Sri Lankan food is usually spicy. A basic curry, made with coconut milk, sliced onion, green chilli, aromatic spices such as cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon and saffron and aromatic leaves is a speciality here. Hoppers are a cross between a muffin and a crumpet with a wafer-crisp edge, served with a fresh egg, baked on top. String hoppers are steamed circlets of rice flour, a little more delicate than noodles or spaghetti. Jaggery is like a fudge made from the crystallized sap of the Kitul palm. The Durian fruit is considered a great delicacy. Tea is the national drink and Sri Lankan tea is thought to be amongst the best in the world. The sap of the toddy palm is fermented to make toddy, which is a popular local drink with an acrid taste. Toddy is often further distilled to make arrack, an alcoholic brew, which is available in varying degrees of potency.

Sri Lanka is a melting pot of cultures, where Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism and Christianity co-exist peacefully. Most of the Sinhalese on the island are practice Buddhism.