A very sad and startling incident happened in Sri Lanka. A tourist was attacked by a crocodile in Arugam Bay. Everything happened instantly in front of his friends. The body of a 25-year-old Englishman was fished out of the mud on the same day. It's a shock!😱😱😱 This is Sri Lanka, guys. Our time! They say that Sri Lanka is a country of absolute exoticism. It seems to me that it is a very appropriate description. Sri Lanka is a very vibrant and wild country. It is completely different from Russia or any other country. And just because you, as a person who is in this country for the first time, may not see real threats where they are or consider the warnings of local people to be unnecessary fantasies.
I advise you to listen very carefully to the locals, if possible, follow their advice regarding your safety and purchase medical insurance in advance.
It happens that tourists, on the contrary, are afraid of what is safe. Don't be paranoid and afraid to go to Sri Lanka. If you follow my Advice, Sri Lanka will be a safe country for you. Theft or some other nuisance can happen in any country (even in Europe). The reason for this is either your carelessness or chance.
Before the season, I want to warn tourists about the dangers that may await them in Sri Lanka. Overall, I think Sri Lanka is pretty safe for a tourist. But I think I have to warn you about some things. "Forewarned means armed," right?!
1. People
1. As a seasoned traveler, I can say that everywhere and always the most dangerous thing is people. And Sri is no exception. The second thing I can point out from my experience is that you see how the locals do it and do the same...
A) Safe behavior for women.
You need to understand which country you are going to. The locals are quite modest and "puritanical" people. Girls don't go alone here. They bathe in clothes. Sex before marriage is generally not allowed. In the eyes of local men, open swimsuits, clothes and excessive friendliness indicate the sexual accessibility of white girls. For the sake of your comfort and safety, it is better not to attract even more attention from local men (attention is guaranteed to you anyway, since you are white). Although, no, we don't have India. Violence is very rare here.
Here are my recommendations for girls:
- Do not wear swimsuits or pareos outside the beach;
- Don't sunbathe topless (even in a super-tourist location), thongs are undesirable;
- If you are vacationing on a non-tourist, sparsely populated beach, always take a man with you to the beach (husband, boyfriend, brother, just a tourist and a neighbor at the hotel - it doesn't matter);
- If you live in a non-tourist village, always go with someone .;
- Don't make friends with the locals. No matter how "friendly" they seem. Don't go to their house for a dinner party alone.
- Don't hang out at a party where most of the locals are;
- Don't be too friendly with the local beach boys;
- Do not smoke (I mean forbidden) and do not drink with locals;
- Night outings only in the company of her men (or a large company);
- It is better not to swim near Sri Lankans (they may grope) In general, is the strategy of behavior approximately clear?!... Stay away from the local guys.
Also, I warn parents. Do not let a minor child go anywhere alone. He should always be in your sight.
B) Robberies
The fact that you can be short-changed here is normal and should not be a surprise to you. Always count the change, Sri Lankans can be very inconsiderate and can give you less (although they sometimes give more😄). Open robberies with assault are a rare occurrence here. Nevertheless, Sri Lankans are cowardly and only beaten up drug addicts do this. Stealing something from a hotel that is lying unattended can happen. When you return to the room, count the cash. They are very often pinched from your cache. Just like in any other country, be vigilant and don't relax. Don't go out at night waving your loot😀))). Don't tempt fate. Do not leave the doors and windows to your room open either during the day when you are not in the room, or at night when you are sleeping.
2. The ocean 🌊🌊🌊
Look at the locals, how they swim and you will understand how dangerous this element is. Don't mess with the ocean. Don't underestimate him. This is not a sea or a lake. Be careful.
Here are my recommendations:
- Swim under the supervision of someone on the shore;
- Don't swim too far;
- Google what "rip current" is and what to do if you find yourself in it. It could save your life one day. A rip current can quickly and powerfully carry you into the ocean, people panic, try to swim to shore, run out of strength and die. The only salvation is not to try to swim against the current, swim along the shore! The rip current is up to 20 meters wide, as soon as you exit it, you can go to the shore in an arc. They die because of panic;
- If you have climbed onto a boulder that is being hit by waves (we have them on Pet Rock), do not go close to the edge, as you may be washed away by a large wave. The strength and height of the waves change, and small waves can suddenly be covered by a large wave.;
- do not climb on rocks protruding from the water;
- Do not walk on rocks in the water. There are a lot of spiny poisonous sea urchins. Walk on the sand;
- Surfing and jumping on big waves is not the safest activity (just remember this and be careful).
3. The road
The first thing to remember is that Sri Lanka has left-hand traffic. Therefore, when you go out on the road, first look to the right, then to the left. The movement here is without rules and very active.
If you are a pedestrian, cross the road carefully. They rarely stop and skip. Be afraid of buses! When crossing the road, do as the locals do - stick out your hand. It's like they're braking cars, showing them the stop.
If you are on a moped/car, there are two rules: 1 skip the bus, 2 overtake - honk. And in general, your presence on the road should be indicated by signals as actively as possible. Be mentally prepared to meet a bus on the oncoming lane - on a double solid, on a bridge - everywhere.... People often drive into the oncoming lane here.
If you are on a bike, you must wear a helmet. It's not just about security. Without a helmet, you are guaranteed to have problems with the police. It seems to me that at first it is better to entrust the driving of transport to the locals – to take a tuk-tuk or taxi.
