Mirala Duwa, cinnamon island
As a child Chanaka accompanied his grandfather to the cinnamon plantations in the lagoon. He continues the family tradition by taking guests to his own island (Mirala Duwa) to reveal how Ceylon cinnamon is farmed from the initial cutting of the plant to distillation.
The peelers harvest the twigs in the early morning hours then peel the bark with skill to layer into long quills that are subsequently hung from the roof to dry. Guests can try out the bark layering technique themselves to see if they can fashion quills over 1.20 metres in length! The final phase of the process involves cutting the quill bundles into the precisely trimmed 4- 6 cm sticks we know and love. This process is a quality-driven exercise imposed by the phrase Made in Ceylon.
In addition to this precious spice, pineapples and other delicious exotic fruit are transported from Mirala Duwa to La Maison Nil Manel every morning for guests to enjoy at breakfast time.
The island discovery begins during the Madu Ganga, secrets of a lagoon tour.
