What to Buy
Sri Lanka is an excellent place to shop if you have foreign
currency, as the conversion rate ensures that clothes,
spices and household items are at a considerably lower
price than in the West -many holiday-makers go home with
a whole new wardrobe. There is a booming market for designer
"fakes", so be aware when purchasing CK jeans, Armani
shirts and Tommy Hilfiger clothing that they are only
good copies and not of the same quality as originals.
Other good buys are tea, spices, handlooms, masks and
carvings and gems such as moonstones. Read the tips on
gem buying in the main section, pages 118-121, before
purchasing any jewellery or gems. Outside Colombo, go
for items that are traditionally made in the localitY.
For example, beautiful handmade lace can be purchased
in Galle. (Some elderly women sell their own skilful pieces
of work outside the New Oriental Hotel and on the ramparts.)
If in Wewelbeniya on the Kandy road, look out for hand-woven
baskets. Although mask carvings can be bought anywhere
on the island, you are likely to find lovely examples
at a fair price at Ambalangoda, the centre of traditional
Sri Lankan mask carving.
Shopping in Colombo
Clothes
Barefoot
704 Galle Road, Colombo 3 Tel: 589305
Exclusive range in vivid cottons and linens created by
Sri Lankan artist and designer Barbara Sansoni and her
skilled team. This is a great shop for buying gifts. Cafe
and gallery on the premises.
The London Shop
252 Galle Road, Colombo 4 Tel: 502552
For the St Michael label of Marks and Spencer.
Elle
Ground Floor Majestic City and 1st Floor Liberty Plaza
Ready-made garments, such as T-shirts, casuals.
Levis
39a Queensway Building, Duplication Road, Colombo 3 Tel:
581024
The only authentic Levis outlet.
Odel Unlimited
5 Alexandra Place, Colombo 7 Best selection of casual
and "designer" clothing.
Cotton Collection
Flower Road, Colombo 7
Cotton clothing for everyone.
Kldz
169 Kynsey Road, Colombo 8
Tel: 688558
For children's wear.
Household and Handicrafts
Barefoot
704 Galle Road, Colombo 3 Tel: 589305 Odel Home Shop
38 Dickmans Road, Colombo 5 Tel: 589618
Paradise Road
213 Dharmapala Mawatha, Colombo 7
Tel: 686943
Branches also at the Trans-Asia Hotel, Hilton JAIC Towers
and The Gallery Cafe.
Ceramics
696 Galle Road, Colombo 3 Tel: 589349
Lakpahana
21 Rajakeeya Mawatha, Colombo 7
Gifts
Aluthgama Wood Carvings
25/3 Riverside Avenue, Aluthgama (on the west coast) Barefoot
704 Galle Road, Colombo 3 Tel: 589305
The Oasis Company
18 Station Road, Colombo 4 Tel: 597097
Odel Unlimited
5 Alexandra Place. Colombo 7
Thimble
Paradise Road.
213 Dharmapala Mawsha, Colombo 7;
32 Duplication Road. Colombo 4 Tel: 597196
Gems and Jewellery
Colombo Jewellery Stores
1 Alfred House Gardens. Galle Road. Colombo 3 Hemachandra
Brothers
229 Galle Road, Colombo 3 Tel: 325147
lam Gems
81 Galle Road, Colombo 4 Tel: 589090
Ridhi Design Studio
Zlays Pvt. Ltd. 15 Skeleton Road, Colombo 5
Tel: 595955
Sunglasses
Fashion Optic (Eric Rajapakse) 2-9 Majestic City. Colombo
4 Tel: 592710
Tea and Spices
Miesna
Colombo Hilton; also at Liberty Plaza, Majestic City,
Crescent. JAIC Hilton Towers. Kandy. Galle. Nuwmatliya
and the airport.
The Shoppe
Shop No.5, Crescat Boulevard. Colombo 3 Tel: 698015
Books
Barefoot Bookshop
704 Galle Road. Colombo 3 Tel: 589305 Bookland
430-432 Galle Road, Colombo 3 Tel: 074714444
Vijltha Yapa Bookshop
Unity Plaza. 376 Galle Road. Colombo 3 Tel: 577624
Shopping Malls
Majestic City
Galle Road
Bambalapitiya
Liberty Plaza
Duplication Road. 7 Kollupltlya )
Crescat Boulevard
Galle Road, Colombo 3
Duty-Free Shopping
The duty-free shop at the airport is open to travellers
on the way in and out. Prices are said to be the lowest
in Asia. In addition to the usual items you can buy audio
and video appliances, camera and photo- graphic equipment
and gold, Gems . To export gems received as gifts.
permits from the Controller of Exchange, Central Bank
Colombo and the Controller of Imports and Exports, National
Mutual Building, Chatham Street, Colombo 1, are required.
Antiques
The export of antiques over 50 years old is banned. So
is the export of wild animals, birds and reptiles unless
with the proper documentation and licences.
