Quick answer
Shopping in Kandy is best for traditional crafts and tea. The city's specialities are brassware from Pilimathalawa, lacquer work, wood carving, silver, handwoven Dumbara mats and batik. The Kandyan Art Association beside the lake and the state-run Laksala emporium sell these at fixed prices, which makes them the safest starting point. The central market is best for spices, and supermarkets for tea. Be cautious with gems: buy only from a licensed dealer with a certificate, and never from someone who approaches you.
Key takeaways
- The Kandyan Art Association was founded in 1882 to support traditional craftsmen and still runs a showroom beside Kandy Lake.
- Pilimathalawa, about 12 kilometres west of Kandy, is the traditional centre of Kandyan brass work.
- Dumbara mats are woven from the fibre of the hana plant in villages in the Dumbara valley, east of Kandy.
- Fixed-price shops in Kandy include the state-run Laksala and the Kandyan Art Association showroom.
- Sri Lanka's National Gem and Jewellery Authority licenses dealers and offers testing, and any significant purchase should carry a certificate.
The crafts Kandy is known for
Kandy's crafts go back to the royal workshops of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Families in particular villages still practise the trade of their ancestors, and the patterns they use, such as the lotus, the swan and the vine scroll, are those carved on the temple pillars.
The quality of Kandyan crafts in the shops ranges from museum-grade to mass-produced. Handmade pieces show small irregularities and tool marks. Very cheap, perfectly uniform items have usually been cast or printed in a factory, sometimes abroad.
- →Brassware: oil lamps, trays and betel boxes from Pilimathalawa.
- →Lacquer work: turned wooden boxes and handles in red, yellow and black.
- →Wood carving: masks, elephants and panels in the Embekke tradition.
- →Dumbara weaving: geometric mats, wall hangings and bags.
- →Silver and jewellery: filigree and Kandyan-style necklaces.
Where to shop
The Kandyan Art Association, beside the lake near the temple, is the best single stop for crafts in Kandy. It sells the work of member craftsmen at marked prices, and artisans sometimes demonstrate weaving and metalwork on the premises. Laksala, the government emporium, offers a similar range.
Kandy's ordinary shopping is along Dalada Veediya and the streets behind it, where textile shops, jewellers and tea sellers stand side by side. A modern mall near the lake has air-conditioning, a supermarket and a food court. The upper floor of the central market has cheaper souvenirs of mixed quality.
Batik and textiles
Batik in Kandy is made by drawing patterns in hot wax on cotton and dyeing the cloth in stages. Workshops on the outskirts of the city, especially on the Peradeniya and Matale roads, show the process and sell sarongs, shirts and wall hangings.
Buying batik in Kandy needs a careful eye. Hand-waxed batik shows colour on both sides of the fabric and fine cracks in the dye. Printed imitations are flat on the reverse. Handloom cotton, another Sri Lankan speciality, is sold in bright stripes and checks and makes a practical purchase.
- →Check both sides of the cloth for colour.
- →Ask whether the piece was made on the premises.
- →Expect to pay more for many colours, which need more dye baths.
Tea and spices
Tea is the easiest thing to buy in Kandy. Supermarkets stock the major Sri Lankan brands in every grade at prices lower than souvenir shops. Dedicated tea shops near the lake offer tastings and single-estate teas, and the Ceylon Tea Museum has a well-chosen shop.
Spices in Kandy are best bought at the central market or a supermarket, not at a roadside spice garden. Whole cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and pepper keep well. Look for the lion logo of the Sri Lanka Tea Board on tea packets, which certifies that the contents were grown and packed on the island.
Gems: how not to be cheated
Gems are the riskiest purchase in Kandy. Sri Lanka produces excellent sapphires, but Kandy's "gem museums" are showrooms that pay commission to drivers, and street approaches with stories of export bargains are always fraudulent.
A safe gem purchase in Kandy follows a few rules. Use a dealer licensed by the National Gem and Jewellery Authority, insist on a certificate from an independent laboratory, and pay by card. Lankan Stays & Trails does not take commission from shops, and our drivers stop at gem showrooms only when asked.
- →Never buy from anyone who approaches you in the street or at a viewpoint.
- →Ignore claims that you can resell stones at a profit at home.
- →Ask for a written description: weight, treatment and origin.
- →Have expensive stones tested before you pay.
Bargaining, payment and what not to buy
Bargaining in Kandy applies in the market, small souvenir shops and with street sellers, where a first price may be double the going rate. It does not apply in fixed-price emporiums, supermarkets or bookshops. Cards are accepted in larger shops and cash is needed elsewhere.
Some things should not be bought in Kandy or anywhere in Sri Lanka. Antiques more than 100 years old cannot be exported without a permit. Ivory, tortoiseshell, coral and items made from wild animals are illegal. Buddha images should be treated respectfully and are best not bought as decoration.
Frequently asked questions
What is Kandy famous for shopping?
Kandy is famous for traditional handicrafts, particularly brassware, lacquer work, wood carving, silver and handwoven Dumbara mats, together with batik, tea and gems. Many of these crafts are made in villages around the city that once served the royal court.
Where is the best place to buy souvenirs in Kandy?
The Kandyan Art Association showroom beside the lake and the state-run Laksala emporium are the most reliable places to buy souvenirs in Kandy, because prices are fixed and the goods are locally made. The central market is cheaper for spices and simple gifts.
Is it safe to buy gems in Kandy?
Buying gems in Kandy is safe only from a dealer licensed by the National Gem and Jewellery Authority who provides an independent certificate. Avoid street sellers, shops recommended by touts and any offer that promises a profit on resale. When in doubt, do not buy.
Can you bargain in shops in Kandy?
You can bargain in the central market, small independent souvenir shops and with street vendors in Kandy. Government emporiums, supermarkets and most established stores have fixed prices. Bargain politely, and be ready to walk away if the price stays high.
What are Dumbara mats?
Dumbara mats are textiles woven from the fibre of the hana plant in a few villages of the Dumbara valley near Kandy. They carry geometric and animal motifs in black, red and natural tones, and are made as mats, wall hangings, bags and cushion covers.
Are shops open in Kandy on Sundays and poya days?
Many shops in Kandy close or open for shorter hours on Sundays, and a good number close on poya days. Supermarkets and the mall generally stay open. Plan serious shopping for a weekday or a Saturday morning.