Driving a tuk-tuk in Sri Lanka

There’s a practical, small, and fast vehicle that lets you get around on any road, in any weather conditions. And if you’ve ever set foot in Asia, you already know what we’re talking about: the tuk-tuk! Also known as a Bajaj, or for Italians, more simply, the “Ape.”

The tuk-tuk is used in many countries around the world, especially in Southeast Asia, but also across Africa. At Sto Gran Tour, we’re especially fond of this vehicle for what it represents: a unique and different way to travel, experience, and see the world. Slowly, with no rush at all.

What many people see as “a waste of time” — slow travel — is, for us, the real added value of this vehicle.

In this article from our Magazine, we’ll tell you a bit more about the tuk-tuk and why we ended up driving it so often in Sri Lanka.

What is a tuk-tuk?

Let’s start at the beginning — by understanding what a tuk-tuk actually is! There’s no single true definition, but we like to describe it as a colorful little three-wheeled box, used as a taxi for passenger transport as well as for everyday family use. It’s also known as Bajay or Bajaj (after the manufacturer), while for us Italians the most familiar name is “Ape.” In Southeast Asia, it’s considered a true urban icon!

The name most likely comes from the sound made by the engine at idle speed (usually a two-stroke engine), clearly reminiscent of a motorcycle. The driving setup comes from the same background too, because the tuk-tuk has a small driver’s cabin and handlebars instead of a classic car steering wheel. Usually, 3 to 4 people ride in it: the driver in front, and 2 or 3 passengers in the back. Incredible but true, there’s even a small luggage compartment.

Tuk-tuks come in every type and color imaginable! Drivers often decorate them with flashy neon lights, furry seats, colorful feather boas, religious images, and much more. In short, imagination — and a love of kitsch — know no limits.

There’s no real fixed fare for tuk-tuk passenger transport: every ride has to be negotiated with the driver.

Driving a tuk-tuk

We once asked ourselves: what if we used a tuk-tuk to travel? We mean for an actual trip. And our answer was: that would be awesome! In fact, the tuk-tuk has enormous potential beyond simple city transport. To truly appreciate it, you need to use it every day, all day long, riding from one stop to the next along an itinerary.

So we decided to run an experiment in Sri Lanka, an Asian country with an incredibly high number of tuk-tuks! We rented tuk-tuks from local drivers and traveled all the way around Sri Lanka in these little vehicles.

The result? We enjoyed the experiment so much that we created a real tuk-tuk trip in Sri Lanka, open to everyone.

Of course, at first it takes a little getting used to, and there are many factors to consider: the tuk-tuk is small, a light little vehicle that reacts to every movement of air, and the top speed you can reach isn’t very high. Small tuk-tuk, small fuel tank too! Your itinerary needs to be planned based on distances and fuel stops. But you get used to it quickly! And it has to be said that the advantages of using it for travel are many:

• you can travel in sunshine or rain, because you’re under cover;
• you can drive on any kind of road, in any condition;
• you travel slowly, building a connection with the local population;
• you travel in what feels like a moving living room, because unlike on a motorbike, you can talk as if you were in a car.

The horn rule

And this rule deserves a whole paragraph of its own. We have to admit it: one of the biggest flaws of drivers in many Asian cities is that they really do drive like mad, apparently without rules. Without rules, except for one that always overrides everything else: the horn rule. A simple honk can mean many things: I’m going first, you go ahead, stop, go, hello to a passerby, telling off a passerby, an insult, a serious insult... At a road intersection, for example, the first to go is whoever has the loudest and most assertive horn (and never mind the traffic code). The other person either moves aside... or moves aside. There really aren’t many alternatives.