Taxi bookings tend to concentrate during major holiday periods in Japan, Western countries, and Sri Lanka.
For customers considering chartering a taxi during these periods, it is advisable to plan ahead and make a provisional booking as early as possible (ideally about one month in advance) to ensure availability.
Especially during August, when holidays in all regions overlap, and during Christmas and the New Year period, popular plans such as Japanese-speaking guide-drivers tend to get fully booked about a month in advance. Some guides may even be reserved by specific requests, so booking early is highly recommended.
Additionally, during the Sri Lankan New Year in April, the number of available taxis decreases, leading to earlier full bookings.
Sri Lanka’s major holidays include the Sinhala and Tamil New Year in mid-April, which is well-known. During this time, Thailand also celebrates its traditional New Year, Songkran, so there is an increase in bookings from travelers in the region.
Shortly after this New Year period, Vesak, a significant Buddhist holiday, takes place. This often coincides with Japan’s Golden Week, making it a challenging time to coordinate drivers and guides due to their days off. After Vesak, the general atmosphere becomes busy again as the New Year holidays conclude.
However, for tourist taxi companies, this is when they can finally relax a bit, as the rainy season begins and things slow down.
In August, during Japan’s Obon holiday and the summer holidays in Western countries, Sri Lanka also hosts the important Kandy Esala Perahera festival, leading to a peak in congestion. Taxi bookings often require last-minute adjustments, and the pressure to avoid scheduling mistakes makes this a mentally and physically demanding period.
Similarly, from December 20 to the end of the year, holidays in both domestic and international markets align, causing vehicles to be fully booked well in advance.
After the New Year, around late January, the prominent Chinese New Year holiday begins. Not only in China but also in countries with significant Chinese cultural influence, such as Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Indonesia, many tourists visit as companies take time off. In 2025, the Chinese New Year holiday is expected to run from January 28 to February 4.
This period is ideal for activities like safaris in Yala National Park and whale watching in Mirissa, as the weather is dry and favorable.
If you can use paid leave to plan your trip outside these peak periods, there’s no need to worry, and last-minute arrangements (even the day before) are usually possible.
By keeping in mind the seasonal booking trends for tourist taxis in Sri Lanka and planning your schedule accordingly, you can ensure a smoother travel experience.
Many travelers withdraw cash from ATMs using their credit cards.
In Sri Lanka, the exchange rate for foreign currency to Sri Lankan rupees via overseas cash advances (credit card withdrawals at ATMs) is often quite unfavorable compared to exchanging cash at a money exchange. Therefore, cash exchange is generally recommended. However, due to its convenience, many people still opt for ATM withdrawals.
That being said, a rare but urgent issue that sometimes arises is:"My card got stuck in the ATM! What should I do?"
If a driver or guide is nearby, they can assist by checking with the ATM staff. However, in most cases, the issue is simply a misunderstanding of the ATM’s operation, and pressing the "transaction end" button will release the card.
However, if the card is truly stuck, it becomes a more serious matter. Below is an overview of how such cases are typically handled.
1: Bank Staff or Security Guards Cannot Resolve the Issue
Even if the ATM is located inside a bank or at an airport, bank employees are not authorized to open the machine. ATM maintenance is outsourced to external contractors.
For example, Abans, a well-known electronics and retail company in Sri Lanka, also handles some ATM maintenance contracts.
If the card is physically stuck in the ATM, the bank staff (for bank ATMs) must report the issue. For independent, unmanned ATMs, the customer must call the contact number posted on the machine to notify the maintenance team.
2: It Takes Several Days to Resolve
As the card owner, you will need to provide identification and fill out necessary forms.
A crucial point to note is that if you are a traveler moving to another region or returning home soon, immediate resolution is unlikely. According to bank staff, it generally takes around three business days for a technician to arrive and retrieve the card.
3: You Must Decide Whether to Retrieve, Destroy, or Ship the Card
If you are still in the area and your schedule allows, you can arrange to collect your card later. However, if you are unsure whether you will be able to retrieve it, you must indicate in the paperwork whether you want the card destroyed.
While international shipping via EMS or registered mail is possible for credit cards, banks do not handle international shipping themselves.
Final Thoughts
Recovering a card stuck in an ATM requires significant time and effort. To avoid unnecessary panic, it’s a good idea to ask yourself in advance:"What would I do if I lost this card?" (It might help!)
For added security, consider diversifying your payment methods while traveling. Many people now rely entirely on their smartphones for payments, but if something happens to your device, it could disrupt your entire trip.
I hope this information helps you prepare for a smooth and stress-free journey!
The highway bus hub station "Makumbura (Makumbura Multimodal Center, commonly known as MMC)" located near our office is not as well-known among international tourists as the railway, but depending on how you use it, it can be a highly beneficial transportation option for reducing travel costs and improving time efficiency during your trip to Sri Lanka. It's definitely worth knowing about.
For reference, here are some major tourist destinations you can reach directly from Makumbura (pronounced "Maakumbura" locally) without any transfers:
Ella & Badulla - Approximately 4 hours | 5 services per day
Galle - Approximately 1.5 hours | Services every 30 minutes from 5:30 AM to 8:00 PM
Tissamaharama (Gateway to Yala National Park) - Approximately 4 hours | 5 services per day
Matara
Tangalla - Approximately 2.5 hours | 5 services per day (including 1 overnight service)
Kandy - Approximately 3 hours | 3 services per day (afternoon only)
In addition to these, the highway buses serve numerous other regions, including harder-to-reach areas in the eastern and northern parts of Sri Lanka.
