Skip to content

Style in Sri Lanka

Tag: Ayurveda

February 1, 2017May 7, 2018

10 Ayurvedic Sri Lankan Supermarket Hacks

Continue reading →

Search:

Search for:

Instagram

A Lankan brew (no milk, quite sugary!) on Delft Island in #Jaffna ☕️ I was waiting for the ferry and decided to have a little rest stop for tea and local snack vadai 😋A cow popped it’s head through the door 🐮and a group the Delft islanders popped in for an afternoon tea break too. We were all attempting to converse in broken Tamil (me!) and broken English 😂 Moments like this are what makes travel truly magical and unforgettable ✨🙏🏻❤️ So much can happen over a cup of tea! 🇱🇰

What do you love about Galle Fort? 😍I love the imperfect perfectness, the rustic beauty of historic buildings and the equally beautiful energy of its inhabitants ☀️ I love hopping from cafes and restaurants, having a coffee ☕️ in one spot, lunch at another, a gelato 🍨 along Pedlar Street and a bag of freshly deep fried parippu wade while walking along the ramparts at sunset 🌅 I love the multi sensory feeling of different streets, each characterised with their own unique history & stories echoing from the walls. I love aimlessly wandering and smiling at strangers because there’s a beautiful sense of community and ubiquitous friendliness. I love the moment you step through one of the two historic entrances it feels like entering another world 🌍 I even love leaving Galle Fort. Why? Because each time I return I appreciate something new as well as relieving the longing for each thing I already fell in love with 🙏🏻💫❤️🇱🇰 #GalleFort

Lacquer handicrafts, known locally as laksha 🇱🇰 I’ve seen spoons, bowls etc like these in shops ALL over the country (@lakpahana in Colombo is one of my faves which FYI also sell D E L I C I O U S Lankan snacks) but I never realised just how much time and skill goes into each one 😲 this family run workshop in #Hikkaduwa goes above and beyond to preserve the tradition 🎨 • I couldn’t explain the whole process to you as it isn’t my forte 😅 but the process is amazing to watch...both intricate and very messy! I will never look at a lacquered handicraft the same way again 👏🏻🇱🇰 • #styleinsrilanka #aliceluker #srilanka #visitsrilanka #travelasia #traveldeeper #slowtravel #traveldiaries #thevisualcollective #travelandlife #NGTUK #traveltips #travelphotographer #handicraft #srilankanculture #art

Sunset from Koneswaram Temple in Trincomalee 🕉🙏🏻☀️ • The entrance of Koneswaram Kovil is through Fort Frederik (a Portuguese fort built in 1624) at the very top of Swami Rock in #Trincomalee ⛰ Street vendors line the paths further up the hill towards the temple selling fresh coconuts, Ayurvedic remedies, souvenirs etc for locals & visitors 🇱🇰 The best time to visit is late afternoon just before sunset to admire the view from the top 🙌🏻 It takes about 15-20 minutes to walk from the entrance of the Fort and you may have a chance to meet some of the deer 🦌 who live inside too ❤️☀️ • P.s flights are now booked for my boyfriend and I to return to Sri Lanka at the end of Feb which means back to instastories, super fresh content and regular posts! We’re staying at an apartment in Colombo for a few months and can’t wait to get dates in the diary for new projects 🙏🏻 • #styleinsrilanka #aliceluker #srilanka #visitsrilanka #travelasia #traveldeeper #slowtravel #traveldiaries #thevisualcollective #traveltips #viewgoals #sunset #travelphotographer #koneswaram #koneswaramkovil

Everyday life in Galle 🇱🇰 Who recognises the blue building in the background? 🙋🏻‍♀️💙 It’s so often we see a single frame of a famous landmark on Instagram that we don’t know what lies just meters away! • Wooden spoons (like the ones hanging up) make excellent, inexpensive holiday gifts 🎁 I usually buy mine from Arpico or Paradise Road as they’re slightly more sturdy as I do a HELLA LOT of Sri Lankan cooking in the UK 😂 but small street stalls like this sell them too 🥄 • Fresh thambili coconuts 🌴 (the orange coconuts on the ground) are a great daily source of electrolytes and hydration to beat the hot Lankan sun ☀️don’t forget to ask the vendor to cut the coconut in half to eat the delicious fleshy bit inside after once you’ve finished the water. I dare you to drink it local style without a plastic straw 😉 • You might be able to spot the little terracotta oil lamps in the baskets 🧺 My mum bought a tonne of these for her 50th birthday party 🔥 She also bought a super long handwoven carpet from a street vendor who normally sells it in small cuts for front door mats! • Sri Lanka is so rich, so diverse and full of opportunities & experiences for travellers 🇱🇰 Its so important to be open minded and leave time for in between moments (which often end up being the most memorable!) • #styleinsrilanka #aliceluker #srilanka #visitsrilanka #travelasia #traveldeeper #slowtravel #traveldiaries #thevisualcollective #travelandlife #ontheroad #traveltips #streetview #streetlife #architecture #localshop #Galle

