Zinara Rathnayake
Zinara Rathnayake is a travel, food and culture writer based in Sri Lanka.
Latest from Zinara Rathnayake
As Tourism Surges in Sri Lanka, Locals Are Asking Who Truly Benefits
While Sri Lanka aims to attract millions of tourists to boost its economy, concerns are rising about tourism’s impact on local communities — from the displacement of local businesses by those catering to outsiders, to the exploitation of local resources and the segregation of spaces to make them exclusive to foreigners.
Why Short Eats Are an Emblem of Sri Lankan Identity
In Sri Lanka, short eats can be had at all times and for all meals. You can find them by the beach and on busy roads, at birthday parties and high teas. They bind communities together, hold stories of the nation’s centuries-long history and have emerged as a symbol of the Sri Lankan identity.
Human-Elephant Conflict Is Rising in Sri Lanka
Historically, elephants and humans lived in harmony in Sri Lanka, but deforestation, haphazard cultivation methods and massive development projects have now led to increasing human-elephant conflict.
In Sri Lanka, Economic Crisis Alters the Taste of Tea
If there is one thing that illustrates the story of the economic crisis in Sri Lanka, it’s milk powder. Integral to the country’s tea culture, it is unaffordable now, forcing locals to find alternatives.