August 27, 2018
A bustling sea port, sparkling new hotels, contemporary dining and colonial heritage – this is Colombo, Sri Lanka’s biggest city and its capital.
If you are heading to Sri Lanka, chances are you might start or end your trip in Colombo.
In the not so distant past, many travellers shunned Colombo, skipping it altogether during a holiday in Sri Lanka.
But for us, there’s plenty to like about Colombo and enough to see and do in Colombo to warrant spending a few days there.
We also believe that you can’t get a full idea of a country if you don’t visit its capital city.
In recent years we have noticed the changes and developments taking place in Colombo. With a resurgence in tourism in Sri Lanka, the city is modernising and transforming, becoming a bustling Asian city in its own right.
So what are the best things to see and do in Colombo? Here are some of our suggestions.
Keep in mind the international airport is located almost an hour outside of Colombo. We often advise our clients taking one of our custom made private tours of Sri Lanka to stay near the airport when your arrive – which is a good option as most international flights arrive quite late at night – and then you can depart directly for the cultural triangle (Sigiriya, Dambulla etc) the next morning and not get stuck in traffic. Therefore, Colombo will be your last stop on your tour. Alternatively, if you like to start in a capital city when you explore a country, we can arrange for you to spend a few days in Colombo at the start of your trip.
Our tips for 11 things to do in Colombo, in no particular order.
In no particular order :
#1 Bawa Tour
Discover the work of Sri Lanka’s acclaimed architect Geoffrey Bawa and his influential movement `Tropical Modernism’ with a tour of his Colombo residence. Visit No. 11, 33rd Lane in Colombo for an introduction to Bawa and his work that will give you some insights into his designs and his influence. For architecture fans, you can immerse yourself further in the work of Bawa by staying at one of the Bawa designed hotels or villas located on the island.
#2 High tea at Galle Face Hotel
If you share our passion for finger sandwiches and scones – you can’t go past high tea at Galle Face Hotel. Sit on the outside verandah looking out over the Arabian Sea. There’s iced coffee to start, fingers sandwiches and sweets (including the local coconut and jaggery pancake) and hot savouries. (We also recommend ordering a cool glass of sparkling wine to go with your high tea.) High Tea at Galle Face Hotel is a must – especially if you aren’t lucky enough to be staying here. It’s a chance to experience a little of the exceptional service and atmosphere of this great hotel and get a peek inside this heritage masterpiece. Galle Face Hotel is a more than 150-year-old heritage hotel, which has been recently lovingly restored. It is an icon of the city and one of the best luxury hotels in Sri Lanka.
#3 Colombo city walking tour
The best way to get to know a city is at the street level. We love exploring cities on foot and usually try to encourage our travellers to take one of our city walking tours with our expert local guides. This will allow you to not only see the sights of a city, but hear the stories and history of a city (both old and new) from a local perspective. In Colombo, our expert guides will show you the old Colombo and the new that’s rising rapidly around it, show you some of the heritage buildings, the local markets, introducing you to some street eats and even take you for a cheeky gin & tonic. A Colombo city-walking tour makes our list of must do things in Colombo.
#4 Shop for ethical goods and organic food at the Saturday Good Market
Away from the tourist sights, hotels and known attractions in Colombo – we love to visit the Saturday Good Market. This quaint local market showcases some of the country’s organic farmers and produce, cooks and ethical handicraft producers. You can head to the market and buy some beautiful fresh produce and snacks, stop for lunch and eat some delicious organic meals, and shop for souvenirs. There’s a second hand bookseller, some arts & crafts stalls, often a band, clothing, a times a craft activity for children and yummy things to eat. A great place to go for lunch and chill out like locals on a Saturday in Colombo.
#5 Dinner at Rare
If you are a foodie like us, you’ll be pleased to know that Colombo has an emerging contemporary dining scene that’s making the most of their fresh local produce and unique cuisine. There are several good options for fine and contemporary dining which most visitors to the city don’t expect to find. One of the best places to eat in Colombo to experience modern Sri Lankan is Rare, at Residence by UGA Escapes. Some of the dishes we’ve feasted on at Rare include Waldorf salad with blue cheese ice cream and octopus served with avocado, spicy carrot puree and lychee Campari! Is your mouth watering yet? Residence is a boutique luxury hotel in Colombo and you can stay here during our Sri Lanka In Style suggested itinerary.
More tips for places to visit in Colombo
#6 Visit Gangaramaya Temple
Arguably Colombo’s best-known temple and one of its key attractions, we recommend visiting Gangaramaya Temple. There’s the main temple complex to visit, plus the peaceful Seema Malaka located on Beira Lake (just a short stroll from the main Gangaramaya Temple) and a beautiful Buddhist site. Seema Malaka in its current form was designed by Geoffrey Bawa. Spend some time taking in the Buddha statues and temples here. Afterwards, take the chance to stroll around Beira Lake, including a walk over the bridge to the island in the centre of the lake.
#7 Ride the swan boats at Beira Lake
Ok so this tip for things to see and do in Colombo won’t appeal to everyone – but for family travellers in Sri Lanka – this one is for you. We’ve spent a lot of time in Colombo with a small guy under 6 and we know that sightseeing, market visits and walking tours all day aren’t what small people want to do. So if you are at Beira Lake visiting Gangaramaya Temple and Seema Malaka – make sure you stroll a little further around the lake and hire a swan peddle boat for half an hour. It will make the small people on tour with you happy! It’s also a chance to sit down for 30 minutes and take in the lake and Colombo from an entirely different perspective!
#8 Shop like a local at Pettah
Right at the very heart of Colombo you will find the bustling and vibrant local market at Pettah Market. Here in this chaotic local market you can buy everything from fruit to fabric to cloths and trinkets and everyday household items. It’s busy, but worth spending a few hours in this vibrant part of town to see where locals shop.
#9 Go people watching at Galle Face Green
Galle Face Green is the place to go to people watch in Colombo. It’s where locals come at the end of the day, to stroll along the green, to fly kites, school children kick balls and people stop for snacks and drinks. As the sun sets, with the lapping of the ocean as a soundtrack, locals can be seen enjoying the afternoon on the green. Located opposite Galle Face Hotel – the green is a major landmark of Colombo and a part of its identity.
#10 Go shopping
If you’ve spent some time shopping or just looking at Pettah Market – then you should visit some of Colombo’s contemporary boutiques and fashionable home wares stores. Some of the places we frequent in Colombo include Barefoot and Paradise Road, there’s Odel (Sri Lanka’s department store), some fine jewellery stores where you can shop for gems, as well as the new and glitzy precincts of Independence Square and Dutch Hospital. These are some of the best places to shop in Colombo. And if you like to look for a bargain, head to House of Fashion to trawl through its multi-levels of seconds and samples. You can sometimes score a few decent finds there.
#11 Rooftop drinks
And if you manage get through all of these great tips on things to see and do in Colombo – then you deserve a drink! Head to the Sky Lounge on the rooftop on the Kingsbury Hotel for an end of day drink with some very impressive views. Alternatively if you are a cricket fan – maybe the Cricket Club Café might be worth a visit – for a refreshing ale surrounded by cricket memorabilia.
These are some of the sights and activities we regularly do during our visits to Colombo during our travel in Sri Lanka.
We can include all of these or some of them into a custom made itinerary for a private tour of Sri Lanka for you. Contact us today and ask us about Colombo and planning a private tour of Sri Lanka.
