Sri Lanka enchants visitors with its warmth, tropical greenery and heartfelt smiles. Between the sea, Panchakarma, tea plantations and temple bells, Ayurveda holidaymakers experience small gestures of great cordiality. Here are 10 lovely observations that bring more lightness to the here and now on this island in the Indian Ocean.
Head shaking means ‘yes’.
People in Sri Lanka communicate a lot non-verbally. Particularly striking is the typical head shaking of the locals. The ‘head bobble’, ‘wobble’ or ‘waggle’ is a mixture of nodding and swaying. Most of the time it means agreement, a ‘yes’, “maybe” or ‘I understand’. How should you respond? Smile back in a relaxed manner. However, if locals shake their heads for no apparent reason, be sensitive. They may be avoiding saying ‘no’ directly. This can be confusing for Europeans at first.
Our team at the Ayurveda Centre often communicates with a friendly nod of the head during treatments. Try it yourself and observe how a quiet togetherness develops all by itself.
Speaking of nonverbal communication: in Sinhala, the language of the Sinhalese people, there are no words for ‘bon appétit’. They simply smile. Instead, ‘enjoy your meal’ has become commonplace when talking to tourists.
Tea is Sri Lanka’s number one cultural asset .
Sri Lanka is one of the world’s largest tea exporters. Ceylon tea tastes particularly good when visiting the tea plantations in the highlands. There, the globally beloved hot beverage is served with milk, sugar and a smile.
Shopkeepers on the coast also occasionally offer black tea. Wait and see? For Ayurveda spa guests, the motto is: politely decline and opt for herbal tea or warm water instead. This is because tea interferes with the therapy plan. Our tip for you if you are curious about black, white and green tea from the highlands of Sri Lanka: start your Ayurveda stay with a round trip and then immerse yourself fully in the Panchakarma cure.
Many tea pickers have lived with their families in tea villages in the middle of the plantations for generations. They pass on their knowledge of tea cultivation and harvesting from their parents to their children. Their daily lives are shaped by the rhythm of the tea harvest.
Going barefoot is a matter of honour.
Whether in a temple, in a house or at the tailor’s around the corner: shoes stay outside. Bare feet are a sign of respect in Sri Lanka. This is especially true in sacred places. Guests at Sandaru Lanka enter the platform with our terraces, restaurant and pool without shoes. In front of the Ayurveda centre, a shoe rack politely invites you to leave your flip-flops outside. A pleasant side effect: walking barefoot activates the reflex zones and strengthens foot health. It is particularly pleasant to get used to putting one bare foot in front of the other on Maggona Beach. In the high season from November to March, the beach is very wide and offers plenty of space for strolling. In the low season, the water can come very close to the shore, making beach walks impossible at times.
Walking barefoot on natural surfaces grounds you and helps you overcome jet lag quicker. If you consciously stroll through our garden barefoot in the morning, you will feel the cool dew: a soothing practice to start the day mindfully.
Rice even for breakfast .
In Sri Lanka, rice and curry is a meal that equals an attitude to life. If you ask Sinhalese people, ‘What have you eaten?’ you are guaranteed to hear, with a charming smile, ‘Rice and curry.’ Often three times a day. And yes, the pots are already steaming at seven in the morning. This is accompanied by the typical lentil dish dhal, coconut sambol or vegetables.
In Ayurvedic cuisine, we generally avoid excessive spiciness in dishes, unless it is expressly indicated, for example for people with a dominant Kapha constitution, who benefit from more fiery spices to get them moving. Our tip for anyone travelling around the country and staying in tourist hotels: look for the Sri Lankan Corner in the restaurant. There you will find rice and curry in traditional clay pots, sometimes quite spicy. Coconut flakes are available to tone down the heat.
In Sri Lanka, hoppers or string hoppers, small rice mounds made from dough strands, are often served alongside rice at breakfast. They taste particularly delicious with coconut sambol or dhal.
Every holiday a celebration .
Sri Lanka loves to celebrate, and it does so often. The so-called Poya Days are public holidays. On these full moon days, Buddhists visit the temple, offer flowers, light incense sticks and reflect on the fact that nothing lasts forever. Flowers wilt and candles burn down. We take our guests to the full moon ceremonies at Kanda Viharaya, the Big Buddha Temple, in Aluthgama.
