Raju Herbal & Spice Garden

We hired a tuk tuk from our guesthouse to take us sightseeing for 10,000 rupees. This was our first experience with a tuk tuk in Sri Lanka and we had quite a few white knuckle moments because of the crazy driving style.

At the recommendation of our driver Ganatha, we made our first stop was Raju Herbal and Spice Garden, which our driver Ganatha recommended. Here, we were taken on a walking tour of the spice garden where our guide showed us the various plants and their medicinal uses. As soon as the tour started, I groaned inwardly it was clear that this excursion would end at a gift shop. After the garden tour, we were led to a pavilion where we were given a short oil massage for tips only. We didn't expect this but we went along with the flow. The massage was so-so, and I was slightly annoyed that they used oil as I sweat a fair bit, and oil mixed with sweat on my skin can get nasty. Thankfully, I didn't sweat much that day.

After the massage, we were led to the inevitable gift shop. There wasn't much pressure to buy, but I ended up purchasing a weight loss formula made of pineapple; up to 4kg of weight loss was guaranteed, apparently. I figured I had nothing to lose (except a few pounds) at this stage. Jeff bought a tonic to reduce snoring.

The old backpacker in me normally wouldn't entertain going to a place like this where I knew I would be asked to part with my money. Hopefully something good will come out of our purchases, whether it be weight loss for me or better sleep for both of us.Read more