event FAQs

The local currency is the Sri Lankan Rupee.

Most hotels, restaurants and shopping centres accept credit cards. Some establishments may try to add a surcharge, which is illegal.

Make sure you have plenty of lower denomination notes (Rs50, Rs100, Rs500), especially when travelling and you need to buy small items because change is often hard to come by apart from at hotels and big shops. To check whether notes are genuine when not given at a bank, look for a lion watermark.

For Sri Lanka there are two associated plug types, types D and G.

Plug type D has three round pins in a triangular pattern and plug type G has three rectangular pins in a triangular pattern. Sri Lanka operates on a 230V supply voltage and 50Hz.

Cotton clothes are useful at any time of the year but you will need light woollens for the hills and waterproof clothing or an umbrella. Modest dress for women is advisable especially off the beach and when visiting religious sites. 

In Colombo during November, expect warm and humid conditions with an average high of around 30°C (86°F) and a low of 23°C (73°F), and be prepared for rainfall as it's part of the northeast monsoon season. 

Tap water is not safe to drink, and boiling and filtering is sometimes done too hastily in some hotels and restaurants, so the best solution is to drink bottled water. Make sure that the bottle carries an SLS certification and that the seal is broken only in your presence.

Beware of ice unless you are satisfied it has not been made from tap water, and remember that the tap water you may be tempted to use to rinse out your mouth after brushing your teeth is unsafe. Keep a bottle of water in your bathroom for this purpose.