Sri Lanka     Travel Advice. Check Foreign and Commonwealth Office Travel Advice before travelling.       Personal Security. Since the breakdown of peace talks in 1995 between the Sri Lankan government and the Tamil Tigers (LTTE) there has been fighting in the Northern and Eastern Provinces. Don’t attempt to travel to these dangerous areas. The possibility of bomb attacks in Colombo and other major cities in public places cannot be ruled out. Do be careful and always keep within the normal tourist areas. Visitors to the capital, Colombo, should take particular care. (See separate country travel advice for latest advice).       Funds. Bring enough funds with you for your stay and return. Major credit cards are accepted locally but bank transfers from the UK can take up to a week.       Take care of your passport and other valuables. The incidence of theft from hotel rooms is increasing at many of the popular tourist resorts. Make use of hotel secure storage arrangements where these are available. Leave a copy of your passport and your itinerary with a contact in the UK. Enter next of kin details into the back of your passport.       Respect local laws and customs. Sri Lankan attitudes to informal European styles of dress are generally relaxed but do bear in mind religious or other sensibilities. Nude or topless bathing is generally not allowed. The export of antiques, all indigenous non-domesticated mammals, birds and reptiles, together with certain plants, fish and amphibians is prohibited. So is trading or possession of protected wild fauna and flora. Penalties include fines and imprisonment.       Be aware of approaches by 'beach boys' who frequent all tourist hotels. Homosexual practices and prostitution, as well as all forms of pornography, are offences punishable by law in Sri Lanka. Child abuse or sexual exploitation of anyone under 18 years carries a minimum mandatory jail sentence of 7 years.       Videoing and photography near military and government installations are prohibited and should be limited to traditional tourist sites. Photographing shrines, temples, and other places of worship is allowed with prior permission, but posing alongside or with religious statues is not.       Visas are not required by tourists, who are automatically allowed a one month’s stay at each time of entry. Seek an extension from the Department of Emigration and Immigration. To overstay without authorisation attracts a fine and possible detention.       Don't leave home without travel insurance. Make sure you are covered for medical treatment as well as other unexpected expenses. Satisfactory medical treatment can only be obtained at private hospitals. Contact your GP for medical advice on malaria and dengue.       Don’t get involved with drugs. Possession of or trafficking in drugs carry the heaviest penalties. Don’t carry anything through customs for someone else.       Don’t be tempted to drive without a licence. The standard of driving is low and accidents are commonplace. If you are involved in an accident and have no licence you will be imprisoned. UK licences are not recognised. You will require either an international licence validated by the Sri Lankan Automobile Association or a Sri Lankan licence. Ensure that the hirer has properly insured any vehicle you hire. Don’t drink and drive.