Jewelry shops as a currency exchange place in Pettah.
1 Answer from travellers
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Yes, exchanging foreign currency at the large, established jewelry shops on Sea Street in Pettah is completely legal and very safe. Many of these prominent gold merchants hold official Central Bank licenses to operate as authorized money changers. Because they deal in massive daily cash volumes, they frequently offer the most competitive exchange rates in the entire city, significantly beating the standard bank rates for high denomination USD or Euro bills.
Scam Watch: colombo
Driver claims the meter is broken and quotes an inflated flat rate. Common on arrival at airport or railway stations when tourists are tired and disoriented.
Drivers wearing official-looking uniforms claim to be "government-approved" and charge 3-5x normal rates. They may have fake badges or ID cards.
Women with babies approach asking you to buy milk powder at a nearby shop (not cash). The shop is run by accomplices and charges 5-10x normal price.
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