Overview
Cinnamon Island, known as Kurundu Duwa in Sinhala, is where the safari turns from scenery into something you can touch and smell. Cinnamon has grown around the Madu Ganga for generations, and families on the islands still make peeled cinnamon and cinnamon oil.
How cinnamon is made, step by step
The family shows you the whole process. Slender stems are cut, the rough outer bark is scraped off and the thin inner bark is peeled away in long strips. The strips are rolled into quills, left to dry and sorted by quality. Everything is done by hand, fast and neat, by people who have practised since childhood.
You can watch closely, ask questions and sometimes try a little yourself. The smell on the island is warm and sweet, and it is the detail guests mention most afterwards.
Ceylon cinnamon and cassia
True Ceylon cinnamon is not the same as the cassia sold as cinnamon in many countries. Ceylon quills are thin and papery, made of many fine layers, while cassia is usually one thick, hard piece of bark. Seeing both side by side makes the difference obvious.
Buying and looking around
Cinnamon products, including quills and oil, are on sale on the island, and there is no pressure to buy. Ask what each product is before you choose. Paths can be uneven or damp, so watch your step, and pack any oil in a sealed bag.
How cinnamon is made, step by step
The family shows you the whole process. Slender stems are cut, the rough outer bark is scraped off and the thin inner bark is peeled away in long strips. The strips are rolled into quills, left to dry and sorted by quality. Everything is done by hand, fast and neat, by people who have practised since childhood.
You can watch closely, ask questions and sometimes try a little yourself. The smell on the island is warm and sweet, and it is the detail guests mention most afterwards.
Ceylon cinnamon and cassia
True Ceylon cinnamon is not the same as the cassia sold as cinnamon in many countries. Ceylon quills are thin and papery, made of many fine layers, while cassia is usually one thick, hard piece of bark. Seeing both side by side makes the difference obvious.
Buying and looking around
Cinnamon products, including quills and oil, are on sale on the island, and there is no pressure to buy. Ask what each product is before you choose. Paths can be uneven or damp, so watch your step, and pack any oil in a sealed bag.
Try this: ask to smell a freshly cut stem and a dried quill one after the other. The change in aroma explains why the drying matters.
Highlights
- Known locally as Kurundu Duwa, an island with generations of cinnamon-making traditions.
- Watch the traditional process of cutting, peeling, rolling, and drying cinnamon by hand.
- Discover the difference between authentic Ceylon cinnamon and cassia.
- A hands-on cultural experience for families and curious travelers, with local cinnamon products available to buy.
