Paying for photos of stilt fishermen in Koggala and eating their catch
4 Answers
Unfortunately, yes, it is mostly a staged performance now. Genuine stilt fishing is incredibly rare today. The men you see sitting on the poles during the day in Koggala and Ahangama are actors hired to pose for tourist photos. They do not actually catch fish to eat or sell anymore. The "manager" on the beach extorts money from tourists. If you refuse to pay, they will literally climb down from the poles and hide.
Do not pay them 5000 LKR! If you really want the postcard photo, negotiate it down to 500 LKR before you take your camera out. But know you are paying for actors, not fishermen.
If you want to see real fishing and eat fresh catch, go to the Weligama or Mirissa fish harbors at 6:00 AM. You will see authentic fishermen bringing in massive tuna, and no one will charge you a cent for photos.
I fell for this last year. I took a photo from the road and a guy chased my tuk-tuk demanding money. Just keep driving.
You must be logged in to post an answer.
Log In to Answer🔥 Popular tags
Related
Fair TukTuk Prices
Help travelers avoid overcharging!
Be the first to report a price