Shopping in Sri Lanka is adventurous, enlightening, and ethnic if one would like to put the experience into three words. One can scout through the exciting artifacts, such as the demon masks or the cute elephant figurines, which are sure to brighten up your face. Also, Sri Lanka has its style of Batik saris, the designs of which will leave you in awe. The famous Ceylon tea and the precious gems also make a great addition to the shopping experience in Sri Lanka. Thus, the diversity of shops within the country is quite appealing, making the shopping spree entirely worth it!
Some of the exciting places to shop in Sri Lanka are as follows:
Spices are essential in every household as they spice up not just the food but also everyone’s heart. The tourist favorite curry is enhanced with these spices and builds up that lip-smacking taste on the visitor's taste buds. One can find incredible spices at ‘Galle Fort,’ and while spicing up shopping in Sri Lanka, also grab some Ceylon cinnamon, which is believed to be the best in the world!
Address: Church Street, Galle 80000 Timings: Open 24 Hours.
2) Selyn Fair Trade (Colombo)
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Batik is a distinctive technique of printing on cloth using wax-resistant dyeing. The Batik design can vary from dots to intricate designs. The tool for the print is tjanting or a copper stamp known as a cap. Sri Lanka’s traditional clothing is Saris, for women and men often buy sarongs, which are quite familiar as ‘dhotis.’ Women, as well, with matching blouses, adorn sarongs. Batik printed saris are famous within Sri Lanka. The art of Batik originated in Indonesia and has been passed down to Sri Lanka from the Dutch influence. Batik Saris have their ethnic value and beauty, which the nation of Sri Lanka has enhanced by adding splendid designs. Thus, it would be a shame if one couldn’t purchase these beautiful saris while shopping in Sri Lanka. One can find fantastic batik saris and sarongs in Colombo within the ‘Selyn fair trade and the Barefoot store’.
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Handicraft items are found in almost all the cities and towns of any country. However, Sri Lanka has its charm of creativity and adds a little magic dust to please the visitors and tourists with its cute small handicraft items and boutique stores, which can be found in high numbers in Colombo and Kandy. One of the best places to buy handicraft items is from Lakpahana and Laksala, situated in Colombo. They have some exciting and pretty showpieces to showcase, including the famous demon face masks, which act as an artsy and cool souvenir. Thus, this place is a must-visit while shopping in Sri Lanka!
Address: Lakpahana: 14 Philip Gunewardena Mawatha, Colombo 00700 Timings: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM (On all Days)
Laksala: 215 Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo 00700 Timings: 9:00 AM - 9:00 PM (On all Days)
4) Dutch Gallery (Galle)
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Sri Lanka, with its unique style and statement, houses a lot of Antique stores. Antiques are objects that have a high value because of their historical or aesthetic importance. Sri Lanka is known to have many of them. The best city to obtain some unique antiques is to head towards the town of Galle. Dutch Gallery is one of the well-known places to visit in Galle if you wish to be submerged in the beauty of antiques and some fabulous jewelry as well!
Address: 33 Church St, Galle 80000
5) Exotic Roots (Galle)
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One always has the urge to make their houses aesthetic and elegant. Home decor allows one to decorate their houses, particularly from their perspective, irrespective of the interior designer’s denial. Shopping in Sri Lanka offers some pretty unique and exciting home decor materials that will suit your house and become a member of your family! Galle is the perfect city to find an extraordinary and elegant piece of decor for your house and explore shopping in Sri Lanka altogether. A great place to visit within Galle for Home Decor is Exotic Roots, which is quite famous for its correctness.
