Country Information

Standard foods are spicy and it is advised to approach curries with caution. There are many vegetables, fruits, meats and seafoods. Chinese, Continental, Indian and Japanese menus are available in Colombo. A speciality is curry made with coconut milk, sliced onion, green chilli, aromatic spices such as cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon and saffron and aromatic leaves.

Things to know: Alcohol cannot be sold on poya holidays (which occur each lunar month on the day of the full moon).

National specialities:
• Hoppers is a cross between a muffin and a crumpet, served with a soft-baked egg on top.
• Stringhoppers are steamed circlets of rice flour, thinner than noodles.
• Jaggery is fudge made from the crystallised sap of the kitul palm.
• The durian fruit is considered a great delicacy.

National drinks:
• Tea is the national drink and thought to be amongst the best in the world.
• Toddy (sap of the palm tree).
• Arrack (fermented Toddy which comes in varying degrees of strength).

Tipping: Most hotels include a 10% service charge. Extra tipping is optional.

Some Colombo hotels have supper clubs with music for dancing. There are theatres in Colombo, cinemas showing films from the USA, ballet, concerts and theatre productions.

Sri Lanka has a number of modern shopping malls, and some 5-star hotels in Colombo also have shopping arcades. Special purchases include handicrafts and curios of silver, brass, bone, ceramics, wood and terracotta. Also cane baskets, straw hats, reed and coir mats, spices and the island’s excellent tea. Batik fabric, lace and lacquerware are also popular. Masks used in dance-dramas, processions and festivals can also be bought: they can depict kings, queens, demonic birds and snake spirits amongst other things. The ‘18-disease’ mask shows a demon in possession of a victim; he is surrounded by 18 faces – each of which cures a specific ailment. Versions produced for the tourist market are often of a high standard. Sri Lanka is also rich in gems. Fabrics include batiks, cottons, rayons, silks and fine lace.

Shopping hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1730, Sat 0900-1300.