What to Buy in Sri Lanka

Ceylon Tea

Naturally the most famous of its exports is Ceylon Tea. The name Ceylon is the old name of the island. Sri Lanka was called Ceylon till it was renamed after independence from the British Empire in 1947. The locally grown brew made British Colonists a vast fortune in the 18th and parts of the 19th century. 

Nowadays the well-packed tea makes for excellent gifts for the folks back home. Broken peko, broken orange peko and other more exotic varieties abound. The colourful packs come in convenient sizes as well.

Spices

Fragranced spices are also a big draw with tourists. Just make sure that you buy good quality ones and seal them well or the fragrance will have long gone by the time you get home. The one to buy is cinnamon. The bark of the cinnamon trees that grow on the island has the most amazing flavor.

Very popular with the ancient shipping community, it is still a popular take-home item for tourists. Look for the well-rolled, more tender bark as opposed to the darker more mature bark. This is better and will keep longer as well.

Cheap Clothes

There are many places where you can pick up cheap cotton clothes. Just make sure that they have no defects as these are usually export rejects that find themselves in the local market. Colombo has a couple of good places to pick these up so ask your local guide to show you where. If you are hiring a taxi with a driver, he’ll be able to take you to the right shops. If you have a self-drive car, then get directions to the city’s best picks.

Gem Stones

There is a healthy trade in gem stones in Sri Lanka but you need to know a bit about stones if you don’t want to get taken for a ride. Semi-precious stone sets are available at varying costs. Make sure that you check the stones for faults and bargain to get the best prices.

If possible go to a reputed shop so that you don’t end up getting cheated over the price. The usual sets include earrings, rings, and necklaces set in a single type of gemstone.