Despite power cuts, fuel shortages and citizen protests, Sri Lanka continues to welcome tourists, as hotels and restaurants innovate to to stay open. Should you travel now?
When the lights go out at the Ministry Of Crab in Colombo, candles flicker on. Undeterred by the power cut, diners continue to tuck into Sri Lanka’s famously sweet mud crabs, slathered in garlic and butter. “When the electricity came back on, everyone clapped,” says chef-restaurateur Dharshan Munidasa. “It is an inconvenience, yes. But people are very understanding now. And we want to stay open.”
Set in the bustling Dutch Hospital, a restored heritage building in the heart of Colombo, the Ministry of Crab has been named one Asia’s top 50 restaurants and is usually packed with tourists and locals, serving about 250 people a day. As Sri Lanka’s economic crisis intensifies amid reports of the country running low on fuel, power cuts and anti-Government protests gathering steam, nervous tourists are cancelling tickets and holidays in the beautiful island nation.
