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Local Essence of Sri Lanka

Let us help you learn more about traditional livelihoods on our village tours in Sri Lanka which includie age-old traditions passed down from generation to generation. Spend some time with the villagers and experience traditional Sri Lanka in all its authenticity; be it paddy cultivation, traditional Sri Lankan food, mask making, gem mining or a bullock cart ride! We invite you to sample our rural culture.

Coconut Plantation Experience

Visit a charming coconut plantation in Negombo, and observe how every part of this tall slender palm, is utilised in daily Sri Lankan life. Witness coconuts being de-husked for consumption, coconut fronds being woven into thatched roofs and fizzy toddy, or fermented coconut flower sap, being distilled into sweet arrack. Also, observe de-fibred coconut husk being transformed into mattresses and coir ropes.

Watch in fascination, as coconut pickers scale the towering trunks sans rope or safety nets and as toddy-tappers play out a tightrope-walking circus act, moving from tree to tree, high up in the canopy. The experience lasts around four hours, and the best time to visit is early morning or evening.

Philanthropic – Mask Making and Puppet Show

Engage in a unique opportunity to delve into Sri Lanka’s rich culture and make a difference in the community. Sponsor underprivileged youth to join you for a day of fun and merriment as you try your hand at the declining art form of mask making and puppetry in the south. Meet up with expert craftsmen in the town of Ambalangoda in Galle, and learn how to make traditional masks, which are central to the Ruhuna culture.

Pit your skill against the children as you compete to create the best one. Enjoy a masked performance by the youth, and participate in a ventriloquism and puppet show. This activity lasts four to five hours and is best undertaken at the start of the day or late in the evening.

Visit the Gem Lapidary

Sri Lanka is well known for its precious and semi-precious gems such as the Blue Sapphire. Pay a visit to a model mine in Kandy in order to understand the local gem mining process in a safe environment. Learn all about Sri Lanka’s precious stones from your guide who is an expert on them.

Observe the mechanised miner figurines to get a better idea of the steps involved in mining gems. Take a close look at both the traditional gem cutting equipment and the newer lapidary machines. They work miracles on the rough stones by transforming them into sparkling gems. The Gem Lapidary excursion takes 1.5 to 2 hours and can be arranged anytime during the day at your convenience.

Rice Mill & Paddy Experience

Experience the delights of Sri Lanka’s scenic countryside first-hand. Visit a picturesque paddy field and learn about the cultivation of rice, a staple food in Sri Lanka and other Asian countries.

Experience how the rice is milled – grains are de-hulled and polished before the rice is graded according to size, colour and aroma. This experience lasts one hour and can be undertaken at your convenience.

Next, pay a visit to Nishantha’s Wood Carving Factory for a look at his vast collection of handcrafted wood carvings, some of them rare.