With departure less than three weeks away, I'm thinking about what to pack. I don't handle the cold well so I want to bring whats needed to keep warm. I hope Kathie and Jeane will ring in here. Of course the guys can share their fashion acumen as well.
During the day when we're touring I know how to dress in hot, humid climates to be comfortable and respectful. What about for hanging out at Tea Trails and Kandy House, are long bermuda shorts ok or offensive to local staff? Nice sweats? What is usual dress for dinner at the above places and similar? I figure I'd take a Pashmina or do I need something warmer.
For walking in the cultural triangle area and at Tea Trails, are hiking boots best or will Tevas do? Do you recommend closed shoes for city walking or does hygiene allow for sandals?
In heavy mosquito areas conventional wisdom is not to wear black. Need I be conventional?

BTW I have checked temperature charts/forecasts for cultural triangle, Kandy, hill country, Yala, south coast areas; they show the hill country can get as low as 50 F at night. That's the dead of night so I'm thinking it will be mid to low 60's at 8 or 9 when we dine. Long silk underwear is always my fallback against being cold.

Robbie,

I'll chime in for Jeane, since she doesn't post here. Jeane generally wears long skirts and layered tops when we travel in Asia and Sri Lanka was no exception. At Tea Trails, dress is pretty casual. Long Bermuda shorts or nice sweats would probably be okay. Most of the guests will be British, if that tells you anything. At dinner they put out patio heaters but I think on at least one occasion, Jeane put on her winter jacket from home (she gets cold easily) - I put on a fleece jacket which was fine. If you are early risers like we are, be prepared for chilly mornings. Kandy House was also casual but it was warmer at night. Jeane always wears walking shoes (sneakers) but I wear Tevas most of the time. I think you will be most comfortable with sturdy walking shoes (not hiking boots) at Tea Trails. As for the cultural triangle area, Tevas will be fine, except for Sigiriya where there is a lot of climbing. We did not do any city walking except for Galle where Tevas would be fine. We saw hardly any mosquitos in SL. Hope this helps.

Just to add a bit to what Craig says: The one place you will want closed-toes shoes for sure is Sigiriya. We often wore Tevas or Keens or equivalent elsewhere. The only city walking we did was in Kandy - sandals were fine.

Even evenings in Kandy were warm. But at Tea Trails, you'll likely need a wrap. As Craig says, they do put out heaters at night, which mostly kept us warm enough. But we got up early in the morning to walk and it was rather cool then. Once we were walking, though we were warm enough.

We sat out overlooking the lake in the late evening, and you'd want a wrap then. We saw a few mosquitos and got bitten a few times in the cultural triangle area (actually mostly at the park where we went to watch wildlife). I wouldn't let the mosquitos dictate the colors you wear.

Have a wonderful trip!

Doggie wears a sarong.

I'll leave you to conjure with that image.

Horrible.

Yipes! That is a frightening image, dogster!

Just what I needed to know. Thanks Craig and Kathie for the good intel and Dogster for the spice.

Robbietravels could you please email me? If you're too rushed before your upcoming trip, then when you return.

robbie...i hope you and fred have a fantastic trip....i am sure you will as you are such a detailed planner....expect to hear all about it at the LA GTG..

bob and karen

A minor point:

Just don't put your really good shirts and stuff in the hotel laundry services. You'll be fine at Tea Trails but anywhere else, exercise caution.

As you know, laundry in the Sub-continent is done by having one thousand elephants trample the dirt from your clothes. Sometimes they don't come back quite the same.

Anything to do with starch, linen, silk, ironing, whiteness, delicate fabrics, brightness... beware. Linen Trousers will come back folded up into a neat package, even Doggie's pure white Calvins came back a darker shade of pale.

I'm sorry. Some of you will be eating breakfast as you read this. I'll never mention my underpants again.