Address: 50A Lighthouse St, Galle 80000 Timings: 9:00 AM - 7:30 PM (On all Days)
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Sri Lanka was previously known as Ceylon. Ceylon tea is one of the most famous brews and is well-known worldwide. Ceylon tea is also known as Sri Lankan tea and is a must-have when in Sri Lanka. The most loved beverage in the country, Ceylon tea contains many health benefits along with amazing flavors! Ceylon tea is mostly black tea; however, many variants of the drink have been produced. The tea leaves are primarily wiry and thin. Due to the tropical forests of Sri Lanka and its elevation level, Ceylon tea has become the specialty of the nation. Thus, it is necessary to carry some of the essence of Ceylon tea with us while we head back home! Dilmah is a famous Ceylon tea brand. The Ceylon tea museum in Hantane, just 3 Kms away from Kandy, is a must-visit along with the Ceylon tea supermarket situated in Colombo. Shopping in Sri Lanka? Ceylon tea is a definite purchase!
Address: Ceylon Tea Museum: Hantana Rd Timings: 8:30 AM - 3:45 PM (Tuesday - Saturday), Sunday - 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM (Closed on Mondays)
Ceylon Tea Supermarket: No 326 Ven Baddegama Wimalawansa Mawatha, Colombo 01000 Timings: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (Tuesday - Sunday) (Closed on Mondays)
7) Olanda Furnitures & Kandy Workshops (Galle & Kandy)
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Artsy stuff is the new trendy stuff. Sri Lanka is filled with many surprises and attractive places. One of the great places to buy artsy furniture is Kandy and Galle. Kandy and Galle are two of the prime cities in Sri Lanka and host several shopping complexes and amazing souvenir shops for tourists to traverse through. One such shop is the ‘Olanda Furniture’ situated in Galle. Olanda Furniture inhabits some colonial-time antiques, which will blow your mind and make shopping in Sri Lanka all the more impressive. A bonus is that they have shipping services all over the world!
Also, Kandy has workshops regarding beautiful furniture and sculptures that are quite worthy of attending.
Address: Olanda Furnitures: 30, Leyn Baan St, Galle Timings: 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM (On all Days).
Workshops in Kandy: Kandy Brasswear Village: Kalapura road, Kandy 20000
8) Barefoot(Colombo)
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If you love vibrant textiles, stylish clothes, and unique homeware, Barefoot is the perfect boutique to explore in Colombo. This luxury store, owned by designer Barbara Sansoni, is a treat for the eyes with its colorful offerings.
Address :Barefoot (Colombo): Old Dutch Hospital Complex, Hospital St, Colombo 00100 Timings: 10:00 AM - 9:00 PM (Monday - Saturday), Sunday – 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
9) Paradise Road (Colombo)
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A figurine always acts as a nice souvenir for those who missed out on an incredible trip to a great place. A token should be something that represents the essence of the site and acts as a beautiful memory of an unforgettable destination! Most probably, Buddha and Elephant figurines are the most famous and popular. Some of the great places to find these figurines include Paradise Road, situated in Colombo.
Address: 213 Srimath Anagarika Dharmapala Mawatha, Colombo 00700 Timings: 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM (On all Days).
10) The Dutch Hospital (Colombo)
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If shopping with class is what you desire, then the Dutch Hospital, which is known to be the oldest building in Colombo, is the place for you. The Dutch Hospital has been standing since the Dutch invasion, and the architecture depicts the colonial era. Today, the building has been converted into a heritage site and shopping vicinity. The building has famous restaurants like the Ministry of Crab and is lined up with shops where one can shop for everything from ethnic kurtis to antiques. Thus, your shopping experience in Sri Lanka will be halfway through without visiting this overwhelming place! The Dutch Hospital is in Colombo near Hospital Street.
Address: Hospital St, Colombo 00100 Timings: 10:00 AM - 10:00 PM (On all Days).
11) Ratnapura (Colombo)
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Without a doubt, gems are a must-buy in Sri Lanka. While Colombo and Kandy have numerous jewelers, Ratnapura, the renowned gem trading center, is the best place to purchase these precious stones. When seeking the best shopping spots in Colombo, Ratnapura is a must-visit.
Address: MCH3+8JM, Council Ave, Ratnapura, Colombo Timings: 10:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Sri Lanka has a Jacuzzi full of happiness loaded within it, just waiting to be explored by us, and the shopping exploration will lead one to unlock these small treasures, and all smiles on faces!
