SHOPPING IN SRI LANKA

Popular purchases include tea, gems, jewelry, wooden carvings, ornaments and furniture, spices, batik paintings and clothes, handloom fabrics, bags and purses made from rush and reed, and painted, masks used for dances and drama. Laksala are the government-run craft shops that are meant to guarantee a fair price to the producer. The National Craft Council of Sri Lanka has centred in Sigiriya, Battaramulla (near Colombo) and Galle, where you can see craftsmen and craftswomen at work and buy handicrafts. You will find many simple craft stalls by the roadside, though you cannot always be sure where the items were made. The local markets are fascinating but don’t tend to sell handicrafts.

Kandy also has workshops and sales centers for brassware, lacquer ware and musical instruments, whilst most of the lace is made in South between Galle and Dickwella. Ambalangoda (Between Bentota and Galle) is the center for mask making.

Colombo is the mecca for smart shopping malls and Sri Lankan designer shops, where Sri Lankans and foreign visitors love to shop. Sri Lanka’s thriving garment Industry means that you can find the latest international designs at cheap prices. There are also some good quality handicraft shops.