Sri Lanka Travel Guide

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Cuisine

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 specialty 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 specialties:
• 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.

Nightlife

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