Scam guide
Do you know the three ways a tuk-tuk fare gets inflated?
Nobody is out to ruin your holiday. A few drivers would simply like you to pay triple, and they have three well-worn ways of asking.
It is the complaint visitors make most, and common enough that the Consumer Affairs Authority has run crackdowns in tourist hotspots.
How it works
- The driver quotes a low fare, then says on arrival that it was per person or one way.
- The meter is said to be broken, so the fare is whatever the driver names at the end.
- You are taken to a different hotel, shop or restaurant that pays the driver a commission.
How to avoid it
- Book through PickMe where it works, so the price is fixed before you ride.
- Elsewhere, agree the total for the whole vehicle before you get in, and repeat it back.
- Know the rate: roughly LKR 50–100 per km. Check the distance on your own map.
If it happens to you: Pay what was agreed and walk away. For serious disputes, the Sri Lanka Tourism hotline is 1912.
Know the fair price: Tuk-tuk should cost LKR 50–100 per km, on an app or a working meter.
Rather have the price settled before you land?
Tell us where you want to go. We reply with one all-inclusive figure for car and driver, with no shopping stops along the way.