your best bet would be the "usual" response of taking Rupees out of local ATMs with a Nationwide Flexaccount debit card.

Failing that, either US$ or GB£ can be changed fairly easily (branches of the main banks, Bank of Ceylon, Peoples Bank, HSBC etc are common even in smaller towns). But you won't get as good a rate as the old trusty Nationwide card doing this.

When you exit baggage reclaim at Colombo airport you will be faced with a whole row of money changing booths (as well as being pestered by luggage porters!) Note these all charge exactly the same rate as each other!!!

Where are you staying for the beach holiday? If it's Kalutara then I can point you, off-list, in the direction of a local who can change GBP on the black market and gets a better rate even than Nationwide! :-)

Finally, if you're not on a package deal and are having to pay for your hotel when you get out there - if it's a big American owned chain then you will be better paying for it in US$ cash. Paying by card will be in Rupees (at their own US$->LKR exchange rate) and paying in GBP you'll be stung US$->LKR AND LKR->GB£

Have a fantastic time out there 'tho, it is a wonderful island, the people are so friendly and you'll have an amazing holiday. The country might officially be in the grips of an escalating civil war, but 99% of the problems are in the extreme North and East of the country (i.e. well away from the main tourist areas), 'tho you should always be on your guard in the large centres like Colombo and Galle (as you would in London).