How much cash on hand at any given time? Getting mixed answers.

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A
Amy1100 rep2

Everyone says 'don't carry too much' but also 'ATMs unreliable outside cities' and 'many places cash only'. What's the actual balance?

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3 Answers from travellers

Accepted Answer

Baseline for a normal day: 5000-10000 LKR (~$15-30) in cash for tuk-tuks, snacks, entry fees, small purchases. Card works at hotels, most restaurants, supermarkets, tourist shops. Cash-only zones: local kade (small eateries), tuk-tuks (except PickMe app pay), village markets, temple entry, national park entry, most tour operators. Weekly ATM withdrawal: 30000-50000 LKR at a bank ATM (Commercial, Sampath). Don't withdraw huge amounts at once - split across days.

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M
Mira2250 rep1

5-10k daily + emergency stash. Got it.

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A
Amy1100 rep2

^ this. Also: keep 5000 LKR emergency stash in a different pocket/bag from your main cash. Multiple ATM cards from different banks (Visa + Mastercard) in different places. ATM failures happen - having Plan B saves a lot of stress.

8
R
Ranjit6550 rep1

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