Covered shoulders on the Kandy bus but wore a tank top in Mirissa — am I reading town dress codes wrong?

Practical pattern many visitors use: cover shoulders and cleavage on public buses, in shrines, and in more conservative inland towns; beachwear stays on the beach and tourist strips. Stares happen for many reasons — not always disapproval — but a light shirt in the daybag removes the worry. Local women also change context: market and bus differently from the sand. You are not required to wear temple clothes on Mirissa beach. Reading the room beats a rigid uniform.