Tourist scams in Sri Lanka — and how to avoid them
These are the tourist scams Trzly has documented across Sri Lanka, grouped by destination. Each one is real, with a clear way to stay safe. Read before you land.
Paano ito gumagana: The most common issue for visitors: a three-wheeler driver will not switch on the meter, claims it is broken, or quotes a high flat fare once he realises you are a tourist, leaving you to pay several times the real price.
Paano ito iwasan: Insist on the meter before you get in; if the driver refuses, wave him off and take another. Better still, book a tuk-tuk or car through PickMe or Uber, which fix the fare in the app and remove any argument.
Inflated airport taxi fare
Paano ito gumagana: Drivers at Bandaranaike airport sometimes quote well above the normal rate, or approach you inside the terminal with a 'special' price that turns out to be far higher than an app ride to the same place.
Paano ito iwasan: Use the official taxi desk and agree the fare in writing, or book PickMe or Uber from the marked app pickup point outside. Never accept a ride from someone touting for business inside the arrivals hall.
Gem and 'special deal' shop scam
Paano ito gumagana: Sri Lanka is famous for gems, and a friendly stranger or tuk-tuk driver may steer you to a shop with a 'one-day sale' or claim you can buy stones cheaply to resell abroad at a profit. The gems are often overpriced, fake or of poor quality.
Paano ito iwasan: Treat any unsolicited gem or 'export deal' offer as a scam. Buy only from established, licensed dealers if you genuinely want stones, never on a driver's recommendation, and walk away from anyone promising easy resale profits.
Temple donations and shoe minding
Paano ito gumagana: Around temples, someone may press you for a large 'donation', offer an unwanted blessing and then demand payment, or insist on minding your shoes for a fee you never agreed to.
Paano ito iwasan: Give only what you wish at official donation boxes, and decline unsolicited blessings politely. Note where free shoe racks are, agree any minding fee in advance, and keep only small change on you at religious sites.
Foreigner pricing and short change
Paano ito gumagana: Some stalls, tuk-tuks and small shops quote inflated 'tourist' prices, and with unfamiliar rupee notes it is easy to be given the wrong change in a busy market.
Paano ito iwasan: Ask the price before you buy, compare a couple of stalls, and haggle gently in markets where it is expected. Learn the note values on arrival, carry small denominations, and count your change openly.