The unit of currency in Sri Lanka is the Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR). It is not possible to buy the currency prior to arrival. There are many banks at the airport that will change your currency.All offer the same rates. For assistance with currency conversion you may wish to use www.xe.com and there are also smart phone apps available

In most towns major banks will exchange currency. ATM’s are widely available for withdrawing cash with debit and credit cards. A 40,000 LKR daily limit can apply to cash withdrawals

Credit card payments are becoming more widely accepted especially for hotels etc. But they are far from universally welcomed. Payments by debit card can sometimes be problematic.A good option is to carry 2 or 3 debit/credit cards from different providers

To avoid difficulties, prior to arrival, it is advisable to notify your card provider (s) that you will be visiting Sri Lanka

Cash is still the most popular method of payment-when exchanging large sums of money remember to ask for some lower value notes e.g. 100, 500, and 1000 LKR

Sri Lankan banks no longer deal with traveller’s cheques and are therefore not recommended
Before leaving Sri Lanka please be sure to exchange any unused rupees back to the currency of your choice