This is Hela Bojun, my all time favourite eatery in Sri Lanka. They are dotted across Sri Lanka and not only sell delicious local food which is unbelievably affordable (stringhoppers with kiri hodi and pol sambol for Rs.50 anyone?) but it was initiated with a heart to empower women who would otherwise struggle to make ends meet. • When I look into the eyes of each woman, whether they’re selling jackfruit cutlets or roti, there is so much strength behind their eyes. Dining at Hela Bojun is a beautiful, humbling experience and I recommend everyone travelling to Sri Lanka to visit one. From Kandy to Nuwara Eliya, Colombo to Galle they’re E V E R Y W H E R E ❤️🇱🇰 Travel with a conscience, eat with a conscience 🙏🏻 As I’m sure you can imagine, the most authentic, tastiest Sri Lankan food is where the locals eat too! • Where was your favourite Sri Lankan meal? Any other recommendations of must visit local foodie spots? 🤔 • #styleinsrilanka #aliceluker #srilanka #visitsrilanka #srilankatourism #destinationsrilanka #srilankalife #travelasia #traveldeeper #slowtravel #whatsonmyplate #fooddiaries #localfood #localeats #srilankanfood #srilankafood #streetfood #helabojun #conscioustravel

Never go in search of love Go in search of life And life will find you the love you seek ❤️ #atticus • #styleinsrilanka #aliceluker #srilanka #visitsrilanka #travelasia #traveldeeper #slowtravel #traveldiaries #thevisualcollective #travelandlife #ontheroad #traveltips #beachvibes #bnw #hambantota #coupletravel

Who’s tried #halapa? 🙋🏻‍♀️ One of the lesser known Sri Lankan snacks, it can be found in street vendor carts, bobbing along the walkways of moving trains in baskets 🧺 and at local markets (amongst many others!) • The main ingredients are kurukkan, rice flour, fresh grated coconut and kithul treacle 👌🏻 I’ve never made it before so I’m no expert in the cooking front but I’ve enjoyed halapa more times than I can remember over the years- on route to Kandy via government restaurant/rest stop #Awanhala in Ambepussa 🚘, on the train 🚂 and gifted by local friends on special occasions ❤️ • This delicious batch of freshly made halapa is from hela bojun next to Mirijjawila Botanical Garden in Hambantota on a trip to @ravanagarden hotel 🏨 I’ve featured this local eatery in many an Instagram post (there are branches across the country including Colombo and Kandy) and have no doubt I will continue sharing more in the future! • FYI the kenda leaf 🍃 encasing the halapa is not to be eaten! 🇱🇰😂 #SriLankanFood • #styleinsrilanka #aliceluker #srilanka #visitsrilanka #srilankatourism #destinationsrilanka #srilankalife #travelasia #traveldeeper #slowtravel #whatsonmyplate #fooddiaries #localfood #localeats #srilankanfood #srilankafood #riceandcurry #streetfood #helabojun

Beyond the picture perfect travel photos, there are different kinds of beautiful, simple moments like this across Sri Lanka each second of the day ❤️🇱🇰 • Sri Lanka is so much more than Lonely Planet’s #1 exotic travel destination, it’s home to millions. While it continues to evolve in tourism, it’s so important to be conscious of those who live in the country 24 hours a day, 365 days a year 🙏🏻🌍 • While there are many many Instagram accounts focusing on the external beauty of the country (or their own beauty combined with the beauty of the country 🙊) my aim of 2019 is to focus entirely on capturing the soul and heartbeat of the island through my lens 🇱🇰🌴 • I wrote some motivational words on my office whiteboard today, one of them is ‘create for the greater good, it sets your soul on fire’ 🔥 Uploading photos with the sole intention to fulfil my ego ironically leaves me unfulfilled to say the least but as we all know it’s SO easy to fall into the trap as it’s what social media is designed for 🤯 Another was ‘There is only one you, that is your SUPERPOWER’ 💪🏻 imposter syndrome is real guys, it doesn’t matter how many followers you have 😂 • I’m going to be honest with you, I will be posting from my image bank until 2019 right now as I’m in England until early next year but the photos will be F R E S H and unpublished to Instagram (like this one!), with an intention to not only inspire you with Sri Lanka travel tips but how to explore such a magical country with soul (and a generous sprinkle of eco friendly, ethical love) to create unforgettable memories ❤️ • #styleinsrilanka #aliceluker #srilanka #visitsrilanka #travelasia #traveldeeper #slowtravel #traveldiaries #thevisualcollective #travelandlife #ontheroad #traveltips #cricket #boys #locallife #natgeoyourshot #vibrantcolors #gallefort #galle #srilankacricket #travelwithlove

