Plastic free zone: You won’t find any plastic seating here! We like to use wood; both locally sourced and hand-made to create our bespoke furniture. All the tables, chairs and beds are solid teak wood to fit with the jungle vibe that co-exists with the tropical plants and trees in our plot. We use ceramics for our plant pots and ultimately endeavor to become a zero-plastic zone. We serve clean drinking water out of a large dispenser and will re-fill guests water bottles once per day in order to try and minimize waste by tourism.
If you take a wander through the restaurant you will notice the hand-woven lampshades dotted all around our little eco-sanctuary. They are made entirely from the flowers of an exotic palm tree we call ‘Kithul’. The dried flowers are harvested and plaited to create a strong material that will last you a lifetime. Accompanied by bamboo blinds, you truly get an authentic Sri-Lankan experience.
Our Sustainability Practices: We have a very organic setting here at The Spice Trail. Most of our spices are grown in our garden on site, so you can see (and smell) the origins of what makes the food we cook here so delicious. On that note, our produce is sourced locally. This includes our fish, vegetables, free range chicken and even the coffee! We have chosen a blend from ‘Ruby Harvest’ where the coffee beans are grown and roasted here in Sri-Lanka.
This way we are not only reducing our carbon footprint by reducing how far the product travels to reach you, but we are helping local farmers and communities.
How you can help: Save the Rainforest and help save Kithul!
The ‘tree tapping’ technique is passed down through generations, but is a fast depleting trade, despite sustained demand from the local market.
One of the contributors for the decline in Kithul (the local syrup) is due to deforestation of our rain forests in order to make room partly for rubber plantations. The farmers with private land are often forced to give up the ancient trade because cultivating crops is a more financially stable income. We support local farmers by serving Kithul as a regular item on the breakfast menu. Try something new and give it a taste!
Reduce your plastic waste by investing in a ‘life-straw’ or water filter
In developing countries it’s not always easy to find recycling bins, so be mindful of your waste and invest in a water filter. The initial investment will soon pay off as you save money on plastic bottles, and you know you are taking a step in the right direction towards a cleaner future!