What to expect
- A bullock cart ride along paddy bunds to the village
- A hand-poled catamaran across the irrigation tank
- Grinding coconut and pounding chilli on a traditional grindstone
- A rice and curry lunch of eight dishes, eaten with your hands
Where to do it
- Hiriwadunna, near Habarana and Sigiriya
- Wewa villages around Dambulla
- Meemure, a remote Knuckles valley village for a full-day version
Best season
Year round. Paddy fields are greenest February to April and August to October.
Good to know
The catamaran is stable but shallow, so leave cameras in a dry bag. The lunch is cooked to order and kitchens are inspected; ask for mild if you are unused to Sri Lankan chilli.
