Forex at Sri Lanka

[bigbrain]

All,
Anyone travelled to SriLanka recently?

Few of the home-stays and taxi I booked asked me to pay LKR. No card accepted.

Should I carry INR for conversion or can I use credit card for forex? Or use my debit card at ATMs?

 

[sxchzy]

carry cash
dont use cc as forex markup will be as high as 3% above interbank rates
dc would also be having charges as atm usage
look for forex cards

 

[Walter White]

All,
Anyone travelled to SriLanka recently?

Few of the home-stays and taxi I booked asked me to pay LKR. No card accepted.

Should I carry INR for conversion or can I use credit card for forex? Or use my debit card at ATMs?

Withdraw cash at an ATM on reaching SL. Digital payments ecosystem in SL is still far behind India. In big restaurants and hotels, they'll accept cards. (Amex and Discover/Diners acceptance is pathetic). Outside Colombo, make sure to have cash with you.

 

[bigbrain]

carry cash
dont use cc as forex markup will be as high as 3% above interbank rates
dc would also be having charges as atm usage
look for forex cards

As per regulations only 25k per person is allowed to be carried out of India. I am sure I need more than that. We are a family of 5 (including a toddler) in SriLanka for 9 days.

 

[bigbrain]

Withdraw cash at an ATM on reaching SL. Digital payments ecosystem in SL is still far behind India. In big restaurants and hotels, they'll accept cards. (Amex and Discover/Diners acceptance is pathetic). Outside Colombo, make sure to have cash with you.

Thanks. I will do the same.

 

[Walter White]

As per regulations only 25k per person is allowed to be carried out of India. I am sure I need more than that. We are a family of 5 (including a toddler) in SriLanka for 9 days.

HSBC, SC and BOC ATMs won't charge you for withdrawal using foreign cards in SL. Used to be the case before. Btw, Rupay cards are now accepted in SL and have a good acceptance at ATMs.

 

[bigbrain]

HSBC, SC and BOC ATMs won't charge you for withdrawal using foreign cards in SL. Used to be the case before. Btw, Rupay cards are now accepted in SL and have a good acceptance at ATMs.

I don’t have rupay debit card unfortunately. I have a credit card though.
If it was a package then it would have been easier that I pay the operator in full. But since it is self planned trip I have to pay at every place.

Out of 9 nights, only two stays accepted online payment. Two nights we are staying in homestay and they said only cash. And taxi driver also wants only cash.

 

[bigbrain]

HSBC, SC and BOC ATMs won't charge you for withdrawal using foreign cards in SL. Used to be the case before. Btw, Rupay cards are now accepted in SL and have a good acceptance at ATMs.

Thanks. I will look for these atms.

 

[Walter White]

I don’t have rupay debit card unfortunately. I have a credit card though.
If it was a package then it would have been easier that I pay the operator in full. But since it is self planned trip I have to pay at every place.

Out of 9 nights, only two stays accepted online payment. Two nights we are staying in homestay and they said only cash. And taxi driver also wants only cash.

If you have an account with SBI and still have some time for your trip, try getting Rupay JCB Debit Card. They don't have forex charges.

 

[bigbrain]

If you have an account with SBI and still have some time for your trip, try getting Rupay JCB Debit Card. They don't have forex charges.

I have sbi account but I am leaving tomorrow so no time. thinking of it now, I wonder why I did not think of it earlier.

 

[Pujaari]

I have sbi account but I am leaving tomorrow so no time. thinking of it now, I wonder why I did not think of it earlier.

Look for that friend in need who is a friend indeed and can lend you his😀

 

[bigbrain]

Look for that friend in need who is a friend indeed and can lend you his😀

Actually I did ask a friend and he agree to give his card. 😎😃