Quick answer
To keep valuables safe in hotels on a cricket tour of Sri Lanka, lock your passport, spare cash, spare cards and devices you do not need in the room safe, and carry only a copy of your passport, one card, some cash and your ticket or phone to the ground. In hostels, use lockers with your own padlock. In villas, ask for a safe or a lockable room. Check the room before each check-out, and report losses to the hotel and police promptly.
Key takeaways
- Use the room safe for your passport, spare cash, cards and devices.
- Carry a passport copy, one card and modest cash to the ground.
- Bring a padlock for hostel lockers.
- Check the room carefully before every check-out on a multi-leg tour.
- Report losses to the hotel and the police promptly for insurance.
Using the room safe
Most hotels in Sri Lanka, and many guesthouses, have a room safe. Use it for your passport, spare cash, spare cards, a laptop and anything you will not need at the ground. If there is no room safe, ask reception whether they have a safe deposit box.
Set your own code, test the safe before using it, and avoid obvious codes. Keep a note of what is inside, especially on a long tour.
Photograph your passport and cards and store copies in an email or cloud folder, in case of loss.
If the safe is too small for a laptop, ask reception whether you can leave it in a locked luggage room or the hotel's main safe, and get a receipt. Many hotels in Colombo and Galle offer this.
- →Passport, spare cash, cards, laptop.
- →Set and test your own code.
- →Keep digital copies of documents.
What to carry to the ground
Carry a copy of your passport, one bank card, modest cash, your phone and your ticket. Grounds have bag checks and rules about what you can take in, and crowds can make it easy to lose things.
Keep your phone and wallet in a front pocket or a zipped bag. Sunscreen, hat and water bottle can go in a small backpack, but avoid carrying valuables you would hate to lose.
Cameras with large lenses may be restricted at some grounds; check rules before taking expensive equipment.
Match tickets are increasingly on phones. Screenshot them and save a copy offline in case the signal fails at the gate, and keep the phone charged with a small power bank, as it may also be your ticket home through a ride app.
- →Passport copy, one card, modest cash.
- →Phone and ticket.
- →Check camera rules.
Hostels, villas and guesthouses
In hostels, use lockers with your own padlock, and keep valuables locked when you are out or asleep. Many hostels provide lockers; check the size if you have a laptop.
In villas, ask whether there is a safe or a lockable room. Staff are usually trustworthy, but locking valuables avoids misunderstandings. In guesthouses, hosts often keep valuables for guests if there is no safe.
Close windows and lock doors when you leave, especially in ground-floor rooms and beach properties.
In Galle Fort, many boutique hotels have courtyards and open-plan spaces with doors to the street. Staff are attentive, but keep valuables in your room rather than on a terrace table, and close shutters when you go out for the day.
- →Hostels: padlock and locker.
- →Villas: safe or lockable room.
- →Lock windows and doors.
Moving between hotels
On a multi-leg tour, items are most often lost at check-out: chargers, passports left in safes, clothes in wardrobes. Make a habit of checking the safe, drawers, bathroom and under the bed before leaving.
Keep a short checklist on your phone. Your driver can often help by checking with the hotel if something is missing soon after leaving.
Lankan Stays & Trails drivers routinely remind guests to check safes before departure, and contact hotels quickly if items are left behind.
If something goes missing
Tell the hotel immediately and ask them to check. Many items turn up. If theft is suspected, report it to the local police and ask for a report for insurance.
For a lost passport, contact the Australian High Commission in Colombo, which can issue emergency travel documents. The companion page on consular help for Australian cricket fans covers this.
Cancel lost cards quickly using your bank's app or helpline.
- →Tell the hotel first.
- →Police report for insurance.
- →High Commission for passports.
Frequently asked questions
Are hotels in Sri Lanka safe for valuables?
Hotels in Sri Lanka are generally safe, and theft is uncommon. Use the room safe for passports, spare cash and devices, lock doors and windows when you leave, and keep valuables out of sight. Report any problems to the hotel.
Should I carry my passport to the cricket?
It is usually better to carry a copy of your passport to the ground and leave the original in the room safe. Check whether any ground requires ID for entry, and follow current rules from Sri Lanka Cricket.
Do Sri Lankan hostels have lockers?
Many Sri Lankan hostels have lockers, but you often need your own padlock. Check the size if you need to store a laptop. Keep valuables locked when you are out or asleep.
What should I do if I leave something at a hotel in Sri Lanka?
Contact the hotel as soon as possible, by phone or through your driver. Many hotels keep lost property and can send items on or hold them for collection. The sooner you call, the more likely you are to recover it.
What should I do if my passport is lost in Sri Lanka?
Report the loss to the local police and get a report, then contact the Australian High Commission in Colombo for an emergency travel document. Keep digital copies of your passport to speed up the process.
Can I take a camera to the cricket in Sri Lanka?
Small cameras and phones are generally allowed, but professional cameras with large lenses may be restricted at some grounds. Check the rules for your match before taking expensive equipment, and keep it secure in crowds.
Should I leave valuables in a villa when I go to the cricket?
Lock valuables in a safe or a lockable room before leaving for the ground, even if staff are on site. Most villa staff are trustworthy, but locking things away avoids misunderstandings. Close windows and shutters, and tell the staff when you expect to be back from the match.