Society and Conduct
Conduct and Behaviour
Greetings and Body Language
Legal Matters
Personal Security
Photography
Tipping and Begging
Touts and Conmen
Types of Travellers
General
Sri Lankans attach a lot of importance to polite behaviour
and proper appearance. Although there are many minor
conflicts every day, you will seldom witness a full-scale
public argument. Anyone who cannot control themselves
in public loses face. A loud-mouthed tourist complaining
about minor difficulties and dressed sloppily is a figure
of fun in Sri Lanka and this may lead to a certain degree
of secret scorn for such foreigners.
Cleanliness and modesty are appreciated even in informal
situations. Nudity and topless bathing are prohibited
and heavy fines can be imposed. Displays of intimacy
are not considered suitable in public places and will
probably draw unwanted attention. Women in rural areas
do not normally shake hands with men as this form of
contact is not traditionally acceptable between acquaintances.
Use your right hand for giving, taking, eating or shaking
hands as the left is considered to be unclean.
Visiting religious sites
Visitors to Buddhist and Hindu temples are welcome although
the shrines of Hindu temples are normally closed to
non-Hindus. Visitors should be dressed decently in long
skirts or trousers - shorts, singlets and swimwear are
not suitable. Shoes should be left at the entrance and
heads should be uncovered.
Do not attempt to shake hands or be photographed with
Buddhist monks or to pose for photos with statues of
the Buddha or other deities and paintings. Remember
that monks are not permitted to touch money so donations
should be put in temple offering boxes. Monks renounce
all material possessions and so live on offerings. Visitors
may offer flowers at the feet of the Buddha, but should
remember never to point the soles of their feet towards
the Buddha, as this is considered the height of impropriety.
When sitting or kneeling in Buddhist temples, it is
best to sit in the 'mermaid' position, with
your legs tucked beneath your body.
Greetings
and Body Language
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"Ayubowan" - may you have long life - is
the traditional welcome greeting among the Sinhalese,
which is accompanied by a joining of the hands at chest
level and a slight bow of the head - and generally a
broad smile as well! The same gesture accompanies the
word "vanakkam" among Tamils.
The famous head 'waggle' of the Indian subcontinent
manages to confuse almost every foreign visitor. As
in many parts of the world, shaking the head from side
to side means "no", while a nod of the head
means "yes". However, the 'waggle' - a cross
between a nod and a shake of the head with the chin
pointed upwards - indicates a simple "yes"
or "OK".
Sri Lankans are likely to stare at anyone new, which
is not considered rude in the same way as it is in the
West. Expect to be stared at by locals, but do not take
offence - it simply shows that people are interested
in you and your difference to them.
Sri Lanka's legal system is a complex, almost arcane
mix of British, Roman-Dutch and national law. The legal
system tends to move fairly slowly, and even a visit
to a police station to report a small theft can involve
lots of time-consuming form-filling. The tourist police
in major towns and tourist spots should be your first
point of contact for minor matters such as theft.
Drug use, mainly marijuana but even heroin, is common
in tourist centres such as Hikkaduwa, Negombo and Unawatuna.
Dabbling is perilous as you can expect to end up in
jail if you are caught dealing or using anything illegal.
In general, the threats to personal security for foreign
travellers in Sri Lanka are small. In most areas it
is possible to travel without any risk of personal violence.
However, care is necessary in some places, and basic
common sense needs to be used with respect to looking
after valuables.
Theft is not uncommon in Sri Lanka especially when
travelling by train or crowded bus. It is essential
to take good care of personal belongings both when you
are carrying them and when you have to leave them anywhere.
You cannot regard all hotel rooms as automatically safe
so it is wise to use hotel safes for valuable items.
It is best to keep passports and travellers' cheques
with you at all times.
Colourful and multi-faceted, Sri Lanka offers a wealth
of images, and people are generally willing to be photographed,
with the exception of monks who may show some reluctance.
However, it is always polite to ask first, and never
attempt to be photographed with Buddhist monks or to
pose for photos with statues of the Buddha or other
deities and paintings. In the light of the country's
widespread poverty, it is understandable that some people
expect a token 'donation' for allowing themselves to
be photographed.
Photography is prohibited in all militarised areas,
at the airport and in some museums and temples. In other
museums and temples a permit is required for a nominal
fee.
Obtaining gratuities is a way of life in Sri Lanka.
Having said that, many of the staff in the tourist trade
do not get a realistic wage and have to rely on tips,
or a share of the service charge, for their basic income.
Although a 10% service charge is added to room rates
and meals at virtually all hotels, guesthouses and restaurants,
much of this is absorbed by the establishment and does
not get fairly distributed amongst the staff.
