LONELY PLANET'S OFFICIAL GUIDEBOOK INFORMATION
Dangers & Annoyances
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Ethnic Tension
The country’s ethnic conflict has been widely reported, and many potential visitors have been scared away by the war in the North and East. At the time of research, the situation on the ground was far more relaxed than the old headlines would suggest, and many of the disputed areas had become accessible. You could travel by road, but there were some very specific safety issues in this region – minefields and unexploded ordnance being the most dangerous. Army camps in the North and East were heavily fortified (several old Dutch and Portuguese forts have been garrisoned by the army), and high-security zones such as air bases were completely off limits – definitely not the places to wave around a camera. See the relevant chapters for more information.
All reports were that in the North and East the army and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) cadres were treating foreigners with respect. Ethnic Sinhalese tourists were almost universally welcomed on visits to Jaffna and other Tamil areas.
However, in April 2006 violence broke out again in the northeast, putting the peace negotiations in jeopardy. The situation is likely to be changing quickly though, so you should check the latest situation with your embassy before you leave.
The war has spawned other risks as well. Thousands of soldiers deserted during the long years of war, and some turned to armed banditry to survive. There have been some isolated but vicious attacks on foreigners by ex-soldiers. Illegal loggers have been stripping forests on the fringes of the conflict zone, and some national parks are potentially dangerous, should you stumble across an armed loggers’ camp. Before venturing into these areas, go armed with local knowledge and preferably with a local guide.
The government had tried to protect senior politicians from assassination by recruiting dozens of private bodyguards. These armed henchmen soon became political tools, used to intimidate rivals. You’re unlikely to meet them, but they’re a scary bunch who consider themselves above the law. These goons, and the sons of politicians they’re meant to protect, have been accused of several well-publicised bashings in posh Colombo nightclubs.
Government Travel Advice
The following government websites offer travel advisories and information on current hot spots.
Australian Department of Foreign Affairs (%06-6261 3305)
British Foreign Office (%0845-850 2829)
Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs (%800-267 8376)
US State Department (%888-407 4747, 202-501 4444)
Theft
With the usual precautions, most people’s visit to Sri Lanka is trouble free. However, pickpockets can be active on crowded city buses, notably in Colombo along Galle Rd. They often work together – one to jostle you and the other to pick your pocket or slit your bag with a razor, often as you board a bus. All you can do is try to keep a little space around you and hold tight to what you’re carrying.
It’s often unwise to sleep with your windows open – particularly if you’re on the ground floor. Thieves sometimes use long poles with hooks to snaffle items of value. Monkeys are genetically gifted pilferers, and can slip through small gaps and steal food from your room.
One thieves’ trick reported by a number of travellers is to take the bottom one or two of a block of travellers cheques, so that you don’t notice anything missing until later.
If you do get robbed, go to the police – you won’t get your money back but passports and tickets are often jettisoned later. One Australian got her passport back after the pickpockets dropped it in a mailbox!
Touts
Sri Lanka’s tourism industry provides an income to many, from the owner of a fancy hotel to the driver of a three-wheeler who drops you at the door. For those at the top of the financial pyramid, the money pours in; for the folks down the bottom, commissions are the name of the game. Touts or, as they like to call themselves, ‘friends’ or ‘guides’ lurk around bus and train stations, waiting to persuade you to go to a hotel or guesthouse of their choice. (The place you want to stay in, you see, is closed, full of giant bugs, overpriced etc.) If you stay at their suggested hotel, the tout will gain a commission, sometimes up to 30% of your bill. This is sometimes subsidised by extra charges to you, but often the hotelier makes do with less money. Saying you have a reservation, whether true or not, is a good ploy to fend off touts. However, many travellers like going with a tout, as often you get a better deal and you don’t have the headache of tramping the streets.
The airport is a prime breeding ground for touts (and scams). You may be approached with stories designed to make you sign up for a tour on the spot.
Restaurants also play the commission game: your guide gets a kickback for the lunch you ate. Most gem shops, handicraft stalls and spice gardens, basically any business connected to the tourist industry, also have some kind of commission system set up. Just remember: this is how many make a living – you can help out, or you can spend your money elsewhere. Either way, don’t get hung up on beating the commission racket.
Traffic
Sri Lankan drivers – private-bus drivers in particular – can be a real danger. It seems to be acceptable for a bus, car or truck to overtake in the face of oncoming smaller road users – who sometimes simply have to get off the road or risk getting hit. To announce that they are overtaking, or want to overtake, drivers use a series of blasts on loud, shrill horns. If you’re walking or cycling along any kind of main road make sure you keep all your senses on alert.
Safe Swimming
Every year drownings occur off Sri Lanka’s beaches. If you aren’t an experienced swimmer or surfer it’s easy to underestimate the dangers – or even to be totally unaware of them. There are few full-time lifesaving patrols, so there’s usually no-one to jump in and rescue you. A few common-sense rules should be observed:
Don’t swim out of your depth. If you are a poor swimmer, always stay in the shallows.
Don’t stay in the water when you feel tired.
Never go swimming under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Supervise children at all times.
Watch out for rips. Water brought onto the beach by waves is sucked back to sea and this current can be strong enough to drag you out with it; the bigger the surf, the stronger the rip. Rips in rough surf can sometimes be seen as calm patches in the disturbed water. It’s best to check with someone reliable before venturing into the water. If you do get caught in a rip, swim across the current if you can – not against it. If it’s too strong for you to do this, keep afloat and raise a hand so someone on shore can see that you are in distress. A rip eventually weakens; the important thing is not to panic.
Exercise caution when there is surf.
Beware of coral; coming into contact with coral can be painful for the swimmer, and fatal for the coral. Always check with someone reliable if you suspect the area you’re about to swim in may have coral.
Never dive into the water. Hazards may be lurking under the surface or the water may not be as deep as it looks. It pays to be cautious.
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