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Not all of Sri Lanka is infested by leeches, you are unlikely to meet one on the beach (although they are arguably related to the beach boy) but in some areas they are a fact of life and when you are off the beaten track it pays to be prepared.
The leeches I have met don't live in the rivers, they live by them, in fact anywhere which gets wet, they are particularly active during and after rain. You don't need to be in bare feet to be leeched, with a sucker at each end they can scale their way up your footwear and onto your leg so tuck your trousers into your socks if you are in leech country.
If you do get one or two attached (five is my record) don't be temped to swat them with your hand as this could inject the contents of their stomach into your blood stream and that you do not want. You can brush them off from the head downwards but better still give them a quick blast with your insect repellent (or even salt) and they will drop off of their own accord.
Traditionalists and fans of Humphrey Bogart in the African Queen might like to burn them with a cigarette but the Deet is easier. Any Buddhists amongst you could let simply them finish their meal and drop off, which they will eventually do (after consuming up to five times their body weight of your blood). It can be a messy process because like the Mosquito, a leech will inject you with a de-coagulant to improve the flow of blood, bleeding cleans the wound so let it flow, a dab of antiseptic does no harm and a small piece of paper on the wound will stop blood staining your clothes.
VT posted a story about a Thai man who was unlucky enough to have a leech crawl up inside his anus, I’ve no idea how common this sort of thing is but I will certainly keep it in mind next time I am in leech country (if that doesn’t make your buttocks clench, nothing will).
The leeches in the picture are thin because they did not get a feed, they were later released and so no animals were harmed in the making of this tip! Leave a Comment
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Not everywhere in Sri Lanka has malaria, posting a question in the VT Sri Lanka Forum before you go and seeking local advice when you arrive should keep you aware of the problem areas, as of December 2008 most of the west coast south of Colombo and the Hill Country around Nuwara Eliya remains malaria free but taking your malaria pills is recommended just about everywhere else, these are not particularly nice medicines to take (they can have some unpleasant side effects) nor are they 100% effective and there is dengue fever in Western Province for which there is no preventative pills so you need to be careful whether you take them or not.
The most effective repellent is probably DEET but it is not advisable to splash too much of this chemical on your skin because it is poisonous (the NHS recommend 50% solution for adults and 20% for kids). Humidity, heavy rain, swimming and if you are a Western European, sweating means may need to reapply the repellent quite frequently.
You will almost certainly be bitten at some point or other because the mosquito is an incredibly perseverant little creature, you will not always end up with the disease but you do need to be on your guard. I once woke up with more than 30 bites after falling into a beer induced sleep on my bed in Pimbura (which was luckily malaria free)
Put not your trust in wrist bands, scented candles, tiger or lemon balm or devices which plug-in to the electricity supply and claim to emit ultrasound, none of these are any good. The coils which smoulder and keep the room full of smoke are effective but unhealthy, particularly if they contain DDT.
It is not all bad news, the mosquito which carries malaria does not feed around the clock, preferring the evening and night-time, although when its not biting its dengue fever carrying cousin might be. You can try keeping as much skin covered as possible, wear long sleeves, long pants, hats and shoes (rather than sandals), spray your socks, cuffs and collars rather than skin and sleep under a net when you are not in a sealed AC hotel room. Spray the net for extra protection and do not sleep up against it because they will bite you through it, I kid you not. Leave a Comment
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I've had a worse stomach in Gran Caneria than I ever had in Sri Lanka and in your hotel you will probably be fine. However if you are going to hit the road the chances are something is going to upset your tummy for a day or two. Prevention is better than a cure, drink lots of bottled water (anything fizzy is ok too, the carbonisation process kills the bugs) and plenty of tea. Dehydration causes lots of problems so get as much non-alcoholic fluid down you as you can during the day. Keep yer mitts clean and watch what and where you eat. Be as vegetarian as you can and if in doubt have another banana. Most shops in Sri Lanka sell a range of soft drinks made by the Elephant company, which make a change from the same four soft drinks available everywhere else in the world. They make a ginger beer which is reputed to be good for a dicky stomach, I swear by it. The locals will also tell you that the milk of the king coconut cleanses the palate and I reckon brandy does no harm either. For more seroius problems, my Doc once gave me some Ciprofloxacin to take to India (500mg twice daily) in case things got really bad (they did and the pills worked) but I have never needed antibiotics in Sri Lanka, if you do just about every village will have a clinic and the doctors are good.
The bowl blockers you get in the UK are useful if you really need to catch a bus but they just cement you up and that is not so good. Best advice is stay where you are and sit it out (yer yer) why not plan a couple of free days into your trip just to be on the safe side. When I get a dodgy stomach I go to the Ayurvedic shop (every town has one) and the man sells me a bottle of clear liquid with a picture of a baby on the label, it works.
By the way, toilets may not be not what you are used to but they are excellent exercise for the muscles of the upper leg. If you like to be really prepared carry a packet of wet wipes and a bottle of alcohol based skin cleaning gel (watch where you put the gel, it stings). Leave a Comment
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You are highly unlikely to get involved in the 'crime' associated with the civil war: the thousands of people who have disappeared and the allegations of Human rights violations made by both sides, organised crime is becoming a problem in Sri Lanka, a police officer friend told me recently that he would be punished for attempting to investigate a complaint against anyone with rank, influence or wealth and that serious crime rarely reaches the courts even when the criminals are known to everyone, all of which can only encourage Sri Lanka’s booming ‘Underworld’.
