Sri Lanka Culinary Experience

Captivated by the scents of fruit, spices, tea and coffee, flowers, and the aromas of wonderful cooking? Entranced by the honey-gold colour of beaches, the luminous green of the plantations, the purple-blue of rolling hills? Intrigued by the cultural mix of Buddhist, Hindu, Christian, and Muslim?

Join Chef Vikram Vij on this alumni UBC Travel Club culinary trip to Sri Lanka, filled with fantastic food, magnificent monuments, and astonishing landscapes. The island of Sri Lanka may be small, but the diverse array of food makes eating a real pleasure. Much more than the island of rice and curry, a trip here is an opportunity to feast on its rich, melting-pot cuisine.

As we explore the island from the warm zephyr of the tropical coast to the misty tea clad slopes of the hill country, we’ll sample the complex and nuanced flavours of Tamil fish curries, Muslim mutton biriyani, and restyled Dutch and Portuguese dishes and get hands on preparing classic dishes like kottu, hoppers, and vada. This is food with a real sense of place: think lobster with chili onion jam, cashew nuts, and curry leaves. Everything is local and organic farm-to-table culture flourishes with ingredients worthy of an Instagram photo shoot.

Visit the sprawling ancient cities of the north-central highlands; ruins, sacred Buddhist monuments, restored temples, stunning frescoes, and five UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Experience the spiritual heart of the country in Kandy, home to the country’s most holy relic, the Buddha’s Tooth. Travel by train to the heart of tea country to wake up to misty dawns at a former British hill station looking over the dramatic peaks and deep green valleys of Sri Lanka’s tea-growing region. Explore the fort, boutiques, and beaches of iconic Galle and admire the stilt fishermen who perch on wooden poles to catch their wares.

Chef Vikram is renowned as an enthusiastic and insightful creator and commentator who will engage your senses as you discover this most flavourful cuisine.