Shopping in Sri Lanka - Top things to buy for tourists

Gemstones are the most sought after tourist item in Sri Lanka. From ancient times Sri Lanka has being renowned for its high quality gems fit for royalty. One of the reasons for high demand for Sri Lankan gems is that you can get a high quality product for a very low cost compared to countries like US and UK. Since gems and birthstone jewelry are expensive items the difference in cost is vast and buying it in Sri Lanka saves you a lot of money. Rough uncut diamonds can be bought around half the price compared to US,UK markets and prices of cut and polished diamonds can be ten times high in the UK. If you are buying jewelry with gems embedded in them the variation in price is even higher. So it is not surprising that gems are in high demand.
Because of this high demand you will find few crooked salesman prying upon gullible tourists. The government has taken strict measures to cut down cheating and protect the tourists. There are gem testing centers in major cities popular for gem trading and since this is a considerable investment its advisable to get them tested for a price.If you can visit The National Gem and Jewelery Authority, they have test centers where you can get your gem tested for free. Another measure the government has taken to cut down on selling fake gems is licensing gem selling stores. If you are buying a gem in Sri Lanka it is always a good idea to buy from a licensed gem store.One of the best places to buy gems is the National Gem and Jewelery exchange in the world trade center, there are many shops there so you are sure to find somethings that matches your taste and because of the competition you can get a very reasonable price too. This is definitely a bit more expensive than buying from various other shops but you are guaranteed of quality and authenticity.
The best and the most cheapest way is to buy it via a local who knows about gems. The trust factor plays a major part here but many foreign traders take this route because it is far more cheaper. A friendly chat with your hotels manager or someone you already know in Sri Lanka can lead you to such a guy, so always make sure to explore this option.

Sri Lanka is one of the largest exporters of finished garments in the world and you can buy clothes at a very reasonable price in Sri Lanka. Although Sri Lanka is a tropical country where there is no need for winter clothing,I have seeing tourists who buy winter clothing from Sri Lankan shops. I have being to Sweden and Denmark and I can understand why they choose to buy from Sri Lanka, the price is simply unbeatable. The number of clothes shops in Colombo area is unbelievable and you are sure to find something to match you in those shops. Odel is one of the top places visited by tourists for clothes shopping because they offer top quality branded clothes for a reasonable price. If you are looking to buy something truly Sri Lankan you can buy hand woven clothes at various shops, specially set up targeting tourists in mind, and usually they cost a bit more in those shops. House of Fashion is another good place to visit because they have all types of clothes under one roof, including winter clothing.

Handicraft and silverware are another two items popular with tourists. When it comes to handicraft wooden masks ( devil masks ), wooden carving of Elephants, artwork done using tree roots ( "Ruk Kala" ), wooden wall hangings , carved jewelery boxes are some of the most popular items. Elephants are like a symbol of Sri Lanka so you will find many tourists buying those and you will find various beautifully carved Elephant statues. These items can be found in almost any tourist attraction site and in major cities like Colombo, Kandy, Dambulla and Galle. Usually it is much cheaper to buy them near tourists attraction rather than buying them in shops in Colombo and other major cities. There are cities and towns specialized for different kind of handicrafts ( eg :- wooden masks -> Ambalangoda ), so if you can visit one of those cities or villages then you can buy it much cheaper.
When it comes to silverware and brass items brass elephants, wall hangings and jewelery boxes are considered top buys. Kandy is the best place to visit if you want to buy silverware and you can get them for a much cheaper price too. Although not as common as wooden and straw handicrafts you can find them near major tourist attractions too.

Bathik items are some of the most popular buys in Sri Lanka, its cheap, its lightweight, easy to pack and carry and most of all its beautiful. Batik items comes in various forms like shirts, sarongs, wall hangings, table clothes and as ladies wraps and dresses. These are really colorful items perfect for wearing in tropical countries which is why you will find many tourists wearing those. Batik wall hangings are also popular because the capture some of the things most unique to Sri Lanka. Wall hangings of the Kandy Perahera, Kandyan dancers, Elephants and Sigiriya wall paintings are some of the top picks when it comes to Batik wall hangings. These are made out of cotton, washable and durable making it a wise investment.

Another popular item among tourists and as with gems best place to buy jewelery in Sri Lanka is the Sri Lanka Gem and Jewelery exchange at the world trade center. Most popular items include rings embedded with gemstones, pearl necklaces, necklaces made of colored glass and various other items made out of gold and silver. There are few duty free shops within the Colombo area where you can buy them at a lower price provided you have a valid passport. Most top class hotels in the Colombo area also have there own jewelery shops but normally they are very expensive since they are mostly targeted towards tourists.