FOOD & SHOPPING

Shop and Rejuvenate in Sri Lanka

Rakhee Ghelani

Last updated: Feb 3, 2023

Author Recommends

See

Watch elephants being fed and bathed at one of the Elephant Orphanages
Go to Bentota beach for the best sunrise and sunset views

Do

Visit the turtle hatcheries in Kasgoda
Enjoy water sports like water skiing, banana ride, snorkelling and more
Go for a trek to “big” Adam’s Peak, the highest summit in Sri Lanka

Eat

Hoppers (Sri Lankan version of Appam), seafood and Ceylon Tea

Safety

Ambulance/fire rescue: 110
Tourist Police: 011-2421052
General Hospital (Colombo): 011-2691111

Trivia

Did you know Indians can get a Visa on Arrival for Sri Lanka?

Want To Go ? 
   

Sri Lanka has a rich culture that emanates through its arts and crafts, making it a great place to purchase interesting items. It is also relatively inexpensive, which means that splurging at the markets and boutique shops shouldn’t leave a hole in your wallet either.

Book Your Sri Lanka Tourism Packages Now


 

sri lanka handicrafts shopping
A shopper's paradise, Sri Lanka offers a variety of handicrafts at reasonable prices. Photo Credit: Choo Yut Shing / flickr

 

For locally made artefacts, you can head to the Bazaar in the beachside village of Bentota. Here, you can pick up locally made gifts including wood carvings, batik textiles and brass statues. Colombo also has some great places including the Barefoot Gallery, which is set in a beautiful colonial building and sells a wide selection of handloom fabrics, hand-painted wooden boxes, clothes and bedding.

Colonial pieces including art, antiques and even handmade lace can be found in the cobblestoned streets of Galle at stores such as Olanda. This beautiful fort town also has some lovely jewellery stores with semiprecious stones as their specialty. Pedlar Street is one of the most popular shopping strips, so just wander around and select whatever takes your fancy.

No trip to Sri Lanka is complete without taking home a dramatic handcrafted mask. Whilst many have rather intimidating demonic faces, they are an integral part of the Sri Lankan culture, and are used in religious ceremonies, rituals and even exorcisms. If you visit the seaside town of Ambalangoda, near Hikkaduwa, you can see the masks being made and can request the artist to make one for your wall back home.

 

sri lanka handicrafts mask shopping
Don't forget to take home your very own handcrafted mask.

 

After all that shopping, there is no better way to unwind than by visiting a spa retreat. Sri Lanka has some beautiful herbs and spices, so it is no surprise that many of these are incorporated into spa treatments, giving you a holistic relaxation and healing experience. For a lovely local spa experience in Colombo, try Ariyanna Spa at Casa Colombo. Their treatments specialise in bringing together the best of local ingredients and combining them with international modalities such as Swedish and Thai massages.

For opulent luxury and the wisdom of ancient rituals, head to Amangalla Spa in Galle. There are several different types of treatments for you to indulge in, or you can head to the softly lit bathing chambers that have saunas, steam rooms and hydrotherapy pools. If you aren’t a believer in the healing powers of Ayurveda, you will no doubt be a convert after you have experienced the cleansing treatments here. The Shirodhara is a tranquil experience as warm herbal oil is carefully poured over your third eye to balance and restore it.

 

sri lanka shopping
Feel rejuvenated after the Shirodhara herbal oil massage

 

The Sixth Senses Spa in Kandalama, near Dambulla, offers a world-class experience. You can chill out in the relaxation area and replenish with a carefully prepared fresh juice mix whilst you select a treatment ranging from hot stone massages to an all-natural sunburn soother. Later, you can relax and enjoy the natural and tranquil surroundings of Lake Kandalama.

Whether you prefer to shop until you drop or unwind and be pampered, there are plenty of places in Sri Lanka to keep you entertained, happy and relaxed.

Feel like pampering yourself? Head over to MakeMyTrip for packages to Sri Lanka.

Book Your Sri Lanka Holiday Now!

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