"Avoid the spice gardens" Sri Lanka Tourist Trap Tip by trisanna

Please avoid the spice gardens. This is a big tourist trap. There are very few places in Sri Lanka that have no admission price that aren't tourist traps. You walk around with your guide. Looking at tamarind, nutmeg, and coconut trees. He explains the virtues of each spice in Sri Lankan culture -mostly for ayurvedic purposes. They give you some hot chocolate with spiced tea.

The spice walk is nice, but they realized that they can't make much money selling people spices. Instead, the whole experience is for their spiced tonics. They try and give you a shoulder massage with one of their tonics-supposed to relieve muscle aches. They tonics start around 25 usd. They say they make them, which i doubt since i saw almost the same thing in the central market in Kandy. Plus there are spice gardens all over the country and they all look like tourist traps. We bought one tonic out of pity and some spice. Afterwards, our guide, who also sold us the tonic wanted a tip. We noticed prices have gone up on things after the tsunami. If you are really interested in buying these tonics, oils, creams or spices- go to the central market in Kandy. You will buy it for atleast half the price. I am sure other towns have similiar markets.

We went to the royal spice garden in Matale, Sri Lanka.