As soon as you come out of your hotel in any part of Sri Lanka, the first thing you will notice are the Tuk Tuks – the primary transport service in Sri Lanka.
These three-wheeled multi-colored small vehicles come with ever smiling drivers from any corner of the city.
This is the widely available and mostly used transport option in Sri Lanka. Before hailing a Tuk Tuk we believe there are few things you should know as a tourist. We’ve out together some important guide together answering most of the questions about Tuk Tuks in Sri Lanka.
Hailing a Tuk Tuk
- Hailing a road side Tuk Tuk: They are easy to find and most of the time the Tuk Tuks will sense that you are looking for a ride and come finding you. You will need to agree the price upfront to avoid unnecessary issues.
- Tuk Tuk Sri lanka App: There are great transport Apps which you can download to your hand gadget. These are the best among other option considering the safety and tracking.
- Ask your Hotel, Restaurant or Bar to call one: This option might be slightly pricy, but reliable and trustworthy. Most establishments work with Tuk Tuk drivers to serve in such situations. Most importantly these Tuk Tuks know what they are doing.
Cost for Tuk Tuk in Srilanka?
The cost for Tuk Tuk may vary according to what type of Tuk Tuk you have chosen to ride with,
- Metered: You can clearly track the cost using the attached meter in any Tuk Tuks. By law it is a must to keep a meter attached to a Tuk Tuk.
- Non-metered: You can agree to a price with the driver in advance. It is important you do this before setting off.
- Apps: Transport apps are the most trusted when it comes to cost. The cost will be calculated via the app and can be tracked accordingly.
— READ – THINGS TO DO IN SRI LANKA —
Are Tuk Tuks safe?
Overall, it is a YES! But you need to take care that you are not scammed on the cost. Using an app or booking through your hotel reception will bring you some trustworthy drivers and has some extra security.
During the traffic, drivers are well used to travel through manic roads and junctions.
Explaining the road
Many drivers are not good with their English. So often the you will be finding it hard to explain the road. If you are using an app, you won’t have an issue. They can easily navigate through the app that shows the road.
Or if you can show the road through Google Maps or related apps the drivers will be able to navigate through.
Tuk Tuk Scams
Most of the time the only and main scam is the price charging. Make sure the price is discussed before the trip if you are not using an app.
Sometimes in metered Tuks and apps drivers may take longer routes to charge more. But if you have been following the navigation app in your mobile you can track if the roads are changed often.
Overall, having a Tuk Tuk experience is one of the finest things to experience in Sri Lanka. You can also hire a Tuk Tuk for around $15 for an entire day and for yourself. Most of the tourists that visit to Sri Lanka have nodded that self-driving a Tuk Tuk is one of their favorite activities in Sri Lanka.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
