Tourists, attention! Unlawful higher prices for took took trips in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is known as a popular destination for European tourists who want to have sun bath near silver beaches, swim, dive as well as make safari tours, visit places of historical value and buy diamonds, tea, coconut products and spices. Of course, it is a good destination for those purposes.
I was born and brought in Sri Lanka for three decades and have seen many tourists at many cities throughout the year. But I didn’t know how those tourists are cheated by the took took drivers, sellers and service providers, till I started living there with my Polish husband. I experienced what Sri Lanka is for foreigners. If you plan to go to Sri Lanka for a budget holiday this article will be useful for you to avoid deceitful activities by took took drivers while I will reveal how other service providers are trying to cheat you from my next article.
Shocking price at the destination
The took tooks which are popular as a cheap transport method are seen everywhere in Sri Lanka. The took took drivers will directly access you as soon as they saw you. They will try their best to take your trip stating that the price will be very cheap. Once you agreed to use their service they will start their well- played techniques to make as much as money from you. Their first technique is to take you to the destination through a longer way even when there are short cuts. Also, they will try to inspire you to visit more places before your destination so that they can charge a bigger amount. It may seem nice to visit some more places with a dedicated companion like that. But at the end of the trip they will ask you a shocking price for the trip. You will not be able to argue as you have finished a trip which you don’t know the exact prices.

Foreign tourists are charged more than tripled
The charges of took tooks for foreign tourists are definitely more than tripled. One day I was walking from Negombo beach towards Negombo Town with my husband. One took took from the took took services parking area came and stopped for us and we got in. We wanted to go to my home town which was 5kms away from there. I asked about the charge for the trip in local language. The driver’s face was faded when he realized that I am a local. Earlier he may have not recognized me as he saw me only from the behind. So, I negotiated to pay Rs. 300 for the trip as I knew the exact charge as a local.
“If you tell me the truth how much will you charge if my husband was alone?”, I smiled and asked him.
He smiled with a shame and told “it must have been more than Rs. 2000”.
When I further asked about the charges for foreigners he revealed that foreign tourists are charged four five times higher prices than the locals.

Charges depend on their own estimate
The most took took services are not registered under any legalized transport providing company. The drivers have their private driving licenses and most probably they are with their private took tooks. They can catch anybody on the road for a trip and can charge any amount according to their estimate. If you wish to take the service of a took took driver you must negotiate with the charge for the trip, before you start it. Currently it should be Rs. 50 – 60 per 1km by took took.

Natalia’s bitter experience
One of my foreign friends Natalia, who was on holiday in Sri Lanka, shared her bitter experience with me about took took drivers.
“One day I wanted to buy some flowers for my vase in the bedroom. I got into a took took to go from the hotel I was staying at to a floristry a which was about 4 kms away from the hotel…”
“… On the way to the flora the driver told me the flowers at that place are expensive than the flowers at other floristries he knows. He suggested me to visit other floristries where he can bargain lower prices for me. I kindly refused his help and told him I only want to buy a little bunch of flowers; therefore, I don’t want to visit other places for lower prices. But he continued stating it will be unwise to buy even a little for higher price when there are many floristries around for cheaper prices…”
“Trust me and visit even one place, then you will see how cheap it is”, he said.
“… Actually, I did not want to visit them but finally I agreed to visit one place to get rid of his deprecation. The first shop seemed to be cheap but he wanted to take me to another and another for the cheapest. Finally, I bought my flowers and returned to the hotel…”
“…The floristries I visited were about 4-5 kms away from the hotel. The charge for the took took therefore must have been about Rs. 600 for the return trip. Then I gave him Rs. 800 so that he can have Rs. 200 as a tip. But he refused it and demanded Rs. 4000 which I never should not pay him for such a short trip. But he insisted saying that he took me to many places. Though I thoroughly refused to pay Rs. 4000 he continued demanding with a raised voice. Finally, I paid it with much anger making a promise to myself that I will never use these buggers for my journeys. I was unlucky to par Rs. 4000 to the took took while I paid only Rs. 600 for my flowers!”.

Doubled loss
We met one Polish couple in Negombo who were on their way to the airport after ending two weeks holiday in Sri Lanka. They had used took tooks for their every trip during the holiday. We were astonished about the higher prices they have paid for those trips. Unfortunately, our friends also had tipped the drivers!

Varieties of took took services
Few varieties of took tooks can be seen in Sri Lanka. First one is a took took service, registered under a company. If you want to get their service within Sri Lanka you should download the company’s app. When you want to use a took took you can check the vacant took tooks around you. If you find one you can check how much you will be charged for your journey. If you are fine with the price you can order the took took and enjoy your journey. At the destination you will pay the exact amount which also will be shown in the meter inside the took took. However, this took took service is not available everywhere and every time.
the second variety of the took took services are metered took tooks. Some people who own took tooks fix a meter inside the took took which will calculate the number of kilo meters and the exact charge for the trip. Though this seems to be cheap and trustable, they also will try to make your trip longer so that they can charge more.
I have already talked about the other variety of took tooks. They are without any meters and trying to catch somebody for a trip and charge as they wish.
If you are going to Sri Lanka and willing to spend a low - cost holiday, and thinking about the service of took tooks it will be better for you to be aware about these deceitful transport providers. The white skin is their main target to make better money. Be concerned and have a nice holiday!