No Holiday is complete without tasting the local Cuisine and some countries have more variety and unique Dishes to offer. Sri Lanka has a so much to offer with its Signature spices and authentic Vegetables. Sri Lankan curries stay creamy, because of the Coconut Milk that’s been used so very often.
Rice and curry – Anywhere, Anytime
The staple Food of Sri Lanka is Rice. Vegetables, Fish and Meet is been served with Rice. There are Sri Lankans who eat Rice & Curry for all three meals of the day. It is never boring as we have over 50 different types of Vegetables and 15 different types of rice to choose from. Al least five Dishes of Vegetables are served with Rice along with Papadams, Green Salads & Sambol [ Sambol is made with grated Coconut and Chilly] Sri Lanka is a Vegetarian`s Paradise.
Hoppers [ Aappa]
The hopper has a soft, puffy, crêpe-like texture and is part of typical Sri Lankan breakfast. The hopper is made from a batter with Rice Flour, coconut milk and palm toddy that is left to sit through the Night allowing time to ferment. A Hopper tastes a bit like a pan cake, but looks like a Bowl. The locals eat Hoppers with a Spicy Salad or a Curry, but to start with, you can try it with Jam as you are not used to eating Spicy Food for Breakfast. But after a few days in to your Holiday you can try it in Sri Lankan Style, You could have an Egg in the Hopper too if you wish.
Roti
Roti is common in South East Asia and there are so many versions of it. This is also spelled as “rotti” or “roty”. Roti in Sri Lanka is made out of flour and Coconut and looks like a Pan Cake, but a lot thicker and harder than a Pan Cake. Locals eat it with a hot Salad or a Curry. A pastry with Vegetable curry is called a Vegetable Roti and a Pastry with Chicken curry is called a Chicken Roti.
Kottu Roti
This is equitant to your Kebabs. When you are hungry after a few drinks in the late evening, this is what you eat. It is a mixture of chopped up Nan Bread, Eggs, Vegetables, Spices and Meat [on request] that has been on a Grill. This is the most popular street food in Sri Lanka. You can watch it being cooked and the Noise it makes when chopping up the Nan Bread would not go unnoticeably.
String Hoppers
String hoppers is a Rice Flour Noodle based thin, Pancake. You would need about ten of them for a meal. String Hoppers are served with at least three Dishes of Vegetable curries. It is served for breakfast and dinner.
Short Eats
This is a unique term used for Street Food in Sri Lanka. You find these in Bakeries and there is a reasonable choice of them. Mashed up Potato and some curry in a Pastry would be a Vegetable Roti, You could also try Egg Roti, Chicken Roti etc. Deep fried Lentils is called Dhal Cake [ Wade] .
Sea Food
Being a tiny Island makes Sri Lanka a great place to try fresh Seafood. There are a lot of local Restaurants selling quality Seafood on the Beaches. Tiger prawns, Jumbo Prawns, Crabs, Lobster and Langoustine are so fresh coming direct from the local Oceans. The variety of Fish is amazing. Red Snapper, Tuna, Barracuda, Sword fish are a few to name.
Drinks
Ceylon Tea it is. Being one of the major Tea exporters in the World we offer really good Tea. You can try the pure Tea such as BOPF or BOP , Blended Tea and flavored Tea. You can see the Journey from Leaf to Cup at a Tea Factory. The National alcoholic drink is called Arrack which comes from the Coconut Palm. Palm Toddy is tapped out of the Coconut Flower and distilled to produce Arrack which has a volume of around 30 % Alcohol. You can try it with Coke, Soda or Ginger Beer. Beer is not that Popular in Sri Lanka and there aren’t that many types to choose from. The widely available & popular brand is the Lion Larger.
Fruits
The island’s tropical fruit cornucopia includes non-seasonal fruits such as Pineapple, Banana, Papaya and Water Mellon. Passion Fruit, Pomegranate, Mangoes, Guava, Mangos tin , Rambutans and Star Fruits are seasonal and you can try them if you are in Sri Lanka at the right time. The Orange Coconut called King Coconut is sold by the roads and tastes so much better than the bottled Coconut Water. You might occasionally find our curries a bit too Spicy. The Hotels would water the curries down for you on request. After a few days in to the Holiday, you will slowly, but surely get used to our spicy food.
Sri Lanka has a high reputation on hospitality as our social orientation hinges on a tradition of care and empathy. Often, Sri Lankans are credited for their warmth and friendly nature which is shown towards our travelers and tourists without a difference. From airport services to a commoner in a street our friendliness is chained ensuring a secure holiday on this island.
Hospitality includes security, comfort and making a clear impact, in all which Sri Lankans are experts on. In all the mesmerizing locations, the central hills, the intriguing beaches of north and south and all the wildlife destinations in Sri Lanka is accommodated well, ranking high in hospitality with opulent hotels which ensures all the luxury you need.
All travel destinations of Sri Lanka ensure maximum safety of the travelers and accommodate the best guides which provide not only your safety but also a broad knowledge of the places of visit. Sri Lanka will never give up under any circumstance and you shouldn’t either.
Sri Lanka, The Perl of the Indian Ocean has a proven history of rising from the ashes like the Phoenix. The 30 year old civil War, the Tzunami in 2004 and the Easter Sunday attack in 2019 are evidences to the above statement.
The COVID-19 outbreak was the latest challenge the Country faced and it has handled the Pandemic very well. Sri Lanka has now returned to normal life and the Airport will be opened on the 1 st of August to receive Tourists in to the Country.
Srilanka was one of the first countries to set Quarantine canters and use the Military and Police to support the National Health Service to combat the Pandemic which has paid very rich dividends. The Tourists who are planning to travel to the Island Nation need to attach a Covid 19 negative report with their Visa application. On arrival they will be tested at the Airport and again after 5 days at the location they are at, in the Country.
Though this exercise is not very convenient, under the given circumstances SriLanka has no choice but to think of the safety of its people. With all these safety measures, SriLanka has turned out to be one of the safest Countries to visit.
