Ruby Marshall’s Tuk Tuk Adventure in Sri Lanka.
Thinking of a wild adventure? I highly recommend hiring a tuk tuk to drive around Sri Lanka. While it may sound terrifying, let me explain why you should consider it.
My partner, a friend, and I planned a two-week trip to Sri Lanka. We hadn’t organized much in advance. Then, about a week before our trip, we found tuktukrentals.com during our research.
I have never seen so many positive reviews for something with so much potential to go wrong.
I just spent two weeks driving a tuk tuk around Sri Lanka. We had such a fun adventure.
The process of booking and preparing for the tuk tuk
For our journey, it was myself, my partner, and a friend. We’re not the most organized travelers, so we only booked the tuk tuk a few days before arriving. Luckily, it was a quick and easy process.
First, we contacted the company. We told them our preferred dates and where we wanted to pick it up and drop it off. After confirming our dates, we had to send them copies of our Australian licenses. We also filled out the forms on their website. Next, we watched a quick explainer video about the tuk tuk. Finally, we booked an online briefing session, which they host a couple of times a day.
Getting Your License
You also need a special Sri Lankan tuk tuk license to drive. The company sorts this all out for you. The license cost us US$40 each.
Understanding the Costs
The cost of the tuk tuk itself varies. It depends on how long you book it for and your pickup and drop-off locations. You can use almost any big town or city in Sri Lanka for this. The price changes depending on where you start and end your trip.
You can check out their full list of pricing on their website. The cost includes a 24/7 emergency support service. It also provides a Travel App and an on-the-road travel kit.
Getting to the office and taking driving lessons
We arrived in Negombo late at night. We headed to the tuktukrentals.com office first thing the next morning. They checked us in and then took us out for driving lessons.
They start you on the small side streets near their office. After you get the hang of it, they have you drive on the busier main road. This is honestly scary with only 30 minutes of practice, but you get used to it quickly! The instructors give you a 30-45 minute lesson each. Be warned, you will stall a lot at first.
It’s a strange vehicle to learn. It is quite different from a car or a motorbike. It has handles like a motorbike, but the brake is a pedal on the floor. The tuk tuks are also manual. If you have only ever driven an automatic, you may find it more difficult. Don’t let that put you off!
Setting Off on Your Adventure
Tuktukrental.com ensures you know everything about the tuk tuk before you leave. While it takes a little while to master driving, you get used to it very quickly.
The office in Negombo is just off a busy main road. As a result, you really get thrown in the deep end immediately. We were headed to Sigiriya first. Once we were out of Negombo, we drove through quiet rural areas for the first day. This gave us time to get used to the tuk tuk without chaotic traffic. However, many other renters we met went south immediately. This meant going through Colombo, Sri Lanka’s capital, about an hour into their trip. I imagine that would have been very full-on.
On the road
Go with the flow. That’s all I can say. The traffic may seem chaotic at first, but it’s more like a river. You just have to go where the stream takes you. Trust that other drivers know what they’re doing and accept the madness.
The roads in Sri Lanka also have a hierarchy. Buses and trucks get the right of way. In contrast, scooters and tuk tuks are at the bottom of the pecking order. If a truck or bus is coming up behind you, just slow down. Then, pull over on the road as much as you can.
You will get honked at. Don’t take it personally. Most of the time, drivers are just letting you know they’re there. You should also use your horn when going around blind corners. This lets any oncoming traffic know you’re there.
What if something goes wrong
Tuktukrentals.com has a great support system. They also prepare you for common problems, like stalling or breaking down. Luckily for us, nothing went wrong. We didn’t have to find out for ourselves. But they have a 24-hour support line and a WhatsApp chat. You can call or message them anytime with issues, queries, or concerns. The locals are also super helpful. If something did go wrong, someone would definitely help you out.
What’s the traffic like?
Honestly, the traffic can be a little hectic in the big cities like Negombo, Colombo, and Kandy. As long as you keep a calm head and go with the flow, you should be okay. Everywhere else, the traffic was totally fine. The only part that scared me was driving in the hills. The buses would come flying around the corner at you. But you get used to it (really, you do!).
Other things to note
Rain
Driving a tuk tuk in the rain can be a little sketchy, especially if it’s coming down hard. I would recommend pulling over if you’re not in a rush. Wait for the worst of the rain to pass just to be safe. The tuk tuk does have rain covers you can put up over the doors and windows. So, if you do want to drive in the rain, you won’t get wet.
Luggage
You’ll have some luggage with you for your journey. It’s good to be wary of its size to make sure it fits. You’ll find the luggage storage behind the backseats. It was definitely a squeeze for three of us. We had one bigger backpack and two carry-on-sized backpacks. We managed to just squeeze them all into the storage area. I would recommend bringing a backpack or duffel instead of a big suitcase. They have more flexibility to be squeezed into the luggage space. There’s also a storage compartment under the driver’s seat where you can lock your valuables.
Parking
Parking in Sri Lanka is fairly casual. Major tourist attractions have official parking, which you sometimes have to pay for. Otherwise, you can just park anywhere on the side of the street. Just make sure you’re not blocking a driveway. If you’re worried about your things, lock your valuables in the under-seat compartment. Then, close the rain covers. If you’re parked near shops, you can buy a bottle of water from the closest vendor and ask them to watch your tuk tuk. In our experience, they were more than happy to help.
Driving at night
The headlights on the tuk tuk aren’t very good. For this reason, I would also recommend avoiding driving at night if possible. It’s fine if you’re just going down the road to a restaurant. However, I would avoid long stints in the dark.
Extending your trip
As I mentioned, we had only booked the tuk tuk for 6 days at first. After a couple of days, we decided we wanted it for our whole two weeks. Extending the hire was super easy. We just had to send tuktukrentals.com a message on WhatsApp. We told them our new dates and our new drop-off location. They sent through the invoice for the extra payment, and they confirmed everything.
Insurance
The tuk tuk rental comes with all-inclusive insurance. This covers your rented tuk tuk, any other vehicles in an accident, and any personal injuries to anyone involved. We also bought extra insurance on top of our regular travel insurance. This was in case we needed transport home as a result of an accident. Tuktukrentals.com recommended Safetywing insurance because it covered tuk tuks. Insurance for tuk tuks seems to be a bit of a gray area. It’s not a car, a motorbike, or a quad, which is what you can normally get insurance for. So, we just went with the company’s recommendation, and it didn’t cost us much at all.
Music
You can rent a speaker from the company if you want to play music. Otherwise, bring your own. It really adds to the vibes of the journey. Also, bring a carabiner to hang the speaker up in the tuk tuk.
The backseats
This is just a warning for any passengers. The back seats are not very comfortable. But once again, you get used to it. It’s all part of the adventure!
Overall, I would HIGHLY recommend renting and driving a tuk tuk around Sri Lanka. It was a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. I will remember it for the rest of my life. We had such a blast, and I can’t believe I ever considered not doing it.
You can find out more and book your trip now on their website.