Travelling gluten free and coeliac in Sri Lanka is it manageable and what is safe to eat

Home cook so the coeliac picture honestly Good news mostly manageable the core cuisine is largely RICE and COCONUT based which is naturally gluten free this is a big advantage over a wheat based cuisine the staple RICE AND CURRY (rice with vegetable fish meat curries dhal sambols) is typically gluten free and safe and abundant everywhere so your everyday default meal is a friend Naturally safe dishes RICE AND CURRY (the mainstay) plain RICE most CURRIES (check for flour thickening rare but ask) DHAL coconut SAMBOLS (pol sambol lunu miris) grilled or curried FISH and SEAFOOD HOPPERS (appa) are made from rice flour and coconut so usually gluten free STRING HOPPERS (idiyappam) are rice flour usually gluten free PITTU is rice flour and coconut gluten free fresh FRUIT king coconut so a lot of the cuisine works for you Watch out for the hidden gluten KOTTU is the big trap it is chopped GODAMBA ROTI which is WHEAT so kottu is NOT gluten free (and is chopped on a shared griddle cross contamination) avoid it any WHEAT roti paratha and many short eats and bakery items (wheat) SOY SAUCE and some sauces in the Chinese influenced and devilled dishes contain wheat (ask) some processed and restaurant gravies may use flour BISCUITS cakes and the bakery (wheat) be careful and beware cross contamination on shared surfaces and fryers Communicating and staying safe carry a CLEAR explanation ideally a translation card in Sinhala (and Tamil) explaining coeliac and that even a trace of wheat makes you ill (a printed card is invaluable since gluten free is not a widely understood concept) emphasise NO wheat flour no soy sauce no kottu eat at places where you can SEE the food is simple rice and curry homestays are GREAT because the family cooks fresh and you can explain clearly stick to the naturally gluten free staples and ask about thickeners and sauces so be reassured but careful the rice and coconut cuisine is largely gluten free with rice and curry hoppers string hoppers and pittu as safe staples AVOID kottu wheat rotis soy sauce and the bakery carry a Sinhala coeliac card and favour homestays and simple fresh rice and curry and you eat safely and very well