Sri Lanka
ශ්රී ලංකා
PickMe is the local rideshare — much better than Uber for tuk-tuks and small cars. WhatsApp is essential for hotels and guides.
🚖Rideshare & Taxi
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Sri Lanka's dominant rideshare and food delivery.
Local rideshare with tuk-tuks — what locals actually use.
The most widely available rideshare service globally. Works in 70+ countries.
Works but PickMe has wider local coverage.
🗺️Navigation & Maps
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Works almost everywhere except mainland China. Offline maps are critical when roaming.
Solid.
📱Messaging
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The dominant messenger in Europe, Latin America, India, Middle East, Africa.
Universal for hotels, guides, drivers.
✈️Travel Planning
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Activities, attractions, and SIM cards across Asia. Better than GetYourGuide in Asia.
For surf lessons, train tickets, safaris.
Is Sri Lanka one stop of several?
Add your other destinations and get one combined app list, with the adapters and currencies for the whole trip.
The practical basics
Power & plugs
- Plug type
- D / G
- Voltage
- 230V
- Frequency
- 50Hz
- Type D: Three large round pins in a triangle. Used in India and South Asia.
- Type G: Three rectangular pins. The British plug, used in UK, Ireland, HK, Singapore, Malta, much of Africa and Middle East.
Indian-style + British plugs both common.
Tipping
Tipping is customary but modest; many restaurants add a 10% service charge, and a small extra tip is welcome. Tip drivers, guides, and hotel staff a few hundred rupees for good service.
CurrencyLKR
Sinhala you'll actually use
Etiquette and scams to know
✓ Do
- Remove your shoes and hats before entering temples and homes
- Dress modestly at temples; cover shoulders and knees and wear white if possible
- Use your right hand for eating, giving, and receiving
- Never turn your back on a Buddha statue when posing for photos
- Eat with your right hand when sharing traditional rice-and-curry meals
- Greet people with 'Ayubowan' and a slight bow with palms together
✕Don't
- Don't pose for photos touching or with your back to Buddha statues
- Don't get tattoos of the Buddha or wear Buddha images on clothing, which can lead to deportation
- Don't point your feet at people or religious images
- Don't show public displays of affection at sacred sites
⚠️ Common scams to know
- Tuk-tuk drivers without meters quoting inflated fares or taking you to commission shops
- 'Helpful' strangers steering you to gem shops, then collecting a commission
- Fake or low-grade gemstones sold as valuable sapphires
- Temple touts demanding 'donations' or fees for entry that should be free
This page was last reviewed in September 2026. Apps launch, rebrand and pull out of countries all the time, so confirm anything your trip depends on. Spotted something out of date? Tell us — here's how we check.