The best way to get around Colombo
Tuks-tuks are by the far the best way of getting around Colombo, and really any Sri Lankan city or town for that matter. They're fast, cheap, entertaining, and you'll definitely be thankful for the breeze in your face. Make sure to haggle a little bit, though, as tuk-tuk drivers tend to overcharge foreigners. Sometimes it's a forgivable 50 rupees but other times they charge you double or even triple the regular rate. Many of the newer tuk-tuks in Colombo have meters so you'll probably get a more or less fair rate (they'll still probably take the long route to tack on the extra rupees). Here's a good rule of thumb to calculate your fares:
- A 5 minute ride should cost around 100-150 rupees. From Barefoot Cafe to Galle Face Green, for instance, should cost around 120 rupees.
- A 10 minute ride should cost 200-250 rupees (from Barefoot Cafe to Colombo Fort Station, for example)
Going from the Galle Fort Green area or the train station to any of the major temples in the city should cost around 150-250 rupees. You'll probably never have to pay over 300 rupees in the city of Colombo so if the driver tries to high-ball you, see if you can't get him down to the 200-250 range, but don't stress it. After all, the difference only comes out to pocket change in terms of dollars and rupees. Have fun!
