The secret to successful souvenir shopping in Sri Lanka

Wondering what to buy, whether for yourself or friends, as a souvenir of your holiday in Sri Lanka?

With boutiques selling gems and batiks; Handicraft emporiums and spice gardens; galleries displaying local art, wooden masks and lace; tea and cinnamon retail shops; warehouse sales of over-run production lines of the latest fashionable garments, and beach vendors hawking curios, there’s a bewildering choice.

Where to go for the best souvenirs of Sri Lanka? Our tip is a town’s supermarket.

The spread of supermarkets in Sri Lanka during the past forty years has not been as rapid as in the rest of the world. Villagers were (and still are) accustomed to shopping in the nearest corner shop (known as “boutique”) where they can pick up the latest gossip, as well as a kilo of rice.

Gradually, however, with two local conglomerates (Kells and Cargills (both descendants of trading houses from British colonial days) opening supermarkets where customers help themselves from a spectacular display of goods, supermarket shopping is catching on.

Whenever I visit a country, I always pop along to the nearest supermarket because that’s where I find what the locals buy. And that’s why supermarkets in Sri Lanka are such a good source of local souvenirs.

Spices from Sri Lanka are much in demand as presents. There are wayside spice gardens catering, at exorbitant cost, for the demand. Ok, visit those gardens to see how spices are grown (especially fascinating is the peeling of cinnamon bark to make cinnamon quills) but don’t buy your spices there. Go to the local supermarket instead, and buy local spices properly packed and at the price locals pay.

Cashew nuts? Sri Lanka’s cashews are renowned as the best. You’ll see them on sale at stalls along the road from Colombo to Kandy. However, you can buy them at marked prices and hygienically packed, in any supermarket. Tea, of course, is a must. While there are shops specialising in “pure Ceylon tea,” you’ll find good quality tea that Sri Lankans drink (and even packed in smart containers) at the supermarket.

The greatest reward of souvenir shopping in supermarkets is not just the marked price but the unusual range of stuff to take home. As well as rice, you’ll find local instant rice noodles. And a great range of seasonings, Especially worthwhile are the locally produced curry powders (for fish, pork, vegetable, chicken) bearing the brand name of a famous local chef: “Koluu.”

Look for jars of locally-made chutneys especially a delicious one known as Seeni Sambol, an onion marmalade that’s both sweet (“seeni’) and savoury. And jars of local mango chutney ooze chunks of delicious Sri Lankan mangoes.

You can surprise your friends by serving the Sri Lanka version of potato crisps with a drink. Crunchy and spicy flavoured crisps made of locally-grown cassava are cheap (Rs160 for a packet of 150g. (Confusingly, they are called Cassava “Chips”.) And for a dip with snacks? Bottled tomato, chilli and garlic sauce from Sri Lanka will add zest.

It’s not just foodstuffs. Sri Lankan manufacturers have come up with several locally-made products that you might like to take home. There are cinnamon air freshener spray and cinnamon flavoured toothpicks. Even boring toothpaste is livened up with the local “Clogard” brand of clove and eucalyptus gel.

As well as the two main chains of Keells (modern and up-market) and Cargills (village market style presentation) found in every town, tourist areas have independent supermarkets that import items the tourist might be pining for, such as European cheese. Nebula in Aluthgama is small but well-stocked with both local and imported items.

So our secret to successful souvenir shopping of good value that will be appreciated by your friends, and remind you of your Sri Lanka holiday, is to pop into a supermarket near your hotel.