Business Offices: 09:00 to 17:00, Monday to Friday
Banks: 09:30 to 13:00, Monday to Friday; some open until 15:00
Post Offices: 08:30 to 17:00, Monday to Friday
Shops: 09:00 to 17:30, Monday to Friday; 09:00 to 13:00, Saturdays

Parts of Sri Lanka have suffered from civil unrest in recent years, although Nuwara Eliya is considered a low-risk area. While the city does not suffer from inordinately high levels of petty or violent crime, visitors are still advised to keep their wits about them and be wary of potentially risky situations.

Smart travellers avoid wearing expensive jewellery and flashing valuable items in public places, and keep their cash in places inaccessible to pickpockets. Single-strap bags are best worn across the body while daypacks are inadvisable in busy places as they can be easily rifled through without the owner knowing.

Nuwara Eliya is a good place to enjoy hiking, but straying off the beaten track is unwise unless you are accompanied by a local guide as there are risks of getting lost or falling foul of ill-intentioned characters. Women are advised to dress modestly and not to travel alone, especially on public transportation as it’s not uncommon for western females to experience sexual harassment at the hands of local males.

Beggars commonly use sob stories relating to their plight in the wake of the 2004 tsunami disaster. Such tales may or may not be true. Regardless, visitors are advised to steer clear of these characters.

Electricity: 230 volts AC, 50Hz

All visitors are advised to be immunized against typhoid and hepatitis B prior to their trip to Nuwara Eliya. Additionally, vaccinations against typhoid, rabies and Japanese encephalitis may also be necessary depending on where you plan to stay and for how long.

Malaria is present in the city and while not considered an excessively high risk, concerned visitors may wish to take anti-malarial drugs. Wearing insect repellent on exposed areas of the body is recommended at all times, even during the day, as the dengue-carrying mosquito is more prevalent in daylight hours.

Tap water is not deemed safe for consumption and bottled purified water is recommended for both drinking and brushing of teeth. Avoid ice in drinks as its purity cannot be relied upon. Restaurants and other public eateries may not observe standards of hygiene on a par with those of western countries and hence visitors are advised to be discerning with regards to where they choose to eat.

Nuwara Eliya has a hospital that is capable of taking care of minor injuries and illnesses. However, visitors requiring specialist treatment are advised to visit the main hospital in Colombo, the country’s capital city.

Colombo General Hospital: +94 11 2691 111

Sinhala is the main language spoken in Nuwara Eliya although Tamil is also spoken by a significant number of residents. As Sri Lanka was once part of the British Empire and Nuwara Eliya was a popular holiday retreat destination for British citizens, it’s unsurprising that English is spoken competently by many of the city’s local residents.

The Sri Lanka rupee (LKR) is the country’s official currency. Notes are issued in denominations of LKR1,000, 500, 200, 100, 50, 20 and 10, while coins come in LKR10, 5, 2 and 1, and 50, 25, 10, 5, 2 and 1 cents.

There are four banks in the city where currency can be exchanged: Bank of Ceylon, Hatton National Bank, Commercial Bank and Seylan Bank. Some hotels also offer currency exchange facilities although the rates are not as favourable. US dollars, euros and sterling for both cash and traveller’s cheques are the easiest currencies to change.

Local currency cannot be exported in amounts greater than LKR1,000. ATMs accepting foreign cards such as Visa, AMEX, MasterCard, and Maestro can be found at each of the city’s four banks as well as at some of the more reputable hotels.

Visitors wanting to bring cigarettes into the country are permitted a personal allowance of 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250g tobacco without incurring duty. Alcohol allowances permit the import of no more than two bottles of wine, or 1.5 litres of spirits.

Like most countries, Sri Lanka has a list of items that may not be brought into the country or must be declared on entry. Prohibited items include firearms and other weapons, illegal drugs and both pornographic and religiously offensive publications. Certain edible and organic goods plus prescription medications are subject to restriction and should be declared if in doubt.

Traditionally, older persons are greeted with a gesture involving bringing the hands to the chest in prayer position with fingers below the chin and saying ‘namaste’, meaning ‘I bow to you’. Among younger visitors, handshakes are becoming increasingly acceptable. Locals that speak Sinhalese greet each other by saying ‘ayubowan’, while Tamils say ‘vanakkam’. Appropriate titles of address should be used at all times; enquire politely if you are unsure what title to use.

Visitors should dress conservatively while holidaying in Nuwara Eliya with special attention to dress required when visiting temples and shrines. For religious sites, it’s important to cover knees and shoulders, and to remove shoes before entering any buildings.

The locals observe the concept of ‘face’ just as other Sri Lankan citizens, meaning that preserving one’s honour and self dignity and that of others is a primary concern in day to day socialising. With this in mind, visitors should avoid publicly criticising locals or losing their cool in social situations.

Dining Etiquette
In a Nuwara Eliya household, dinner is generally served a couple of hours after the scheduled appointment time. It’s not essential to arrive exactly on time however it’s polite to be fairly punctual. Shoes should be removed before entering the house and left outside the front door. Gifts are not essential, but appreciated, especially items from a foreign country that are not available in Sri Lanka. Avoid giving alcoholic beverages as a gift as many locals refrain from drinking for religious reasons.

In the dining area, it’s polite to wait to be shown to your seat. Once seated, you should await the arrival of all other guests. Food is generally served buffet style, but may also be presented as a set meal. Eating does not commence until all guests are seated and the host or hostess has started eating. Food is usually eaten with the right hand and utensils are generally only used for soup dishes.

At the end of the meal it’s considered polite to leave a small amount of food on the plate, implying that you are full and your host or hostess offered you a sufficiently large meal. Clearing the plate may imply that you are still hungry and can be taken as an insult.

Citizens of the UK, Republic of Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, the US, Canada and South Africa automatically qualify for a 30-day tourist visa upon entry to Sri Lanka, provided they have a passport valid for at least six months from their date of arrival. Some nationals of other countries are also permitted a visa on arrival, while others will need to apply to a Sri Lankan embassy for a tourist visa in advance. Contact the Sri Lanka embassy in your home country for further information.

There are no official tourist information offices in Nuwara Eliya. Visitors seeking information about the city should contact the Sri Lanka Tourist Board based in Colombo. Phone: +94 112 437059/60; email: info@srilanka.travel.