Begging is part of everyday life throughout Asia, and while some cases
are genuine there are others who seek to take advantage.
Tourists are easily categorised as having plenty of
money, so you can expect to attract a fair share of
beggars.
The sight of beggars near religious sites can be very
disturbing. A coin to one child or a destitute woman
on the street can lead to demands from a large number
before long. Many Sri Lankans give alms to street beggars
as a means of gaining spiritual merit or out of a sense
of duty but the sum is often very small - a rupee or
two. How you deal with beggars is a matter of personal
choice but it is perhaps better to give to a recognised
charity than to make largely ineffectual handouts to
individuals. Some people find it appropriate to give
food to beggars rather than money. Children sometimes
offer to do a 'job' for you such as call a taxi, show
you the way or pose for a photograph. You may want to
give a coin out of appreciation, however, it is not
helpful to hand out sweets ("bon bons"), "school
pens" and money indiscriminately to open palmed
children who tag onto any foreigners.
A pledge to donate a part of your holiday budget to
a local charity can be an effective formula for 'giving'.
Some visitors like to support self-help local co-operatives,
orphanages, disabled or disadvantaged groups, or international
charities like Oxfam or Save the Children which work
with local partners, by either making a donation or
by buying their products.
Touts frequent all main towns but are most prevalent
around temples, train and bus stations, tourist sites
and outside hotels. Their friendly over-helpfulness
is designed to make you feel obliged to part with your
money. They may come up with a convincing act, such
as 'the student' who is supporting a sick mother and
three siblings. Another brand of tout has an identity
card saying he is collecting for charity. They usually
have a plausible tale but are nothing more than conmen.
Be polite, but firm, when refusing to give a 'donation'.
A new breed of conmen is on the increase especially
in towns attracting tourists (e.g. Kandy and Galle).
One may approach you as you step out on the street,
saying he recognises you as he works in your hotel.
Caught off guard, you feel obliged to accept him as
your guide for exploring the sights (and shops), and
so are ripe for exploitation. It is best to ignore them
and carry on your own business while politely, but firmly,
declining their offers of help.
The country does not provide specifically for the physically
handicapped or wheelchair-bound traveller. Access to buildings,
toilets, pavements and kerbs, and public transport, can
prove very frustrating, but it is easy to find people
to give a hand with lifting and carrying. Provided there
is an able-bodied companion or friend around to arrange
help, and so long as you are prepared to spend a little
more on at least mid-price accommodation, private car-hire
or taxis, Sri Lanka can prove to be rewarding.
Homosexuality between men is illegal in Sri Lanka,
even in private, and may lead to a prison sentence of
up to 15 years. It is therefore wise to be discreet
to avoid the attentions of over zealous and homophobic
police officers. Most Sri Lankans are unfamiliar with
homosexuality between women so, again, it is best to be
discreet to avoid unnecessary attention.
Compared with many other countries it is relatively
easy and safe for women to travel around Sri Lanka,
even on their own. There are some problems to watch
out for and some simple precautions to take which make
it possible to avoid both personal harassment and giving
offence.
Modest dress for women is always advisable - loose-fitting,
non-see through clothes, covering the shoulders, and
skirts, dresses or shorts (at least knee-length). Unaccompanied
women may find problems of harassment, though this is
relatively rare. It is always best to be accompanied
when travelling by tuk-tuk or taxi at night. Do remember
that what may be considered to be normal, innocent friendliness
in the West may be misinterpreted by some Sri Lankan
men.
Children of all ages are widely welcomed, being greeted
with a warmth in their own right which is often then
extended to those accompanying them. In the big hotels
there is no difficulty with obtaining safe baby foods,
though 'wet wipes' and disposable nappies (diapers)
are not readily available in many areas.
Care should be taken when travelling to remote areas
where health services are primitive since children can
become more rapidly ill than adults. Extra care must
be taken to protect children from the sun and heat by
using sunscreen, wearing wide-brimmed hats or carrying
an umbrella, and by avoiding being out in the hottest
part of the day. Cool showers or baths help if children
get too hot. Drinking plenty of bottled drinking water
will avoid dehydration and skin moisturisers are also
worth taking.
Sri Lankans accord older people a great deal of respect.
The country is rare among the developing nations in
that it has a rapidly growing proportion of elderly
people, similar to the populations of many European
countries. However, respect does not translate into
concessions for senior citizens at museums and sites.
Some travellers have been coming to Sri Lanka for 40
years, and the kind of tourists who come to Sri Lanka
tend to be from a wider age group than those that travel
to other sun-and-sand destinations.
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