Money advice

I have booked a 2 week holiday to Sri Lanka with Red Dot Travel. Can I take any Sri Lankan currency into the country or do I have to change it at the airport. If so should I just take sterling to change into Rupees? I will have a debit card with me but I will be staying at several different places so dont know which ones will have ATM%26#39;s.

I am also a smoker. Am I able to buy cigarettes at the airport going in and out? Will I be able to smoke at my hotels/lodges?

Thanks

Money advice

Hi there,

1) Buy (from Sterling) or get from ATM locally, that%26#39;s the cheapest. Any midsize town or bigger has Maestro/Cirrus ATMs.

2) Incoming no ciggies. Outgoing yes. (But can bring your own ciggies in hold luggage.)

3) No smoking %26#39;out on the street%26#39;. Whether it%26#39;s allowed in the hotel/lodge and where will differ per place; generally okay in your own room as long as not nosmoking.

All the best,

%26lt;Erik%26gt; %26amp; [Sandya]

Money advice

Hi,

You can bring a small amount of Sri Lankan currency into the country. LKR 5000 maximum IIRC. But changing in UK will not give you a good rate compared to changing in Sri Lanka.

Just bring Sterling, cash or travellers cheques whatever is most convenient for you.

There are 5-6 bank counters at the airport just as you exit customs. They are open 24/7 and all give the same rate which is also the rate you will get at banks island wide.

You will find ATMs available all over the island. It is a good idea to notify your card issuer that you will be using the card in Sri Lanka and the period you are staying. Due to widespread card fraud all over the world the card issuer might otherwise block your card for an unusual spending behaviour.

You can%26#39;t buy cigarettes at the airport on entering and you do not have a duty free allowance. A few opened packages are tolerated, though the chance of getting stopped by customs is minimal. You can buy cigarettes at the airport on leaving the country.

I have never experienced a hotel/guesthouse with a strict non smoking policy. Smoking is prohibited in enclosed public areas, i.e. restaurants, buses, trains etc.

Hans

Thanks for replying. Do you think its worth changing a small amount of money into Rupees before I go or is this just likely to be confiscated? I have a fear of being stuck with no access to money?

Hi again,

Smaller amounts will not be confiscated and the chance of being checked is close to zero.

Changing in UK will only give you a bad exchange rate and whoever changes for you will earn a commission.

Bank counters are just outside customs, so you will only be without local currency from you leave the plane until you get past luggage claim and customs.

If you want to buy duty free on arrival you don%26#39;t need rupees. The shops only accept foreign currencies.

Hans

No mate, as you exit the arrivals hall there are lots of exchange desks open 24/7.

Lots of ATMs about too. Don%26#39;t fret, you%26#39;ll be able to get cash out all over the place, some hotels even take cards...

I smoke and I never had a problem at all. they are much more relaxed on smoking than we are here in the UK.

Thank you Hans that is really useful info.

Hi there....

Yep, agree with all the replies about taking money to Sri Lanka, simply don%26#39;t bother trying to get any Rupees here in UK.

A funny thing i came across last time out there regarding the smoking rules, yep, i too am one !, i stayed in the Galadari Hotel in Colombo on my last night, met some friends for dinner there, then we went for a beer or three in the bar to left of lobby area, they originally had a ';smoking area';, about the size of small ';Greenhouse'; however, this has now been transformed in to ';the NON smoking area';, strange but true, so the rule for smoking will differ from hotel to hotel!,the lobby bar will provide an ashtray upon request at Galadari !, and the reply you get when you query this?, well a bar manager told me he could not enforce this rule as he would have an empty bar !

My usual hotel does not allow smoking in indoor enclosed areas, but guest rooms are fine !

Regards

Dave

blond hair