Are the stilt fishermen in Koggala still doing it for fish?
2 Answers from travellers
In the most popular spots like Koggala and Weligama, it is largely a staged performance for photographers. You will be expected to pay a tip of around five hundred to one thousand rupees to take their photo. However, if you head to quieter stretches of the south coast very early in the morning around six, you might still catch real fishermen using the stilts for their actual daily catch.
It is a dying tradition because it is physically exhausting and not very profitable. Think of your tip as a payment for preserving a piece of cultural heritage that would otherwise disappear completely. The photos at sunset are genuinely stunning even if the setting is organized.
Scam Watch: galle
Someone befriends you and offers a "once in a lifetime" opportunity to buy gems at wholesale prices and resell them abroad for huge profit. They may show you fake export certificates. The gems are worthless glass or low-quality stones.
Restaurants without visible prices. Bill arrives with inflated charges (500 LKR coconut becomes 1500 LKR). "Service charges" added without disclosure.
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