Planning a trip to Sri Lanka and trying to figure out what souvenir to take home?
Sri Lanka is a country rich in culture that you’ll undoubtedly want to take home memorabilia with you after your visit. From beautiful clothing to nature to delicious food, there are a ton of souvenirs you can purchase all over the country.
There are a ton of souvenir shops, open markets, and local artisans on the side of the road or walking along the beach where you can buy clothes, jewellery, toys, and other things. Most items are really affordable and cost around USD 5 to USD 15.
Of course, if you want more luxurious items, like higher-end jewellery, clothes, kitchen items, and more, things can get a lot more expensive. The airport also has souvenirs for last-minute items before you return home, but these are more expensive than what you’ll find in a city.
These shops or local artisans can be found in every major city, obviously, and even in more rural parts of the country! You won’t have any trouble finding something perfect to remember your time in Sri Lanka.
Read on to discover the best Sri Lankan souvenirs to get home from your trip to Sri Lanka!
At A Glance
9 Best Sri Lanka Souvenirs To Buy
1. Raksha Mask
A Raksha mask is a very common souvenir. It’s a beautifully covered mask that Sri Lankans use in a lot of festivals and cultural dances.
The word “Raksha” means “demon,” and Sri Lankans wear these to ward off evil spirits and bad luck. According to Sri Lanka legends, there was a race called Rakshasas who ruled the island. These people could change into 24 different forms, and these masks are a tribute to them.
Each mask means a different thing, depending on how it’s designed and the colours.
All have signature traits: big, bulging eyes and tongues, colourful patterns, and two giant “ears” on the side of them.
You can get a Raksha mask from most tourist shops, as they are a popular symbol of Sri Lankan culture. They come in many different sizes and range from about USD 4 – USD 15.
You can also visit a workshop where the masks are made and meet the artisans, then purchase from them directly.
If you forget to buy this when you return home, you can purchase Raksha masks online for about USD 30 – USD 50.
2. Sarees and sarongs
Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic
A ton of gift shops have colourful saris and sarongs for both women and men. These are traditional Sri Lankan clothing and are different from the Indian Sari that you may be more familiar with. It comes in three pieces and you’ll see a ton of locals wearing these casually or even as their work uniforms.
Sarees and sarongs are perfect for casually exploring a Sri Lankan city, as a beach coverup, out to lunch or for covering your knees and shoulders when visiting a Buddhist temple.
Sarees and sarongs vary in price a lot. Of course, there are cheaper ones, and if you want a higher-end fabric, they can be hundreds of dollars. They’re not hard to find. They can be found in many local clothing shops in all cities and towns.
On Amazon, sarees and sarongs vary in price. Most women’s sarongs range from USD 20 – USD 100. Sarees range from about USD 40 to hundreds of dollars.
3. Batik-dyed fabrics
Batik is a way of dying fabrics that’s the traditional Sri Lankan way. A batik artist uses wax on the fabric to avoid dyeing certain areas. Then, the fabric is dipped in the coloured dye, and wherever the wax isn’t present is what changes colour. The wax is then melted off in a boiling pot of water, leaving a beautiful design.
This wax-resistant dyeing goes back as early as the 4th century BC in Sri Lanka. However, Batik can be found in many countries, from China to Nigeria, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines.
You can find Batik products in most gift shops. There are dresses, t-shirts, shorts, bags, artwork, banners, beachwear, tablecloths, bedsheets, and more that you can choose from. They come in all sorts of colours and patterns, so you’ll definitely be able to find something that’s your style!
This batik beach coverup can be purchased online if you prefer to purchase it before your trip to Sri Lanka so you can match the colours of the beach there!
4. Ceylon tea
Sri Lanka’s largest export is tea, so you definitely should try some while travelling there and consider taking some home. There are a ton of specialized tea shops, but authentic Sri Lankan tea can also be found in most grocery stores or convenience stores, or even souvenir shops.
You can visit tea plantations and factories in central Sri Lanka too, where you can pick your tea flavour and see how it is produced. Dilmah, Teaeli, and Mackwoods are very popular brands. Golden Tips, Silver Tips, and Flowery Broken Orange Pekoe Fannings are luxury teas you can also try.
Many Sri Lankan teas have lots of ingredients, like cinnamon, dried fruits, herbal blends and local spices. The flavour depends also on the altitude where the tea is grown.
