Kalutara - Sri Lanka

Home > Destinations > Sri Lanka > Kalutara

Kalutara - Sri Lanka

Health & Safety

All vehicles used to transport guests are provided by our local ground handler Walkers Tours, no vehicle is more than three years old and each is fully insured. Seat belts are provided for your safety and we strongly recommend that you ensure each member of your party belts up. The drivers are licensed guides and speak English, road conditions are interesting and whilst distances are not great drive times can seem disproportionate. As there are not too many footpaths and street lighting is rare we discourage driving in rural locations after dark, wherever possible for your comfort and convenience drivers will always try to ensure you reach your destination in daylight.

There are no compulsory vaccinations required for passengers travelling to Sri Lanka from the United Kingdom. However, you should visit you General Practitioner for the latest advice – Typhoid, Tetanus and Hepatitis are recommended. In certain areas of the island Malaria is prevalent, but these areas are not tourist destinations therefore it is not necessary to take preventative medicines – In many of the jungle areas Mosquitoes can be a nuisance and you should take a good skin spray with you and ensure that you cover up during the high risk time at dusk. Air Conditioning in Hotels deters mosquitoes, although the odd hardy insect may be persistent. Most properties spray at night or light a mosquito coil in your room which is usually a sufficient deterrent.

Should you need to see a doctor ask the reception at the hotel or the driver, they will normally be able to arrange a consultation at fairly short notice. You may be required to pay for the service and any prescribed medicines, please remember to keep receipts in case you need to make an insurance claim on your return.

In the tropics the suns rays can be particularly strong, even on overcast days ultra violet rays can penetrate cloud cover and burn skin. Always use high factor sun screens, sunbathe for short periods only and drink plenty of water. Throughout the island topless sun bathing is prohibited. The higher the SPF factor on your cream, the greater the protection against UVB rays which cause burning.

At certain times of the year and at differing locations, swimming off the coast of Sri Lanka can be dangerous, because of the strong currents in the sea. Not all hotels have a lifeguard on duty on the beach and not all beaches have the international Red Flag system warning of danger. In the event that you are uncertain always check with a member of the hotel lifeguard crew who will provide the best advice.

Banks & Financial

All of the Hotels featured in our program will accept most major credit and charge cards for payment of incidental items such as beverages and services for their residents.

The local currency in Sri Lanka is the Rupee, which is divided into 100 units. Notes include 5000, 1000, 500, 100, 50, 20 and 10 Rupee, there are also a number of coins ranging from 100, 50, 20, 10, 5 and 1 cent pieces.

Whilst all of the hotels will be pleased to assist with the encashment of Travellers Cheques or Cash into local Rupees, please note there is normally a small charge for the service, either included in the exchange rate or added as a commission.

We have indicated in our resort descriptions where you can expect to find an ATM machine. These will accept most UK Bank cards and provide local currency.

Please remain alert at all times when using a credit card: try not to let the card out of your sight when making a purchase particularly in restaurants or shops and make sure you keep the emergency contact number required in the event of card loss or fraud to hand in a separate place.

Currently there is a restriction on importing Sri Lankan Rupees into Sri Lanka, the allowance is 1000 Rupees per person, and therefore we recommend changing a little on arrival at the airport in Colombo where there are a number of Banks in the arrivals hall after you pass through customs.

The current exchange rate, (which fluctuates), is approximately 190 Rupees per £1.00 sterling. We recommend taking sterling travellers cheques or cash, (there is obviously less risk and the exchange rate is more beneficial for traveller’s cheques). In common with most countries it is normal to show your appreciation for good service by leaving a gratuity.

Guest’s on tour: a driver might receive 5000 Rupees after a seven night tour depending upon your level of satisfaction.

Finally, whilst you can expect to negotiate the price of a local hand crafted gift in a rural location, most shops are moving to a fixed price system.