Can gay and lesbian couples hold hands in Sri Lanka?

Holding hands in areas that are heavily visited by tourists, or even at private resorts, is usually okay. Yet in more rural villages, at religious sites, or on packed city streets, it is better to avoid it, even if nothing bad happens legally. Still, you might end up getting lingering, curious stares.

It is also common to notice local Sri Lankan men holding hands, in some places, as a kind of platonic brotherhood sign. However, locals tend to tell foreigners apart pretty quickly. So when two foreign men are seen holding hands, it can be read as a romantic gesture, which breaks the usual public decorum. Paying attention to what is happening around you is the safest approach.