Bridge Market

Located approximately 45 minutes from Pasikuda, Batticaloa is a district where heirloom industries take precedence over others. Bustling with peddlers selling their wares, you can always find something authentically Sri Lankan here worthy of impressing you, from unique clothes to wooden carvings, paintings, traditional instrumentals, and so on.

A Community Driven Initiative

In line with this, you can also find the freshest produce here, especially at the Bridge Market. The Bridge Market is a community initiative, started by a line of non-governmental organisations. The Bridge Market brings together many small-scale producers of both agricultural and non-agricultural products from vegetables to curd, kithul treacle, ginger in bee’s honey, and other snacks, and tons more!

Sustainability at its Core

The best part? It’s fully eco-friendly and organic, even though the costs may be higher than what you will find at Sri Lankan supermarkets. But you’ll be contributing directly to small-scale producers by purchasing through this fair trade initiative, so your heart can rest easy. It’s highly recommended you take a basket with you or some reusable bag, as that’s encouraged.

So, if you’re in Batticaloa over the weekend, consider dropping by the Bridge Market and keep an eye out for some local delicacies you may find vendors selling (including the delectable but unusual pickle we refer to as achcharu). The market is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., but best get there early if you’re looking to get some produce, as they’re brought in directly from the producers that very day and have no chemicals sprayed on them to preserve them.