Do I need cash in Sri Lanka, or can I use cards?

Sri Lanka runs largely on cash. Tuk-tuks, street food, market stalls, bus fares, temple donations and small guesthouses expect rupees, and outside Colombo and the main tourist towns, cards are often not an option at all. Visa and Mastercard are accepted at hotels, established restaurants, supermarkets and shops in Colombo and along the southern coast, with Amex much patchier.

So the working approach is simple: card for the bigger, formal things, cash for everything else, and always carry enough rupees for a day of small spending.

Use a bank ATM, the major ones being Commercial Bank, Sampath, Hatton National Bank, Bank of Ceylon and People's Bank, which take foreign Visa and Mastercard. Many charge a local withdrawal fee per transaction on top of your own bank's, so take out a useful amount at once rather than lots of small withdrawals.

When the ATM or a card terminal asks whether to charge you in US dollars or rupees, always choose rupees. The dollar option is dynamic currency conversion, a poor rate. Use ATMs attached to a bank branch during the day, and decline any offer of help from a stranger at the machine.

Do not plan to spend US dollars locally, you will need rupees, and paying in dollars where accepted gets a poor rate. If you bring some dollars to exchange, use a bank or an authorized money changer rather than the airport or your hotel for a better rate.

One local rule to know: the rupee is a restricted currency, so change any leftover rupees back before you fly home (keep your exchange receipts), since taking large amounts of LKR out of the country is not allowed and you will struggle to exchange them elsewhere.

Carry enough rupees for the day, tuk-tuks, meals, entry fees and tips, and top up every couple of days rather than holding a large wad. A little cash also smooths the moments cards fail, which do happen outside the cities.

For the fuller money picture and the rest, see the Sri Lanka money guide.

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