You can purchase Dilmah-brand tea on Amazon too! This pack of 100g of earl grey tea is only around USD 10. There’s also one for sale of 50 servings for only USD 19.
5. Elephant, Buddha, and other figures
Sri Lanka has so many symbols that you can take home to remind you of your wonderful trip here. National symbols include elephants, Buddhas, leopards, birds, peacocks, and more. There are plenty of hand-painted figurines that would make great toys or decorations for your bookshelf. Many of these are made out of recycled materials. Some shops even have elephant figures made out of recycled elephant poop.
Laksala is one of the most popular souvenir shops for traditional gifts like these. There are several locations in Colombo, and there are locations in other cities as well.
If your suitcase is totally stuffed but you’re still looking for a similar souvenir, check out stone art. These are flat-ish stones that are handpainted with pictures of elephants, traditional Sri Lankan dancers, and other symbols of Sri Lankan culture.
If you totally run out of room in your luggage, you can purchase many of these items on Amazon too. Here’s a Buddha statue for only USD 10 and an elephant statue for USD 26. There’s also a poster print of the famous sleeping Buddha statues in Sri Lanka for USD 21.
6. Bowls, plates, and other kitchen supplies
There are a ton of handmade bowls, plates, cups, spoons, and other kitchen supplies available for purchase all over the island. Some of these are hand painted or made from recycled coconuts.
Another popular souvenir is cinnamon tree bowls. These are made from the inner part of cinnamon trees after removing the bark that is used to make the spice. They have unique hand carvings that make it a very classic and unique souvenir from Sri Lanka.
On Amazon, there’s a set of Sri Lankan coconut bowls with spoons and forks for only USD 20. If you need inspiration on how to cook Sri Lankan food, you can get a Sri Lanka-inspired cookbook like this one.
7. Spices
Visiting a Cinnamon plantation
Speaking of cinnamon… Sri Lanka is famous for its spices. It’s the biggest exporter of cinnamon, so definitely add that to the top of your list. You can get ground cinnamon in packs or just cinnamon sticks.
Sri Lanka also has a ton of turmeric, pepper, cardamom and many others. You can purchase these in local markets, like Pettah Market in Colombo or Kandy Municipal Market in Kandy.
Sri Lankan cuisine is known for using a ton of locally produced spices, so definitely try as many as you can and take some home to enjoy when you return.
If you weren’t able to obtain them in Sri Lanka, there are Sri Lankan spices you can find online, like this pack of Ceylon Cinnamon powder, cloves powder from Sri Lanka for USD 19, and this Sri Lankan curry powder for only USD 15.
8. Jewellery
There are a ton of gems and jewellery shops in Sri Lanka. Many of these are locally sourced. There’s a city called Rathnapura, where cat’s eyes, pale yellow topaz, sapphires, Raven’s blood rubies, amethyst, aquamarine, tourmaline and more can be found. No wonder the city is called “the city of gems.”
Legend says these gems eradicate one’s sins. This city is so famous for its jewels that the famous blue sapphire that was featured in the film Titanic came from here, as well as a blue sapphire that was used in Princess Diana’s engagement ring.
The National Museum of Ratnapura is open to visit if you want to learn more about the history of these gems and the mining process.
There’s also a town called Galle Fort which is famous for its jewellery and gem stores. You can find jewellery stores in all the major cities, however, to pick out the perfect piece for you or your loved one.
You can buy replicas of Sri Lankan jewellery online, like this face-carved peach moonstone for only USD 18.99 or this white moonstone for USD 18.
There’s also a ton of Sri Lankan-inspired jewellery, like this Sri Lankan flag necklace for USD 15, this Sri Lankan heart pendant for USD 17.99, or this Sri Lankan ceylon coin necklace for USD 16.95.
9. Handwoven Products
The handloom is a traditional Sri Lankan craft by women for centuries. They mostly use cotton and natural silk.
You can get so many different types of handwoven products, from dresses to tablecloths, pillows, shawls, pants, napkins, scarves, shirts and more. They come in so many beautiful colours too!
Purchasing any of these items while you’re in Sri Lanka is a great way to support the local economy and help contribute to the country’s population directly, especially during times of economic crisis like this one.
What did you purchase from Sri Lanka to remember your trip and bring a little piece of the magic of the country home with you?
Let us know in the comments, and don’t forget to check out our article on fun facts you may have not known about Sri Lanka so you can tell your friends all about your trip while giving them the cool gifts you purchased back.
