Things to buy in Sri Lanka

Costs Sri Lanka is still a very cheap country compareable with Southeast Asia. Local street food costs around €1, a meal in a local restaurant €2-€5, a bottle of the local Lion beer is €1.All across the country there are simple accommodations, hostels and homestays. The prices vary depending on the equipment at €10 to €20. On the coast many small boutique hotels opened up in the last years with prices of €20 to €30 per night in a double room. For more comfort expect to pay more than €40.

Currency The currency is the Sri Lankan rupee: LKR. There are coins for 25 and 50 cents (bronze), 1 rupee (old version is big and silver, new version is small and gold,) 2 rupees (silver,) and 5 rupees (gold,) as well as banknotes ranging from LKR10-5000. Coins that are more than a few years old are typically in quite bad condition.

 Things to buy Handicrafts of Sri Lanka. For reed, cane, cotton, paper, leather, wood, clay, metal, and gemstones have been transformed and re-expressed in an array of batiks, toys, curios and jewelery, all exquisite hand made treasures.

Credit cards and ATMs, banking services ATMs are located in many places (especially at bank branches) in the cities and suburbs, less so in the countryside.Be careful of using credit cards, as fraud is on the rise in Sri Lanka.You can withdraw from debit cards too (Cirrus, Maestro,Visa Electron etc.) where the logos are displayed. Mostly your card will be replaced by your bank once you go back to your country. Not every ATM accepts international cards, try Commercial Bank they accept international cards. NOTE ! You can’t send money by Western Union or Money Gram from Sri Lanka abroad. One can only receive money via international money transfer while in Sri Lanka.