Taking surfboards on the night bus to Arugam Bay hostels
3 Answers from travellers
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The luxury AC buses have deep undercarriage storage, but it fills up fast. A 6-foot shortboard can usually fit if you arrive at the Bastian Mawatha bus stand at least an hour before departure. You will need to tip the luggage loader (about 500-1000 LKR) to ensure it is placed carefully on top of the suitcases so it does not get crushed.
Make sure you have a heavily padded travel bag. The roads get very bumpy near Pottuvil.
If you have a longboard (8ft+), they will refuse it. You will have to book a private van.
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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