Sri Lanka best cultural etiquette dos and donts - avoid offending?
4 Answers from travellers
Essential dos and don'ts: DO greet with palms together 'Ayubowan'. DO remove shoes and hats before entering temples, most homes. DO cover shoulders and knees at religious sites. DO eat with your right hand (or use utensils) - left hand is culturally considered impure. DO accept tea/food offered warmly (refusing can feel offensive). DO stand for national anthem if played. DO tip in envelopes with a written note. DON'T point at people or Buddha statues with fingers or feet. DON'T touch anyone on the head (spiritually significant, especially children). DON'T take selfies with your back to Buddha statues (deeply disrespectful and legally enforced - people have been arrested). DON'T show public displays of affection beyond hand-holding. DON'T wear Buddhist imagery on clothing/tattoos visibly - deportation risk for visible Buddha tattoos. DON'T dress revealingly in villages. DON'T raise your voice in disputes - conflict resolution is quiet here.
On food: refuse politely if you can't accept ('no thank you, I'm full') - saying no directly isn't rude, but flat rejection can be. Eat with fingers is common at rice-and-curry meals - watch locals mixing rice + curries + sambols with right hand. Don't drink alcohol at religious sites or during ceremonies. Bring a small gift when visiting a Sri Lankan home (fruits, sweets, or something from your home country). Compliment cooking generously - the cook (usually the amma of the house) will be delighted. Sri Lankans are enormously warm - small errors are forgiven graciously, but the Buddha-image and feet-pointing rules are non-negotiable.
On Buddha specifically: this is the #1 issue foreigners get in trouble for. Rules: (1) Never turn your back to a Buddha statue for a photo. (2) Never lie down or sit with feet pointing at Buddha imagery. (3) Never wear clothing with Buddha graphics. (4) Buddha tattoos should be covered at airports and religious sites - people have been deported at CMB arrival for visible ones. Take this seriously - it's not paranoid tourist advice, it's the actual law.
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