There are also Hindu, Muslim and Christian festivals. Here in Maggona, a Christian village, Catholics celebrate Marian festivals particularly lavishly and more loudly than is customary in Europe. St. Mary’s Church towers over Maggona and attracts believers from Colombo.
They often spend days preparing, cooking and decorating houses and streets, and the whole village joins in. Sometimes music from church services drifts over to us. Overall, tourists often get the feeling that there are more holidays than working days in Sri Lanka.
Feel free to plan your trip around a Poya day or other public holiday. No museum can show you more of the real Sri Lanka.
Honking means: I’m here!
Road traffic in Sri Lanka seems chaotic. Only on the highways is there any order. Driving on the left, tuk-tuks, mopeds, colourful lorries, crowded buses, street dogs, cows and bicycles move through cities and across the countryside according to their own rules. The locals calmly manoeuvre their way through the hustle and bustle and honk their horns.
The horn does not express anger. The honk is a friendly way of saying, ‘I’m here,’ ‘Watch out, I’m overtaking,’ ‘Hello,’ or ‘Thank you.’ Passengers who understand this relax.
We will take you safely by tuk-tuk or car to markets, temples or for a stroll in the surrounding area.
White represents purity and spirituality.
In Sri Lanka, white clothing is a sign of purity and respect and is common for those with Buddhist beliefs. Sinhalese people also wear white at funerals. Anyone visiting a temple or invited to a ceremony dresses in white and also covers their upper arms and legs at least below the knee. Speaking of respect: it is a no-go to have your photo taken in front of a Buddha statue or to take a selfie. Turning your back on Buddha has to be strictly avoided.
Buddhist monks in Sri Lanka traditionally wear orange or dark red robes because the fabrics were once dyed with natural plant dyes such as saffron. Orange represents wisdom, personal development and the renunciation of all that is superfluous. Dark red symbolises protection and inner clarity. The robes show that Buddhist monks follow a path far removed from materialism, consciously focusing on the essentials.
The Sinhalese alphabet has 60 letters.
Sinhala, the language of the Buddhists in Sri Lanka, sounds melodic. Even if the sounds are unfamiliar to you and you don’t speak the language of the locals, ‘Ayubowan’ will bring a smile to everyone’s face. You fold your hands as if in prayer and wish your counterpart a long and happy life. Singhalese is an independent alphabet that belongs to the so-called Brahmi derivatives. It comprises around 60 characters, which are divided into consonants, vowels and various combined sounds. The script in Sri Lanka is round and curved, with flowing forms that were well suited for writing on palm leaves in historical times.
Curious? Write your name in Sinhalese. The locals will be happy to help you.
Language barriers? There are hardly any in Sri Lanka. A smile, a few words of English and gestures with your hands and feet will help. And a few Sinhalese words here and there: for example, “Stuti!” or “Bohoma Stuti!”. That means “thank you” or “thank you very much”. Just say it and you are guaranteed to see beaming faces.
Sunday is beach day!
For many local families in Sri Lanka, the beach is the most beautiful place to relax. They often visit the beach at the weekend in large groups, bringing picnics, music and good cheer. Local women usually bathe fully clothed, while men wear swimming shorts. Tourists also adapt to local customs. Those who stroll along the pristine beach of Maggona wear shorts and T-shirts or light cotton dresses instead of bikinis. This shows respect and also protects against sunburn.
Hospitality is top priority.
Sri Lanka makes everyone feel welcome. Anyone who visits this popular island nation will encounter people who freely share food, time and conversation. It is also customary for locals to give up their own beds for overnight guests. They proudly pamper their visitors. Those who are invited experience generous warmth. Whether in a hut or a villa, no one goes home hungry. And once you are a friend, you usually remain one forever.
Ayubowan! We wish you a long and happy life.
Susanne Kleiner blogs about insights from Sri Lanka. Together with Thushara, she has fulfilled her dream of creating Sandaru Lanka, a place for people who want to find themselves and enjoy Ayurveda in Sri Lanka. Susanne is a communications expert, trainer, coach, copywriter and writing teacher. She lives and works in Freiburg im Breisgau. She spends two to three months a year in Sri Lanka.
Recommended reading
‘Travelling alone as a woman in Sri Lanka: 12 valuable tips for a safe and unforgettable trip’: a report by Carina, who visited Sandaru Lanka in December 2024.