4. Coconuts
Before you lie down under a palm tree in the shade, look up. It's not worth the risk if there are coconuts on the palm tree. I really don't know any cases yet. This is a hypothetical danger. The coconuts are falling and beating with great force.
5. Animals and insects 🙈
Animals and insects are mostly harmless here (except for crocodiles)! For example: Scorpios meet and may even come to your doorstep (well, out of a neighborly desire to get to know each other), but you shouldn't be too scared. The local scorpion is not very poisonous. Its bite is comparable to that of a wasp.
Well, if you don't try to catch the monitor lizard by the tail, and squeeze the squirrels in your arms.
Only local dogs can bark. In this case, just take a stick or a stone in your hand, throw it at them, shout "Paleyyan!" and they will run away.
Although there are snakes on the island, there are not many venomous ones. Cobras are dangerous. During the rains, snakes and scorpions and other animals seek a dry place. So it is better to close the doors and windows of the room leading to the courtyard or to the street when you leave. So as not to detect an uninvited guest.
Are you scared? I hope not too much. In seven years, a snake has only crawled into my house three times. So the chances are not great. Snakes most often come to prey on small animals. Rats, frogs, kittens. So if you don't want to meet a snake, it's better that you don't have any small animals on your territory.
About monkeys!
It's better not to feed them. Especially if you rent a house without owners. Monkeys are very arrogant people. If they figure out that you have something to eat. And you, as a Lankan, will not be able to designate and defend your territory by howling like a monkey. Then it is quite possible that monkeys will settle in your house. And they will take out all the food along with the refrigerator. If you don't know how to deal with monkeys, it's better not to feed them. Besides, a monkey can bite. This is dangerous because monkey saliva can lead to unpleasant diseases and consequences for you - you will have to go to the hospital and get a lot of injections.
6. Remembering the crocodile story...
The conclusion is this: do not get close to fresh water bodies. There is good and bad news. The good news is that there are no dangerous sharks in Sri Lanka. The bad news is that Sri Lanka has a lot of huge crested crocodiles that constantly and periodically swim out into the ocean. Salt water is not their element. And when they are in the ocean, floating on the waves like logs, they can be seen from afar. And although I have not yet heard of crocodiles attacking people in the ocean, but be vigilant.
7. Elephants 🐘
There are many wild elephants in Sri Lanka. You can see them not only in nature reserves, but also in the center of the island, just on the road. It will be a great success to meet an elephant. But don't get out of the car and try to feed the elephant. It's not safe. Don't get too close to a wild elephant. Elephant attacks on humans are very common. Not just wild ones, by the way. In Sri Lanka, elephants are used in festive processions during major celebrations of Peerages in Kandy and other cities. And every year, elephants stage acts of defiance. They start running and people in the front rows suffer from the holiday.
8. Mosquitoes, dengue, malaria
I am often asked if there are many mosquitoes on the island. I answer: a lot.
Mosquitoes appear as soon as the heat saves, from 4.30 pm. They are more active all evening than at night. There are more mosquitoes in the rainy season. Less in the dry season.
What is the danger of local mosquitoes?
Malaria. Despite rumors and fears, there is no malaria in Sri Lanka. The island has recently been declared malaria-free. This disease has been defeated here.
Dengue. But there is dengue. It's an unpleasant disease. It has different degrees of severity and different types. Fatal cases are rare, but it is very difficult for many people. Those who have had Dengue are afraid of mosquitoes like fire. But I can reassure you. Dengue is a fairly rare disease. Locals say that dengue is more common in dirty and large cities (Colombo, Galle, Kandy), but not in tourist villages. However, for example, I have never had dengue in all 9 years (ugh, ugh, so as not to jinx it, follow the tree). There were also few people with dengue among all my friends on the island, tourists, and relatives. That is, I am observing a very low percentage of the disease. So I can conclude that dengue is not so terrible, it is rare, and in general it is more a matter of chance, bad luck, and most importantly, a matter of the state of your own body and its reaction. I do not recommend taking protection from mosquitoes with you. Not everything works on local mosquitoes. In addition, there are good and natural remedies on the island. Buy citronella oil at your local pharmacy or supermarket. Mix it with water and spray it on the body. A pleasant natural remedy, a fresh smell, moisturizes the skin and repels mosquitoes - perfect.
9. Jellyfish
There are days during the season when a lot of jellyfish swim up to the shore. Such days are rare. Maybe once a month. You will surely learn about the fact that today is such a day from the locals. They always warn tourists. Sri Lankan jellyfish are very poisonous. You can see it in them. A burn from such a jellyfish is not fatal, but it is better not to encounter them in the ocean.
10. Climate
Be sure to bring hydrogen peroxide and antiseptic creams. Due to the climate here, any combed mosquito bite can quickly become inflamed. So we need to take action quickly.
11. About local food
Contrary to the common notion that in Sri Lanka you can get food poisoning due to the climate, this is absolutely not the case. In Sri Lanka, they cook in front of you, everything is fresh. It is not customary to leave cooked food in the refrigerator here. If you are still afraid for your digestive tract, I advise you to choose a cafe where they cook in front of you behind a glass partition.
12. Electricity
On the island, wiring is often done without grounding. All outlets on the island have switches. When you plug the plug in or out, you must first turn off the outlet. Your hands should be dry at this time. During thunderstorms, it is recommended to turn off all electrical appliances and the phone.
I hope this information will save someone in the upcoming season in Sri Lanka.
The last piece of advice is to smile more and enjoy your vacation😁))
