Shoking on Sri Lanka is, first of all, souvenirs . And souvenirs with Sri Lanka are, first of all, delicious tea, wood products (masks, in particular), batik (such beautiful traditional fabric), spices and sari.
Here is pro tea To begin with more. I suppose very many of our compatriots love tea very much. Therefore, during a trip to Ceylon, and, even more so, in Kandy, surrounded by tea plantations, just sin. Town plantations are one of the most important excursions offered in Kandy. But you can not walk far and just look into one of the tea shops of the city. For example, you can go to T-shop MLESNA TEA CENTRE (It is located next to the church and about 50 meters from the "Kandy City Center", which is later). In general, Tea Mlesna is familiar to lovers of good tea. The company "Mlesna" was founded on the island in 1983, and its name - written on the contrary name of the founder, Anselma Peres. This tea is considered elite.
Local guides assure that Mlesna is the only tea company owning its own tea plantations, while the rest acquire a tea leaf at auctions. In the shop, you can tell you a bunch of interesting about tea, for example, what imperts in a large shock of many tourists - green and black, and other teas get from one bush. Yes Yes! Also, in the store, they tell a little about the process of manufacturing with all the favorite drink, and looking at the tea bushes with a small store, more precisely, on a small tea plantation almost on the roof of the cabin (which is already surprising in itself), you can already start buying tea (endure Straight whole suitcases, probably, after convincing stories!). In the store you can buy large packaging of tea, and you can gift sets at the average prices. Of course, the department specifically for tourists, but tea is sold here, it seems like, very good, - you can look.
By the way, the internet sometimes flashes reviews, like "Tea in Kandy the most ordinary". Just for many people, good tea is flavored tea, and someone simply cannot even brew it. Therefore, do not listen to anyone: any tea can be "none" in the wrong hands, as they say.
In general, the experience is proved that the cheapest (and without compromising quality) is weaving tea can be bought in Small specialty stores (where often except tea trades also spices, but keep them away from tea boxes). These places are more visited by local residents, so there are no gift sets.
Coffee You can also buy in Kandy. For example, in "Food City" (network shop) - and better coffee beans, which is already. Moreover, coffee is selling different varieties there and with fillers (for example, with vanilla and with ginger). Although, probably, such a good can be bought in any "Food City" of the country.
At Peredeniya Road, 676, on the way from the center of Kanda to the paradise, you can find a small Salon precious stones (Tiesh by lakmini). This can be said, a very interesting stone mining museum and at the same time the jewelry store. True, the prices are there, compared with prices for such a good in Thailand and Cambodia above time and a half or two. But it is interesting (when buying will be issued a certificate). Well, in general, it is in Kandy that there are many jewelry workshops (just workshops, where the entire process of processing metals and stones shows a clearly.
Be sure to look into the pride of the city, TC "KANDY CITY CENTR" Located next to the Kandy Lake and near the Temple of the Buddha Tooth. The complex has become one of the most successful projects in Sri Lanka. The department store on 10 floors began to build in 1993, but opened 12 years later, in 2005. Why so long? Because the construction was abandoned in 1998 for a number of reasons and was restarted only by 2003. The architects of Singapore were financing and project activities (they also know how to be chewed) - they combined ultra-modern technology with the traditional style of architecture.This building is also known that it is one of the first buildings in Sri Lanka with the underground floor. The supermarket has offices of several banks, supermarkets, restaurants, entertainment zone, excellent food courts, bookstores, gardening departments, fabric stores, perfumes, "All for Ayurveda", departments with children's and adult clothes, cellular salons, etc. Outside there is a five-level parking lot, which is the largest in Kandy. In the complex 14 elevators. If you arrive in the town on Christmas Eve, it will be stumbled upon sales, however, with a very strange approach - for the entrance, starting from the second floor, take money - a little, of course, only about 30 rupees, but still it is rather strange. Maybe this tradition has already been canceled, I do not know. But in such responsible holidays on the roof of the complex, the platform is organized on which concerts are held.
For things you can look at Candy Market . There you can buy it like a real thing (at least quality normal) from famous brands, like Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger, - T-shirts, bags, etc. On the market there are many labels on the market. And sometimes there are just heaps next to the market - "2 colors - 2 sizes", you can dig.In the stores, the labels are more often cut off, and you still need to carefully examine whether there is some marriage on the clothes. And on the market you can buy Wooden masks , chief souvenir after tea.
Although, of course, this souvenir more for collectors is still a religious subject. In any case, in addition to the shopping complex, it will definitely advise to go to the local market and view the streets running parallel to the lakes and the Temple Temple.
Here's another: since on Sri Lanka, cigarettes are quite expensive, so you can buy several packs of Duty Friend (even if you do not smoke) - and then on the market, when you trade for some product, offer the seller of the cigark: He will immediately be happy and immediately throw several hundred rupees (the same trick rolling with masseuses on the coast and not only).
Still in Kandy available Spice market , SPICE MARKET is to a greater extent there everything is for tourists, and therefore there is expensive, and the sellers do not really like to bargain.