Hoppers come in all colours and sizes these days! Pink beetroot infused egg hoppers at @soulandsurf with pol sambol 💜 How delicious do these look? Nothing beats an original hopper but it’s nice to try something new for a change #lovehoppers • #styleinsrilanka #aliceluker #srilanka #visitsrilanka #srilankatourism #destinationsrilanka #srilankalife #travelasia #traveldeeper #slowtravel #fooddiaries #localfood #localeats #srilankanfood #srilankafood #hoppers #livinglavidaveda #polsambol

If I could only eat one meal for the rest of my life it would without a doubt be Sri Lankan curry, especially dhal (parippu) 💛🥥 Being in the UK at the moment, parippu is one of my favourite dishes for winter over here as it’s hearty, warming and spicy 🌶❄️ • One tip I would suggest when cooking eastern recipes in the west is to use coconut milk powder or coconut cream as an alternative to fresh coconut (if you can’t source it) instead of tinned coconut milk which tend to make the curries a little slimey 😱 OF COURSE nothing beats the real thing but this girl needs her weekly curry fix! 🍛🙋🏻‍♀️ I recently bought some new sectioned containers to make larger batches of each curry and deliver to my grandparents too 🚙 #mealsonwheels • The use of all the spices and herbs in Sri Lankan curries links to Ayurveda. For those who may not know, ayurveda is an ancient Indian ‘science of life’. We are all built of three doshas; vata (air), pitta (fire) and kapha (earth) and balancing them is key to good health. I’m a textbook vata #vataAF (as are a lot of creatives) and learning about it has made a HUGE difference in my life 🙌🏻 🥬🍉🥑🌶 • I just bought two cookbooks inspired by modern Ayurveda 🌿 #notsponsored 🔹 East by West by @jasminehemsley 🔹Eat Feel Fresh by @iamsahararose I will keep you updated with the results! I’m A L W A Y S experimenting in the kitchen (FYI there are SO many ways to get creative with Sri Lankan food) and once you learn the rules it’s easier to break them (with edible results!) 😋 • What are your top tips for cooking authentic curry? 🇱🇰 Do you have any difficulties cooking Sri Lankan food outside of Sri Lanka? 👩🏻‍🍳 • #styleinsrilanka #aliceluker #srilanka #visitsrilanka #destinationsrilanka #localfood #localeats #srilankanfood #srilankafood #riceandcurry #parippu #livinglavidaveda

The first time I visited Galle Fort was 2004. The roads were dirt tracks and the majority of spots to dine (very few!) were in hotels such as Amangalla, previously known as the New Oriental Hotel- the first hotel in the Fort back in 1865 🇱🇰 • We drove around in a tuk tuk during a heavy monsoon with my family friend’s sausage dog Elsie on board (who always wanted to jump in!) and met so many friendly Fort dwellers. It was like a separate community to the town of Galle, with the door to door choon paan (bakery tuk tuk) bursting out Beethoven’s Fur Elise and the fresh fish seller shouting out ‘maalu maalu’ at the crack of dawn 🐟🌅 • My family friends still live in Galle Fort to this day, despite many neighbours selling their houses to tempting offers from shops and hotels in recent years. Similarly to others still living in the Fort, they rent out a room on Air bnb which is a great way to support the local community if travelling on a budget ✈️ • Galle Fort is also super easy to visit without staying overnight. 1 1/2 hours from Colombo or mere minutes in a tuk from surrounding beaches Unawatuna, Thalpe etc. Hop off at the main entrance or Old Dutch Hospital and explore by foot. Everything is walking distance and incredibly safe🚶🏻‍♀️If you get lost 99.9% of locals are friendly and helpful (but as always be wary of pushy tuk drivers) and have Google maps at the ready too 🗺 • On the subject of sustainability in travel I want to celebrate the local side of Galle Fort, the impeccably dressed sari donning ladies sauntering along Pedlar Street, the gentlemen reading the daily newspaper at the YMBA, the nuns at St Joseph’s Chapel with their ear to ear welcoming smiles and everyone who puts the authentic heart into one of Sri Lanka’s most beautiful sights ❤️🧡💛💚 • It’s so easy as a visitor to a tourist hotspot to forget about people who have lived there for years. Let’s not forget to respect the Galle Fort ‘originals’ as they so warmly welcome us! ☀️🙏🏻 #SISLxGalleFort • #styleinsrilanka #aliceluker #srilanka #visitsrilanka #travelasia #traveldeeper #slowtravel #traveldiaries #thevisualcollective #travelandlife #ontheroad #traveltips #unescoworldheritage #ramparts

