A Sri Lankan rice-and-curry plate is less a single dish than a small landscape of flavours: rice at the centre, several vegetable curries, something spicy, something fresh and often a little sambol on the side. Start with a modest portion and add more as you find your favourites.

For breakfast, try hoppers, crisp bowl-shaped pancakes made from fermented rice batter. Egg hoppers are especially satisfying, while string hoppers pair beautifully with dhal and coconut sambol. Later in the day, kottu is the theatrical choice: chopped roti, vegetables and your choice of egg or meat, all folded together on a hot griddle.

Look for busy local restaurants and do not be shy about asking what is mild. Short eats such as vegetable roti, fish cutlets and dhal vadai are ideal for a quick stop, and a cup of plain tea is never far away. Food is one of the easiest ways to let the island set the pace of your trip.