Sri Lanka

Top 10 Things

  • What NOT to do
  • What to do
  • Women are forbidden to touch or be seated beside a Buddhist monk. If they are required to pass an object to a monk, it is best to pass it through another male or to hold the object with a tissue. This is generally to avoid developing a craving or attachment to women. --Kevangelo
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  • Flowers are generally not given as gifts, but rather are reserved for times of mourning or for other events such as weddings or religious festivities. --Kevangelo
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  • Black and white are colours reserved for funerals and mourning. Avoid wrapping gifts in these colours. --Kevangelo
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  • Don't wear any clothing that features Buddha or any other deity. It is considered disrespectful and insensitive, and could incur the wrath of authorities. If you have a tattoo of the Buddha, keep it covered. --Kevangelo
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  • Some temples prohibit photography. Avoid taking photos inside shopping malls and inside tea factories (outside is okay). Be especially careful in Fort, Colombo (except when you're on the beach). If local soldiers are standing guard, put your camera away. --Kevangelo
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  • Public displays of affection (PDA), such as kissing and/or hugging, may be frowned upon. In Sri Lanka, PDA is considered to be private behavior. Holding hands and affection between parents and their children are allowed. --Kevangelo
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  • Please be cautious when buying food from the streets. Always check the surroundings of the shops where you are willing to buy food. Most of the hotels and restaurants are clean but concern when purchasing from outdoor areas. The other important thing is to drink water from sealed bottles --Sushani
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  • Don't share your personal details with strangers. Also, check your personal stuff all the time you travel. Give special attention to credit cards and use card payments all the time and carry less cash --Sushani
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  • Don't travel much by public bus as they are crowded. Therefore you can feel tired and uncomfortable. --Sushani
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  • As Sri Lanka is an island it is surrounded by sea. Therefore it is the best place to taste seafood. Seafood can be purchased in any coastal area at reasonable prices. Prawns are well cooked and make sure to taste a couple of fish dishes that are native to Sri Lanka --Sushani
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  • Shaking your head means yes, not no. Both the Indian head bob and the Sri Lankan head waggle are a manner of communicating without words. In India, the bob is a side-to-side movement and in Sri Lanka it’s a figure of eight. That means shaking of the head actually means yes! --Kevangelo
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  • Business Cards Give and receive business cards with both hands, and study the other person’s card. If you decide to translate one side of the card into the local language, be sure you do not mix up Sinhala, Tamil and Hindi – give the right translation to the right audience or you risk serious insult --Kevangelo
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  • String hoppers, hoppers, and milk rice are the best food to buy for breakfast. Nothing is better than Sri Lankan sweets so make sure to taste them as soon as you arrive there. One major interesting thing about food there is they are different from one place to another --Sushani
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  • The fried snacks are delicious Aside from delicious flavourful curries, Sri Lankans enjoy a wide array of snacks like cassava chips, deep-fried jackfruit seeds, and fried batter with curry leaves.You can pick up a roadside snack of samosas, a popular snack from coast to coast that's filled with meat --Kevangelo
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  • Walking into a restroom in Sri Lanka can be a bit confusing for a newcomer. First off, depending on whether you are in a fancy hotel or a hole-in-the-wall restaurant, there might not be any toilet paper. --Kevangelo
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  • Sri Lankan people speak the Sinhala language which is native to them. And some people speak Tamil, mainly people in the Northern part of Sri Lanka If you want to communicate with people you can use English as the majority of Sri Lankans are good English speakers --Sushani
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  • Auspicious ‘Seven’The seven betel leaf bundles are offered to God, as a request to protect the lives of seven generations beginning from their marriage. Much like the Hindu customs, the bride’s father places the right hand of his daughter on the groom’s a symbolic of handing over the bride to groom. --Kevangelo
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  • Unfortunately, you can't drink the water in Sri Lanka as most of the supply is unsafe. It is advised that drink boiled or treated water to avoid any potential gastro bugs. --Kevangelo
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  • Sri Lankan people always smile and are number one in hospitality --Sushani
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Top contributor: Kevangelo (25 entries)

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