Congratulations Sri Lanka for making Lonely Planet’s #1 destination of 2019!! 🇱🇰 • Let’s all work together across social media to inspire people all over the world 🌍 to visit the island for life changing, unforgettable memories without forgetting to travel with a conscience 🙏🏻 • I LOVE seeing beautiful photographs of Sri Lanka on Instagram but it’s so important to do your own research too or follow recommendations/guides you trust. • E.g I’ve seen so many photos of #Pinawalla elephant ‘orphanage’ (which is actually more like a zoo where they mistreat the animals for extra profits) captured by bloggers with over 100k followings and reposted all over the place. The issue with visiting Sri Lanka for 2 weeks as a travel blogger with the sole intention to take beautiful photos is the risk of focusing 100% on visuals and not about the soul of what’s being promoted. • What’s AMAZING however is recently seeing more coverage about the right places. The elephant transit home in #UdaWalawe. Considering safaris in other national parks than #Yala in peak season to avoid being one of the 50+ jeeps surrounding a small group of elephants 🐘 • And not only to respect the environment & culture but for our own safety too 😅 I know I know, it sounds a bit over dramatic but hear me out. • I’ve seen people posing on Nine Arch Bridge in #Ella in the middle of the track when the train is coming around the corner...the only way to not get run over is to literally run to the tunnel at the side 🚂😱 When you know what a place is like beyond a single photo on Instagram it’s completely different. Risking our lives for likes isn’t worth it! • I hope that over the years since launching this blog back in 2015 I may have some part to play in this, as has everyone else who’s made an effort to raise awareness in conscious travel. We all collectively have the power to inspire and create positive change, from 100 followers to 100,000. • Congratulations Sri Lanka, so well deserved! 🎉 • #styleinsrilanka #srilanka #visitsrilanka #travelasia #traveldeeper #slowtravel #thevisualcollective #conscioustravel #lonelyplanet #sunrise #viewgoals #trincomalee #trinco #travel2019

How beautiful is the ceiling of this fish market? 💙💛 Old Portuguese architecture and new buildings inspired by the classic style dominate the region of Goa in India 🇮🇳 I’ve never seen a fish market so incredible before, have you? 🤔 #SISLxGoa • While staying at @aliladiwagoa (as a paying guest, not collaboration 😂) we visited the local fish market in the morning and learnt how to cook our catch of the day a la Goan style back at the hotel. We chose prawns 🦐 & kingfish 🐟, one in a red masala sauce and the other a slightly milder yellow base 👌🏻 • As a passionate foodie who thinks about food pretty much 24/7, it was an incredible experience and I cant wait to put my new skills to the test at home 🏡👩🏻‍🍳 Curries are a perfect comfort food for colder/darker European winters, with chilli 🌶 boosting the metabolism to feel less sluggish and other herbs and spices increasing the immune system! 💪🏻🙏🏻 • #styleinsrilanka #aliceluker #goa #visitgoa #travelasia #traveldeeper #slowtravel #traveldiaries #thevisualcollective #travelandlife #ontheroad #traveltips #fishmarket #portugese #portugesearchitecture #interior #locallife #market #fishinglife #seafood #tiles #lookingup #travelwithaconscience #spicyfood #fishcurry #goanfood

Take only memories, leave only footprints 👣❤️ One of the beautiful (blissfully quiet!) beaches in the North East with @saillanka 🛥 Needless to say we had a sunset ‘sea bath’ before a seafood BBQ on the shore! 🌅 What’s your favourite beach in Sri Lanka? #SISLxNorthEast • #styleinsrilanka #aliceluker #srilanka #visitsrilanka #travelasia #traveldeeper #slowtravel #traveldiaries #thevisualcollective #travelandlife #ontheroad #traveltips #saillanka #sunset #trincomalee #sailing #sunset #seabath #footprints #saillife #sand #sky_sea_sunset

Alice Luker

Alice is a UK based travel blogger & professional travel photographer who has been venturing across Sri Lanka since 2004.

View Full Profile →

Subscribe via Email

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 1,923 other followers

Instagram
Twitter
Facebook
Linked In