By air
Bandaranaike International (CMB), ~35 km
Indian Ocean Islands · Sri Lanka
Colombo, Sri Lanka
A seafront capital of old and new
Getting there
Best time to visit
December to March — the drier months
Don't miss
Galle Face Green
The Gangaramaya Temple
The Pettah
The Dutch Hospital
Things to do
Galle Face Green at sunset
The Pettah markets
The Lotus Tower
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: T Chamika · CC0
What to pack
Light clothes
A quieter corner
The Seema Malaka pavilion on Beira Lake
Questions travellers ask
Is Colombo's airport close to the city?
Bandaranaike International (CMB) is about 35 km away.
What's worth seeing in Colombo?
Galle Face Green at sunset, the Gangaramaya Temple, the Pettah markets and the Dutch Hospital. Don't miss the Seema Malaka pavilion on Beira Lake, or the Lotus Tower.
Is there a better time of year to visit Colombo?
December to March, the drier months. Light clothes will do.
What should I eat in Colombo?
Hoppers, kottu roti and crab curry.
About Colombo
- Coastal
Where it is
Colombo lies on the west coast of Sri Lanka in Western Province, at the mouth of the Kelani River on the Indian Ocean; it is the country's largest city and commercial capital, and the official capital, Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, adjoins it.
History
Arab and other traders used Colombo's harbour long before the Portuguese built a fort here in the 16th century. The Dutch took the city in 1656 and the British in 1796, making it the capital of their colony of Ceylon, and it remained the capital after independence in 1948.
People
Colombo is home to Sinhalese, Tamil, Muslim, Burgher and Malay communities, and Sinhala, Tamil and English are all spoken. Street food such as isso vadai and kottu roti is sold along Galle Face Green, and the city's temples, mosques, kovils and churches keep a crowded festival calendar.
Known for
- Galle Face Green by the sea
- The Gangaramaya Temple
- The Pettah markets
- Seema Malaka on Beira Lake
- The Lotus Tower
Did you know?
The Lotus Tower in Colombo, completed in 2019 and about 350 m tall, is the tallest self-supported structure in South Asia.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.