This ability to avoid prosecution also exasperates the arrogance of the rich (and their offspring) who sometimes let their armed bodyguards go to their heads. Drunken son’s of politician’s and senior army officers etc are often reported to have abused, beaten, raped and even murdered someone who wasn’t quick enough to pay them the respect they deserve in a Colombo nightspot (where brawls are not uncommon and sometimes involve foreigners).
Corruption should also make you think twice about doing any sort of business here and on a smaller scale you should remember that anyone you meet around hotels, shopping centres and tourist sites is almost certainly a hustler, touts or “beach boy” who is after a lot more than your company. Credit card fraud is another increasing problem, use cash as often as you can and you may need to seek advice on using your cards in Sri Lanka from your credit card company or bank before you come (my bank bars my card until I do).
The civil war has meant that small arms and light weapons are very easy to get hold of (according to a report by ‘Saferworld’, the spread of such weapons in Sri Lanka is reaching crisis proportions) and local people may tell you that there is a veritable crime wave in Sri Lanka. However most of the violent crimes occur within the local community and involve people who know each other, although violent crime directed at foreigners including muggings and sexual assault is not unheard of (a 16 year old British girl was raped by a ‘guide’ in Induruwa recently) so women in particular should maybe take care when travelling alone.
You are still probably at less risk of crime here than at home but there has been an increase in reported thefts from hotels and guesthouses and theft from foreign travellers on public transport. Most crime is petty and opportunistic rather than planned and if you take sensible precautions to safeguard your valuables, especially passports and money, you should be fine. As someone who has had money and a mobile phone stolen I should practice watch I preach.
If you do have problems you can try the Sri Lankan Tourist Police, you will find them at:
Fort Police Station, Bank of Ceylon Mawatha, Fort, Colombo Tel: 433342
Galle Road, Moragalle, Beruwela
Ethukala, Negombo
Pushpadana Road, Kandy.
Sigiriya Village Hotel Road, Sigiriya Police Station,
National holiday Resort, Bentota.
Police Station, Galle Road, Hikkaduwa.
There are other police stations and police officers just about everywhere.
The equivalent to the 999 (911) emergencynumber for the police in Sri Lanka is:119 (or 112 if dialed from a cell phone). Leave a Comment
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 by Maxus
These days most of us know better than to linger under coconut trees but it is equally important not to hang around under jackfruit trees either. A jackfruit can weigh up to 50 kilos and with a 10 metre drop it will pick up quite a speed so do try not to be not between it and the ground.
Off the beaten track you will occasionally hear a crashing of folliage followed by a heavy thud as something large hits the deck, it is probably a jackfruit.
Before rice came to Sri Lanka jack fruit formed a large part of the staple diet, they are still eaten by the locals and are perfect for fans of rubbery garlic custard. Leave a Comment
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 by Maxus
Pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists are in most danger as the biggest vehicle has the right of way and footpaths are often non-existent. The advice is basic road sense, avoid the roads if at all possible (the train is much more fun) walk facing on-coming traffic and take extra care at night particularly if you have been drinking.
Best not even think about driving yourself, it is cheaper and infinately better to hire a car complete with driver. If you must drive remember that flashing headlights mean that the driver is asserting a right of way and if you fail to stop at a checkpoint you risk being shot. In some parts of the north and east you need to be aware of land mines. Leave a Comment
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Swimming is rarely a problem in a beach resort where you can dip in the hotel pool at your leisure but off the beaten track you may need to take care. Drowning is second only to road traffic accidents in terms of risks to travellers. Crocodile attacks are rare but they do happen and there are also snakes, hidden currents, submerged rocks, sudden waterfalls and even leeches to contend with.
Conditions can also change quite quickly, heavy rainfall can turn a gentle stream a muddy torrent full of debris overnight, then there is the occasional human hazard. The most popular swimmimg spots can get busy at weekends and public holidays, sometimes this is an opportunity for young men to leave the city and drink too much arrack, when this happens things can get a little rowdy.
However, it is by no means all bad news, finding somewhere suitable is easy, you simply ask the locals. Outside of the city the river still plays an important part in everyday life for washing and recreation and every villager will know nearest place for a safe dip. Leave a Comment
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 Not a spider in sight by Maxus
Looking down your straw is not as sad as it sounds (you will often see your Sri Lankan friends do it) so no one will think you are strange and if it stops you swallowing a spider and her family who gives a damn. Leave a Comment
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 Most towns have a phone shop by Maxus
It might be worth going to a local phone shop and getting signed up with a Sri Lankan network. The connection and a new chip cost me a little over Rs1000, phone cards cost Rs200 and 400. Calls cost a fraction of what European networks charge, it saved me a fortune.
If you don’t want to mess around with your phone buy a cheap one before you go and take it with you. If you have Sri Lankan friends you can leave it behind, they seem to go down well as presents.
I don’t know much about phones so if anyone knows a better system please let me know and I will remove or update this tip. Leave a Comment
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 by Maxus
They ain’t venomous apparently but they live in the nastiest of places (often in the sewers of built up areas) and they feed off carrion and garbage so if you are unlucky enough to get bitten by one you need to seek medical advice ASAP as the bite is liable to become infected. .
In Aluthgama they are known colloquially as a Bentota Crocodile because touts will attempt to lure the more gullible traveller on a trip up the Bentota River with promises of crocodiles to photograph. There are no crocs in Bentota and should the duped tourist complain they are told that this is indeed a ‘Bentota Crocodile’. Leave a Comment
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