Quick answer
The best way to give back on a cricket trip is to spend locally: stay in locally owned guesthouses, eat in local restaurants, hire local drivers and guides, and buy crafts direct from makers. If you want to donate cricket gear or money, go through established clubs, schools or registered organisations rather than handing items out. Avoid orphanage visits, elephant rides and feeding wildlife, and cut single-use plastic.
Key takeaways
- Spending with local businesses is the simplest way to give back.
- Donate cricket gear through established clubs, schools or organisations.
- Avoid handing out gifts or money to children in the street.
- Avoid orphanage visits, elephant rides and wildlife feeding.
- Carry a refillable bottle to cut plastic waste.
Spend locally
Tourism money goes furthest when it stays in the community. Locally owned guesthouses, family restaurants, independent drivers and guides, and craftspeople selling their own work all keep income close to home.
On a cricket trip, that might mean staying in a family guesthouse in Galle, eating at a local rice-and-curry shop near the ground, buying a handmade mask in Ambalangoda or tea direct from a small estate.
Tipping fairly for good service, from hotel staff to drivers and guides, is another simple way to support people who make your trip work.
- →Locally owned guesthouses and restaurants.
- →Independent drivers and guides.
- →Crafts direct from makers.
Community tourism
Village homestays, cooking classes with families, guided walks with local guides and community-run tours all share tourism income more widely. Around Sigiriya, the south coast and the hill country, many such experiences are run by local families.
These experiences are also often the most memorable parts of a trip, with home-cooked food and real conversation, frequently about cricket.
Lankan Stays & Trails works with village hosts and local guides, so cricket trips can include community experiences between matches.
- →Village homestays.
- →Family cooking classes.
- →Local guides and community tours.
Cricket gear and coaching
Many young Sri Lankan cricketers play with worn or shared gear, and donated bats, balls, pads and gloves are valued. The responsible way to give is through an established club, a school's cricket programme or a registered organisation, which can make sure gear goes where it is needed.
Contact the club or school before you travel, ask what is needed and arrange a handover with a coach or teacher present. Avoid handing out gear to children in the street, which can encourage begging and skip the children who need it most.
Some fans also offer time, such as joining a coaching session, but only through an organised programme.
- →Give through clubs, schools or organisations.
- →Ask what is needed before you travel.
- →Avoid handing out gear in the street.
What to avoid
Orphanage visits, even well-meaning ones, can harm children, and child-protection organisations advise against them. Elephant rides, wildlife shows and paying for photos with captive animals support poor welfare. Feeding wild animals, such as monkeys or elephants on roadsides, changes their behaviour and can be dangerous.
Giving money, sweets or pens to children in the street encourages them to miss school to beg. Support schools or community organisations instead.
- →No orphanage visits.
- →No elephant rides or wildlife shows.
- →No gifts or money to children in the street.
Plastic and the environment
Plastic waste is a growing problem in Sri Lanka, and a cricket tour generates plenty of bottles. Carry a refillable bottle and use filtered water stations at hotels where available. Say no to plastic straws and bags.
On beaches and at the ground, take your rubbish with you, and join a beach clean-up if one is running near your hotel.
Choose reef-safe sunscreen for snorkelling and diving.
- →Refillable bottle.
- →Take your rubbish with you.
- →Reef-safe sunscreen.
Respect
Respect for local culture, from dressing modestly at temples to being polite in disagreements, is also a way of giving back. Visitors who leave a good impression make the next fans welcome too.
Small acts count as well: learning a few words of Sinhala or Tamil, asking before taking photos, being patient with delays and keeping banter good-humoured. Sri Lankans remember visitors who treat them and their country with respect.
Frequently asked questions
How can cricket fans give back in Sri Lanka?
Spend locally by staying in locally owned guesthouses, eating at local restaurants, hiring local drivers and guides and buying crafts from makers. Donate cricket gear through clubs, schools or registered organisations, and choose community tourism experiences such as homestays and cooking classes.
How do you donate cricket gear in Sri Lanka?
Contact an established club, a school's cricket programme or a registered organisation before you travel, ask what is needed and arrange a handover with a coach or teacher present. Avoid handing out gear to children in the street, which can encourage begging.
Should you visit an orphanage in Sri Lanka?
No. Child-protection organisations advise against orphanage visits, which can harm children even when well meant. If you want to help children, support schools or registered community organisations through proper channels instead.
Is it OK to ride elephants in Sri Lanka?
Elephant rides and wildlife shows support poor animal welfare and are best avoided. Watch elephants in the wild instead, at Minneriya, Udawalawe or Yala, with a responsible jeep operator who keeps a respectful distance.
Should you give money to children in Sri Lanka?
No. Giving money, sweets or pens to children in the street encourages begging and can keep them out of school. If you want to help, support schools or community organisations, or donate through a registered charity.
How can you reduce plastic on a cricket trip?
Carry a refillable bottle and use filtered water stations at hotels, refuse plastic straws and bags, and take your rubbish with you at the ground and on beaches. A long cricket tour can generate a lot of bottles, so small habits add up.
What is community tourism in Sri Lanka?
Community tourism shares income with local families and villages through homestays, cooking classes, village walks and locally guided tours. Many such experiences run around Sigiriya, the south coast and the hill country, and fit easily between cricket matches.
Can cricket fans help coach young Sri Lankan players?
Only through an organised programme run by a club, school or registered organisation, which handles child-protection checks and makes sure the help is useful. Ad hoc coaching of children you meet is best avoided. A nets session as a visitor, with a tip for the bowlers, is a simpler way to connect.