Sri Lanka Shopping Guide For Indians: What To Buy, What To Skip And Where To Shop

Sri Lanka is known as a tropical paradise for Indian travelers. Apart from its pristine beaches and ancient temples, the island country also offers a rich shopping experience packed with renowned spices, handicrafts, snacks, high-end fashion, and exquisite gemstones. It also shares many cultural and culinary overlaps with India, so it would be better for you to know what you must buy and what you can skip as well as which are the places where you can shop. Here’s a Sri Lanka shopping guide for Indians to help you save time, money, and effort. 

Sri Lanka Shopping Guide For Indians

1. Casava Chips

In Sri Lanka, cassava chips are widely known as Manioc chips (or Manyokka in Sinhala and Maravalli Kizhangu chips in Tamil). These are one of the most loved snacks in Sri Lanka. They are cut thin and fried to a brittle crunch and come in various local seasonings that are a must-try. You can easily buy these pre-packaged chips from supermarkets, where you will find various local brands serving these chips. The local brands you can try are Smak, Asiri, and Rancrisp. You can try the plain one or flavors like Kochchi Chilli, TomYum, Pepper & Sea Salt, Cheese & Onion, Onion Stars, and Barbeque. 

2. Noodles

Going to Sri Lanka and not coming back with some banger noodle packets is a crime. As an Indian, you would be surprised to know that Maggi serves some amazing Sri Lankan flavors that, of course, are found only in this island country. The two flavors that you must try are: Spicy Chicken and Pappare Kottu Noodles by Maggi. So basically, Kottu is a famous Sri Lankan street food, and Maggi serves you the best of this local dish. Apart from Maggi, there are many local brands as well, such as Prima Stella Noodles. Under this brand, you can try flavors like Creamy Chicken, Curry, and Kottu Mee. 

3. Wijaya Masalas

Well, you can judge us, but you will surely thank us once you try these masalas. The quality of these masalas is simply exceptional and hence a must-try. So if you can, do not miss out on Wijaya spices, especially turmeric and chilli powder. Apart from these, you must also buy Wijaya’s Sri Lankan Curry powder because their curries taste heavenly, and this masala is the reason behind it. The other must-buy powder is the Jaffna Curry Powder, and you will understand the importance of this packet only if you have tried Jaffna thali in Sri Lanka. If you are a non-vegetarian, you can also try Black Pork Curry Powder, and trust us when we are being so specific; this powder is too good. 

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4. Ceylon Cinnamon

If there is one thing that you must bring from Sri Lanka whether you know how to cook or you don’t has to be cinnamon. The delicate aroma and distinctive flavor of Sri Lankan cinnamon itself is so good that it gets hard to resist buying it. Ceylon cinnamon makes a wonderful addition to your kitchen and is a great souvenir for anyone who loves cooking. 

5. Sri Lankan Arrack

Sri Lanka is famous for this one distilled drink known as Arrack, which is distilled from palm sap or coconut sap, or toddy as Indians call it. It is famous for the technique used in making it and hence is a must-buy product from the country. It has a very sweet coconut flavor, not like liqueur sweet, but most similar to a slightly sweeter whisky.  If you’re planning to bring alcohol back to India, check the applicable customs allowances and import rules before purchasing.

Also Read: Thailand Or Sri Lanka: Which Is Cheaper For A One-Week Trip From India?

6. Local Biscuits & Malted Biscuits

If you wish to discover Sri Lanka’s local snacks, then you need to visit their supermarkets. These packaged treats are fun to try and perfect to take back home for kids and even adults. The ones that we would recommend are: Maliban Lemon Puff, Chocolate Malted Biscuits, Hawaiian Cookies, and Rose Cookies. 

7. Coconut Vinegar And Local Products

If you wish to recreate some Sri Lankan local flavors at home, you must buy Coconut Sap Vinegar. Another thing that you can buy here is Organic Coconut Jelly Spread, which you won’t get in India. They come in various flavors for you to choose from. If you like side dishes like pickles, Sri Lanka has a fun version for you to try, especially if you are a non-vegetarian: Prawns Badun and Dry Fish Badun. 

8. Handicrafts

If you have read about this island country, you would know that it is very famous for its handicrafts. You will find many coconut and wood artifacts, handloom fabrics, Kandyan lacqueware, batik textiles, and raksha masks as well. Raksha Masks are made from lightweight kaduru wood grown around rice paddies and hand-painted in vibrant colors. Every mask represents an element and has a traditional meaning attached to it. 

Also Read: Sri Lanka Visa For Indians: Is It Free? ETA Rules, Documents & How To Apply

9. Sri Lankan Cashews

If there is one thing that you should definitely bring back from Sri Lanka, it is Sri Lankan cashews. The cashews here are bigger, sweeter, and way more amazing when it comes to their quality. It is more like god blessed Sri Lanka with the best cashews, and if you visit this island country, you better not miss out on buying them. They have cashews in many flavors like Curry Leaf, Pepper, Plain, and Salted. 

Pro Tip: Shops in Sri Lanka serve cashews like chaknas, so why not get them for yourself or your family back home? 

10. Fridge Magnets

And even after reading this amazing what-to-shop guide, if you could not decide what to get or forgot what to get, make sure you buy fridge magnets from the local shops or the airport. But make sure you buy the mask magnets instead of the other common ones because they are elegant and very much rooted in the culture. 

Note: This article was compiled after verifying current publicly available information. 

Summing Up

From vibrant Raksha Masks and Cashew nuts to Casava Chips and Arrack, Sri Lanka, as we mentioned earlier, offers a fun and rich shopping experience for Indian travelers. The only trick is to know what to bring back, and we have sorted that for you. So make sure you save this article for your next trip to this beautiful island country.