How and where to taste fruits and vegetables in Sri Lanka

Many exotic fruits like pineapple, rambutan, avocado, passion fruit, mango, papaya and mangosteen are native to Sri Lanka. Roadside fruit shops are to be seen everywhere and the fruits sold there are generally very fresh and very cheap. Bananas come in many different varieties and it is good to have a few of them in store just in case you are running late for your lunch. They also come in handy if you want to feed monkeys. Remember not to let them come up to you to grab them. It is better to throw them from a safe distance.

In the hilly regions, you can find fruits usually grown in temperate regions such as tasty strawberries.

Fresh fruit juices are also available in many places. Make sure the vendor does not add tap water to his beverage.

Although most agriculture in Sri Lanka focuses on rice, coconut and tea, farmers cultivate nearly 80 different types of fruits and vegetables around the year. The unique geography allows for the cultivation of temperate crops in the cool, hilly regions, while tropical harvests abound in the hot and wet lower farmlands. This also allows a variety of fruits and vegetables to be available at a low price. Aside from various vegetables, indigenous root vegetables like yams and cassava are used in local cuisine.