Sri Lanka Warnings Or Dangers

 
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Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

Cultural Triangle Ticket Good for One Day Only

by jungles

The Cultural Triangle Round Ticket costs US$ 40, is valid for two weeks, and provides entry to Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya, and some other less-visited sites. However, you are only allowed one day at each of the sites. Both Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa include many individual sites over a large area, so some people might prefer to spread their sightseeing out over two days in these places, but this is not possible without buying a second ticket. Since we purchased our ticket at 3pm in Anuradhapura and could not possibly see everything that afternoon, the woman at the ticket counter agreed to write the time on our ticket, indicating that we could have access to the site until the next day at 3pm. We got a couple of strange looks from the guards the next day when we showed our ticket, but we were able to see everything we wanted to see. The Cultural Triangle Round Ticket does not...

Snakes

by jungles

Sri Lanka has the highest rate of death-by-snakebite in the world, and my personal experience seemed to back up that statistic, though thankfully I wasn't actually bitten. We did have two close encounters with snakes in one day though; one at Dunhinda Falls and the other at Bogoda Bridge in the Hill Country. Both times we were walking on paved walkways, not hacking our way through the jungle with a machete. It might be a good idea to bring a snakebite kit; these are small suction devices that are used to pull the venom out of a bite (see the website below). If you do get bitten, try to get a good look at the snake so you can identify it to doctors, who can then give you the correct antivenom.

Election Day Violence

by jungles

Our last day in Sri Lanka happened to be the day of city elections in Colombo (May 20th), which we found out because our hotel was closing for the day. We learned that there has been much violence on previous election days, and consequently many businesses and schools close to avoid it. We were told that things are more calm nowadays though, and we didn't see any trouble while we were there.

Women And Crowds

by Vaughany

Beware of walking through or standing in crowds of Sri Lankans. They assume that you must be in the crowd for them to have a grope of. They’re fast moving and you won’t see who has touched you and they're confident they won't get caught. It can happen anywhere from concerts and village fairs to packed trains.

Poya Day

by Vaughany

Don’t try to do anything at all on Poya Day. This is a Buddhist celebration day that occurs roughly once a month in line with the phases of the moon – in English it is called ‘Full Moon Day’. On every Poya Day everything closes down and no-one works. You’ll have trouble finding a shop open or finding any transport etc. If Poya Day occurs on a Friday then the shutdown will last all weekend.

Airport Porters

by Vaughany

Be prepared for scams as soon as you step off the plane at Colombo airport. It's a long flight and the heat and humidity can dull the brain a little. The arrivals exit at Colombo airport has Sri Lankan men working as porters lying in wait for you. They will be wearing a yellow vest which signifies they are licenced to work there as a porter and it displays their rate. Their rates are all the same - the last I saw it was about 30 Rupees per bag. However, none are paid a wage, they survive on their portering charges and any additional tips. Consequently, competition to carry your suitcase will be fierce and they will take it before you realize what's going on. Then, of course, you don't have R30 which will consist of coins. The porter will probably ask you for English money instead and then complain that he has no way of changing up a pound coin so can you give him a note please. If you do...

A Warning For Women

by Vaughany

This took me a while to work out....Sri Lankans will assume that a western woman who smokes is a prostitute. A woman with a cigarette is a big taboo. Therefore, if they see you smoking on the street or in a three-wheeler or even in a bar you greatly increase your chance of being approached for 'business'. Prostitution by Sri Lankan and western women is pretty open in Colombo - I saw some women working out of McDonalds on Galle Rd, Colombo during weekdays. You can also easily be confused with a group of Eastern European prostitutes who work the hotel nightclubs seemingly unchallenged, even in the Colombo Hilton nightclub (The Blue Elephant). You may be approached by Sri Lankan men asking you a question such as "where is your husband?". My advice to this is to point to any male you are with and say he is your husband, or if you are not with a man then explain that he's picking you up in...

Tsunami Damage

by jungles

While no one should put off a trip to Sri Lanka because of the tsunami, you should be aware that there are some places where the damage is still very apparent and people are still suffering and trying to piece their lives back together. The most extensive damage we saw was between Galle and Ambalangoda, particularly around a village called Kahawa. The rebuilding has not yet happened here as it has in the more touristy areas like Tangalla and Unawutuna. Passing by on the bus we saw many destroyed homes, often no more than foundations. The ones that do have walls standing are still completely uninhabitable. People here are still living in tents or in hastily thrown together wooden shacks, sometimes erected on top of the foundations of their destroyed homes. I saw a sign flapping in the wind that said, 'Please come and help us to survive.' There were other signs pointing down dirt tracks to...

warm feet

by Whoopi

okey, kind of a weird tip but here's the thing: when visiting holy places it is usually required that you remove your shoes (and sometimes socks if you wear any)... In case your feet are not hardened you will SUFFER walking on stone paths for a long time, stones that has been heated by the sun all day long. We also realised at the end of the trip that most of the time, only foreigners were asked to remove their shoes so it's not always necessary, sometimes it is just so you can pay a guy to keep your shoes.Bring a pair of socks and ask nicely if you can wear them and make sure you go to shrines and stuff very very early or later in the day when the stone has cooled off a bit... You can get some very nasty burns! No joke...

Tip Photo
Causing a crash

by CathL

Ladies if you are walking down the road doesn't matter what you are wearing be prepared for stares. On a short 10 minutes walk a tuk tuk nearly crashed and someone cycled into a lampost while I was walking. very unthreatening though, the Sri Lankan men treat foreign women with respect.

Top 3 Hotels in Sri Lanka

Mount Lavina Hotel  Colombo

 5 Reviews and 395 Opinions  This is the closest hotel you can experience the Beach as you come to Colombo. Good food, good rooms... 

 Hotels in Colombo

Earl's Regency Hotel Kandy  Kandy

 4 Reviews and 235 Opinions  Kandy Perahara Starts on Esala Full Moon Poya Day in July & finishes on Nikini Full Moon Poya Day on... 

 Hotels in Kandy

Palm Garden Village Hotel  Anuradhapura

 3 Reviews and 111 Opinions  The Palm Garden Village is like a colonial club, but one with a relaxed and freestyle-air. It was... 

 Hotels in Anuradhapura

Questions and Answers

MacedonianUK profile photo

Q:  Thinking of traveling to Sri Lanka in the end of March for 3 weeks. I will go with my 6 yr old. Will take Medical precoushns bu... 

HansDK profile photo

A: Any special reasons why you want to stay in Colombo for 3 days. Everywhere in Sri Lanka is child friendly, but as you want to end up in Trinco (and spend part of your... 

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