Credit Cards
Most major hotels, restaurants and shopping centres accept credit cards. However, some places accept one card and not another, so it is best to check and to have some cash as an alternative. Some places refuse to take American Express because of high commission charges. Note that some establishments may try and add a surcharge to your card. This is illegal, so you are justified in insisting that they remove the charge. Contact your card company. 

Credit Card Organisations American Express 
104, Dharmapala Mawatha, Colombo 7 
Phone : 681215 

Visa and MasterCard 
455/1 Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo 8 
Phone : 074517978 

Exchanging Money and Banking
For a faster service in changing travellers' cheques avoid branches of the government-controlled banks (People's & Bank of Ceylon) and try privately owned banks like Hatton National (the Emirates branch next to the Galadari Hotel has a special foreign exchange counter), or international banks like Hong Kong & Shanghai, or Grindlays. Money can also be withdrawn on credit cards but some refuse to cash travellers' cheques issued by Visa. Exchange rates fluctuate and any bank will give you a conversion estimate. All commercial banks are authorised to exchange money, as are many hotels, though hotels offer lower rates, Travellers' cheques attract a better exchange rate than cash.

Banks are open 9am - 1.30pm. They are Closed Saturday, Sunday and all Public Holidays.

Foreign Banks	Address	Phone Numbers
ABN-Ambro	103A Dharmapala Mawatha, Colombo, Srilanka	Phone : 448448
American Express	104 Dharmapala Mawatha, Colombo, Srilanka	Phone : 682787
ANZ Grindlay's	37 York Street, Colombo, Srilanka	Phone : 446150
Deutsche Bank	86 Galle Road, Colombo, Srilanka	Phone : 447062
Hong Kong & Shanghai	24 Sir Baron Jayatilaka Mawatha, Colombo, Srilanka	Phone : 325435
Standard Chartered	17 Janadhipathi Mawatha, Colombo, Srilanka	Phone : 326671

Photography
Film and cameras are available on arrival at the airport duty-free shop and at a number of photographic shops in Colombo. Repairs can be carried out at Heladiva Camera Repairs, Cross Street, Pettah, who also stock camera filters, polarisers and batteries. A lens hood and/or polarising filter are useful for reducing flare from brilliant sunshine and reflection from bright colours. High temperature and humidity can play havoc with cameras so protect all equipment with silca gel crystals. A camera left in midday sun can result in fogged film. If professional film is used it should be refrigerated both before and after use (be careful, cold film can be very sharp).

Tipping
As a general rule tipping is not expected unless you feel a service has been special, although chauffeur guides (but not trishaw drivers) expect one. Hotel and restaurant bills include a 10 percent service charge as well as a 12.5 percent government tax (GST). The service charge is supposed to be distributed among hotel employees. If you are a frequent guest at a restaurant or hotel, or have received service you wish to reward, a tip of five percent of the bill in cash, given directly to the person who deserves it, will be appreciated. Bellboys and doormen should also be tipped, perhaps Rs100 per task. In a resort hotel, don't forget your room boy, say Rs 500 for a week's stay.

Touts 
Touts frequent all main towns but are most prevalent around temples, train and bus stations, tourist sites and outside hotels. Their friendly over-helpfulness is designed to make you feel obliged.to part with your money. They may come up with a convincing act, such as "the student" who is supporting a sick mother and three siblings. Many trishaw drivers meeting tourist trains at Kandy station are the worst touts, as they go to inordinate lengths to herd you into a hotel or guest house where they can claim a fee. The only way to deal with touts is with a very firm "No!" Another brand of tout has an identity card saying he is collecting for charity. They usually have a plausible tale but are nothing more than conmen. If you are feeling charitable you can leave a donation in a temple or church.

Begging
Begging is a way of life in Asia, and I while some cases are genuine there j are others who seek to take 1 advantage. , Tourists are easily categorised as r having a surfeit of cash, so you can expect to attract a fair share of c beggars. Do remember, however, ( that genuine beggars love to receive o food of any sort since they can eat d it on the spot -without having to \I share it with the racketeer who p usually takes most of his earnings. Begging rackets exist mainly in Colombo, so you might consider carrying a bag of oranges to hand to beggars instead of cash, if you object to giving money.


Security and Crime - Unsafe Areas 
Due to the conflict between the Government and the LTTE or " Tamil Tigers ", there are certain areas of the island that are not safe for foreign travellers. These are mainly in the north and visitors should note that everything north of Anuradhapura is off limits, including Wilpattu National Park. Some parts .of Yala Sanctuary are also closed. Places on the east coast such as Trincomalee can also be problematic, so check with a local travel agent or the tourist board that it is safe to visit. Because of occasional bombings, commercial areas in Colombo such as Fort could be avoided. However, this state of affairs seems not to deter visitors whose own cities have suffered terrorist activity. To play safe always check the current situation with the tourist board and heed local advice.

Being Safe In Colombo
Offences of mugging and street crime in Colombo are low but it pays to be careful. Avoid lonely places at night and be wary of accepting lifts from strangers. If you are staying in a hotel, your valuables should be placed in the safety deposit box. Remember that property left lying around may be very tempting to those who earn less in a year than many West- erners earn in a month. In case of an emergency a special unit called the "Tourist Police" is available to visitors in Sigiriya, Bentota, Negombo and Hikkaduwa. 
All city beaches should be avoided at night, especially those in Colombo, which take on a seedy and dangerous atmosphere after dark- muggings, robberies and worse have been known to take place on Mount Lavinia beach. Solo travellers should avoid the beach at this time altogether. There are frequent military and police road blocks on roads leading to Colombo and within the city itself. If you are using a taxi with a prominent hotel logo (such as the Colombo Hilton taxis, which have liveried chauffeurs), you are unlikely to be stopped. However, vans or three-wheeler taxis are frequently stopped for checks. For this reason, always carry your passport or a copy of it or some other form of official-looking identity with your photograph on it. Tourists, however, are usually waved on with no more than a glance.

Womens Travellers
Sri Lankan society is conservative, and the way you dress contributes greatly to people's opinions of you, and also to the way they behave towards you. If you avoid wearing provocative clothing in busy streets in areas such as Fort and Pettah in Colombo, the chances are that you won't be harassed. Female travellers in tourist spots, especially on beaches, are likely to attract unwanted attention. On the West Coast, around the vicinity of Unawatuna, beach bums solicit female European holiday-makers looking for a local gigolo, so you may be propositioned along these lines. Pests can be repelled effectively if you just walk away, avoiding contact of any sort and saying nothing. On the whole, eye contact is seen as a "come-on", so, even if simply walking along the road, avoid looking at men who are strangers.Women should avoid going out alone at nightNever walk or take a trishaw and never accept a lift from a stranger, but hire a cab from a reputable company. You may find yourself the victim of opportunistic groping on a crowded bus or train. Deal with this by drawing attention to the perpetrator and his actions. Be wary of the male who sits beside you when there are plenty of seats elsewhere. Your refusal or reluctance to move away will be interpreted as an invitation to take matters further.

Travellers with Disabilities
Sri Lanka is not well equipped for those with physical disabilities. Only a few of the five-star hotels have access and facilities for people in wheelchairs -public transport has none, so a car and driver is essential. Consult your travel agent for more information.

Childran
Sri Lankans adore children and make a great deal of fuss over them -travelling with children is therefore a good way of meeting locals. Children are well catered for in restaurants, and hotels and guest houses often have family rooms. Baby food and nappies are available in major supermarkets but are very expensive. Good baby bottles are hard to find, so bring these with you. Cotton Children Clothing is easily available.