Traveling in Sri Lanka With Food Allergies – Practical Tips & Printable Help


1) Coeliac Disease (Gluten Allergy)


For those with celiac disease / gluten allergy, there is one good news and one bad news regarding travelling in Sri Lnaka:

✅ GOOD NEWS
Traditional Sri Lankan cuisine is based on rice, coconut, vegetables, seafood, herbs, and spices, and is naturally gluten-free! And let’s not forget fruit… available everywhere, in endless varieties 🍍🥭🍌

❌ BAD NEWS
Gluten-free substitute products like bread or pasta are almost impossible to find.
General awareness of food allergies is low, and you cannot expect kitchen staff to fully understand gluten-free requirements.

This means you must take responsibility for informing, asking questions, and double-checking ingredients.
(Exceptions may be special retreats and high-end resorts.)


Helpful tips for gluten-free travel in Sri Lanka

  • Avoid Western-style food like pizza, pasta, and sandwiches
  • Be careful with rotty and kottu rotty – both are made with wheat flour
  • It’s generally easier and safer to stick to Sri Lankan food (which we honestly recommend anyway 😋)


Examples of naturally gluten-free Sri Lankan dishes

  • Dal curry (lentil curry)
  • String hoppers (steamed rice noodles)
  • Pittu (steamed rice flour and coconut)
  • Kiribath (rice cooked with coconut milk)
  • Hoppers & egg hoppers (fermented pancakes made from rice flour and coconut milk)

ℹ️ This information is based on personal experience and observations. You know your own needs best – always trust your judgment.


🖨️Printable allergy card (Sinhala translation)

To make communication easier, we created this sinhala translation of an allregy information card about coelic disease.
You can download it, print it, and keep it with you while traveling in Sri Lanka:


More food allergies to be added to this guide soon.

More food allergies such as milk allergy, nut allergy, lactose intolerance, and others will be added to this guide soon, making it a helpful resource for even more travelers.

If you have booked a tour with us, please let us know about any food allergies in advance.
If you already have a document explaining your dietary needs, simply send it to us 📧 we’ll translate it into Sinhala so you can print it and use it while traveling.

At At Ease Tours & Transport, we believe travel should feel safe, relaxed, and worry-free.🌴💙

We’re always here to help you travel at ease 😊