Divine
Delights
Divine delights

Feasts aplenty – if they are what tempts you, Sri Lanka is a foodie’s paradise with a mind blowing array as varied as the island’s climate and culture. Each region has its own specialities with the influences of colonial rule adding to this brimming pot of diversity. Take your taste buds on a journey from the fiery hot, the surprisingly piquant to the deliciously sweet – and everything in between; with colours and textures that often defy words.

Here, each dish is an experience. Apart from the ‘staple’ rice and a myriad curries, there is a world of delights to try. Hot ‘pol roti’ or hoppers with fiery ‘katta sambol’. Sweet ‘lavariya’ or ‘bibikkan’ for tea; ‘stringhoppers’ or ‘pittu’ with black pork, ‘kiri hodi’ and ‘pol sambol’ for dinner. Head North for the Jaffna Crab curry, South for the Fish ‘Ambul Thiyal’, and into the hills for the famed Ceylon Tea. Explore spice gardens, help to harvest rice; learn to make local dishes from a renowned chef and taste the ‘real thing’ at a village home.

Wherever your culinary treasure hunt may take you, luxury hotels and boutiques, eco villas, or private hideaways with all modern conveniences are yours to stay in.

With feasts bursting with flavour and choice, Sri Lankan cuisine is temptation too good to resist. Our Culinary Experience leads you astray to the hidden delights, learning their secrets along the way.

Attractions

You Must Explore

From Koekjes to Kokis

Over centuries Sri Lankan food has evolved to reflect the country’s cultural diversity – Sinhalese, Tamil, Muslim, Burgher and everything in between. Ancient influences of early travellers – Arab, Chinese and Malays; and over 300 years of Colonial rule also added to the mix. The result? Incredibly divine.

A curry is a curry

Not in Sri Lanka. Each region has its own special way of cooking – different methods, ingredients and spice mixes that make them distinct. Dishes from the North differ from the South; the hills from the coast. So, prepare your taste buds as you travel: enjoy!

Hot, hotter, hottest

Spices are lifeblood in Sri Lanka. The inimitable taste of true Sri Lankan cuisine is in the mix, but chillies are a must. Even the mildest curry sports green chillies; chopped fine, they even hide in salads. The bravest eat ‘Kocchi’ chillies raw with their daily rice.

Roti on the run

Street food in Sri Lanka is much loved. From the unmistakable beat of Kottu chopping to the enticing aroma of sizzling Vadai – they will tempt you from everywhere. Hoppers, Fish or Vegetable Rotis, pickles of every sort and manioc chips. Try one, or try all!

Simply Sri Lankan

Some dishes have become national icons and enjoyed around the island. To locals, there is nothing quite like a hot ‘pol roti’ with ‘lunu miris’ (coconut roti and chilli sambol) or the treacly sweetness of a Watalappam (Palm Sugar pudding); or a Lamprais. Unforgettable tastes to try.

Sweet sensations

For passionate sugar addicts, local sweets offer rich pickings. ‘Kalu Dodol’ moist and sticky, crispy ‘Kavum’, crunchy Kokis, and crumbly ‘Aluva’ and ‘Aasmi’ dribbled with melted jaggary are staples at celebrations. Muscat with cashews, watalappam, Jilebi and boondi literally dripping with honey – all worth forgetting your diet for.