The highway bus system is ideal for the following types of travelers:
Those planning to stay at hotels in the southern beach areas for an extended period without visiting other tourist spots.(Areas like Tangalle, Unawatuna, and Hambantota, which have many resort hotels, are well-served, making it highly valuable for extended stays.)
Those who want to go directly to Yala National Park for a safari tour without stopping anywhere along the way.
Those who want to travel straight to Ella or Badulla for an extended stay without making any stops in between.
This makes the highway bus a versatile and efficient option for various travel needs!
Comparison with Trains
Faster Arrival Times: In most cases, highway buses arrive earlier than trains.
More Frequent Services: There are significantly more bus services, especially on popular routes like Galle.
Access to Areas Without Trains: Highway buses can reach destinations like Yala, which are not accessible by train.
Fewer Delays: Compared to trains, which often experience delays of tens of minutes, highway buses are more punctual.
Potentially Cheaper Fares: In some cases, highway bus fares are lower than train fares.
However, highway buses also have their drawbacks.
Disadvantages of Highway Buses
Limited Seats: If Makumbura is not the starting point, there may be only a few seats left, and you might have to wait for the next bus at the ticket counter. During peak times when many locals use the buses, they can get extremely crowded and often sell out.
Real-Time Availability: Seat availability can only be confirmed by visiting the Makumbura ticket counter on the same day.
Limited Online Booking: While there is an online reservation system, it does not cover all routes.
Cancellation Risks: Services with low reservations may be suddenly canceled, leading to significant changes in your travel plans.
There are several ATMs from various banks located within the large premises.
Makumbura is located in Kottawa, southeast of Colombo.
By the way, E-Tours is also in the same town. It's a nicely rural? and pleasant area.
Makumbura is the name of the area, and when explaining it to locals, you need to say "Maakumbura Bus Station." Using the abbreviation "MMC" won't work as it's not widely recognized yet.
About 3 kilometers west, there is also a place called Kottawa Bus Station, but highway buses do not stop there, so be careful not to confuse the two.
The boarding areas are separated by destination, and when the bus arrives, everyone lines up in an orderly manner to board.
Although the premises are large, there are many guides from the entrance parking lot, so you're unlikely to get lost. The staff at the information desk are also very helpful, and the boarding areas have electronic display boards showing the timetable by destination, making it easy to see when the next bus departs.
The displays switch between English, Sinhala, and Tamil.
Makumbura is a station that serves not only highway buses but also local buses. However, compared to highway buses, the local buses are notoriously rough in their driving. They often try to depart before passengers have fully alighted, and while locals are used to it and have developed strong core strength, I absolutely do not recommend them for foreign tourists.
During the nearly two hours I spent observing, I only saw about 10 foreign tourists.
While observing the buses coming in one after another, I noticed that there are many microbuses.
For routes that aren't as popular or don't expect large numbers of passengers, smaller buses might suffice. It's also possible that they switch to smaller vehicles if not enough people book in advance online.
If the bus is not a large tour bus, passengers with big luggage like suitcases may need to store them inside the bus, and additional fees are often charged, though I couldn't get clear information on this.
By the way, ticket prices are higher when booked online due to system usage fees and service charges compared to buying them locally. While popular routes like Ella & Badulla require advance booking, most other routes seem to have enough availability for same-day purchases.
For example, Makumbura to Matara (the southernmost town in Sri Lanka) costs just 800 rupees per seat—what a great deal! With prices like this, families can easily travel to the southern beaches and return without breaking the bank.
Honestly, the weather was so nice that I felt like hopping on a bus just to see the sea right away.
Even among tour guides, surprisingly few are familiar with the details of Makumbura. Our Japanese guide, Raki, joined us for the visit to learn more, and he mentioned that the lack of consolidated information about highway buses makes it confusing for travelers.
To the Center Manager of Makumbra, you looked very dashing with a serious expression when the photo was taken, but when we spoke, you were very approachable!
I found it incredibly insightful to meet the Center Manager of Makumbura, who graciously agreed to an impromptu interview. (To my surprise, he turned out to be "Bana" friends with my husband's parents! *Bana refers to a Buddhist sermon gathering. What a small world, Kotuwa!)
According to him, the development of MMC has not followed the trajectory they initially envisioned. Something is not progressing smoothly.
The COVID-19 pandemic and the country's default crisis must have had a massive impact, but that alone does not seem to explain everything.
For example, although they have established a training facility for tour bus drivers, ensuring a structured program, over time, many revert to their old habits—talking on their phones while driving or engaging in unsafe practices. Managing the behavior of workers on the ground is proving to be a major challenge.
This issue is probably common across many industries.
In my view, the responsibility does not lie solely with the workers but also with those in higher social positions. One example is a campaign that was heavily promoted in August. However, now that I’m here, I’ve discovered that the promised service is no longer available.
According to the staff at MMC, the issue was related to a campaign appeal for an election, which shows how things can get complicated when politicians are involved.
While it's understandable that bus services may be canceled due to low passenger numbers, the lack of clear and updated information online—such as services that used to exist but no longer do—makes it difficult to plan ahead. This is likely why tourists find it challenging to use the system.
The uncertainty of not knowing what's available until you arrive is a risk for tourists with limited time.
At E-Tours, we provide support to taxi-using customers by offering timetable information and seat availability for connecting highway buses.
Next time, I'll share a detailed guide to the boarding areas, as well as the dining and rest areas both indoors and outdoors.
