Navigating a rental Tuk Tuk into Pettah Market to buy raw spices
6 Answers
Do not drive a rental tuk-tuk deep into the narrow streets of Pettah! It is a complete nightmare of hand-pulled carts, massive lorries, and thousands of pedestrians. The best strategy is to park your vehicle at the designated paid parking lot near the Fort Railway Station. From there, you can safely walk to 4th Cross Street and Keyzer Street, which is where all the major wholesale spice merchants are located.
I scratched my rental tuk-tuk trying to squeeze past a hand tractor in Pettah on my first trip. Seriously, just walk or take a local Uber tuk-tuk to drop you off.
Keep a very close eye on your pockets and backpack in those crowded streets while you are busy smelling the cardamom and cloves!
Always negotiate the prices if you are buying in bulk. And make sure to ask specifically for Alba grade cinnamon if you want the thinnest, sweetest bark for high-end cooking.
Once you are walking the spice streets, buy whole roasted coriander, cumin, and fennel seeds in bulk. That forms the holy trinity of Sri Lankan roasted curry powder.
Also pick up some fresh Ceylon cinnamon quills. The smell on those streets is absolutely intoxicating, nothing like the stale powder in supermarkets.
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