In this post, you will learn the best things to do in Colombo, in 2024. Sit down, grab a cup of coffee or tea (or a cold beer, if you prefer it that way haha) and happy reading!
Either you’re planning a trip to Sri Lanka in the coming days or weeks, and your first stop will be in Colombo, or you already arrived and are looking for the best things to do in Sri Lanka – Colombo, we got you covered!
Welcome to Colombo, the vibrant capital city of Sri Lanka. From the historic Fort district to the modern business centre, Colombo offers a unique blend of traditions and yes, innovation as well.
Visit temples like the Gangaramaya temple, indulge in delicious local cuisine, or walk along the picturesque Golf Face Green.
In this post, we will share the best things to do in Sri Lanka – Colombo, but not before touching (briefly) on some important local history & culture facts, so without further ado, let’s go!
NB: if you find the history & culture facts below boring, feel free to skip to the fun part right after it using our Table of Contents – it will help you find the next chapter in 1 click.
❗️🔔(But seriously, you should have some basics of the places you visit, it will make your experience much better, trust our words!)
Table of Contents
History and Cultural Facts about Colombo – Sri Lanka
An interesting fact about Sri Lanka is that it’s home to two capitals: Colombo is the national judicial capital of Sri Lanka, and Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte (a Colombo suburb) is the legislative capital.
Colombo is an important port on the Indian Ocean. The majority of Sri Lanka’s foreign commercial trade is handled here.
This port was initially referred to as “Gaolanbu” by a Chinese explorer, while the Sinhalese used to refer to it as “Kolamba”.
It’s thought that this name comes from the word “mango trees” where kola means ‘leaves’ and amba stands for ‘mango’. (interesting, isn’t it?! 🤓)
This port has been home to different settlements, from the Arab traders in the 8th century to the Portuguese, the Dutch and the British later on, who further developed it by settling (in turn) on the island, which was initially called ‘Ceylon’.
Colombo became the capital of Sri Lanka in 1815 when the Sinhalese chiefs gave the king of Kandy’s territory to the British.
Since 1948 when Sri Lanka became independent, influence from the West decreased.
The two oldest districts in Colombo are called “the Fort” and “the Pettah”. While The Fort is still an important centre for government buildings and commercial activities, Pettah became home to small local shops and beautiful traditional (often chaotic) bazaars.
In Colombo, we can find important buildings such as the Old Parliament Building, the Clock Tower, St. Lucia’s Cathedral, the Galle Face Green, Independence Square, Jami UI-Alfar Mosque, and several Buddhist and Hindu temples.
Colombo is also the centre of several manufacturing industries that process raw materials and export them via sea to other parts of the world.
Transportation in Colombo is quite efficient with trains connecting the city with other major (and smaller) cities on the island and well-distributed local and national bus lines that take you all over the place.
There are two airports: Katunayake is the international airport and Ratmalana is the domestic airport.
In Colombo, you can also find many parks and cricket, soccer and rugby fields. (Cricket is big here 🏏)
There are also some interesting beautiful beaches 🏖️ such as Mount Lavinia Beach, to name one, which is just a few km south of Colombo: here you can enjoy some time with friends, family or solo as well.
Now that we briefly covered some interesting historical and cultural facts about Colombo, let’s dive into 👇🤩
The Best Things To Do in Sri Lanka – Colombo 🔖
The Pettah Market
Pettah market is the most chaotic, hectic and bustling district of Colombo (Pettah District), with an outdoor market selling pretty much anything you can imagine, from electronics to clothes.
It’s a fascinating awesome place to visit, even though it can be somewhat “shocking” to navigate if you have never been to such places before! 😅
Among the best things to do in Colombo, we recommend visiting this market in the morning or early afternoon, the best parts of the day when you can have an authentic Sri Lankan experience and discover how locals spend their day and make a living.
While walking through the market, you come across different kinds of stands from varieties of fresh fruits to spices and dry fish, to electronics and any clothes you can think of. It’s crazy?!
Yelling is also very common in such markets, don’t be surprised to hear local vendors screaming their offers or just calling each other for a joke or to help exchange some money and whatnot 😂.
As with any other hectic market in the world, we do not consider it “dangerous” but it’s always better to protect your belongings.
NB: We had no issues overall but were prepared and “pick-pocket proof” 😝.
Do not carry more cash than you need, and bring with you just one bank card (if necessary, but to be honest cash will do, if you plan how much you’re willing to spend there or for that specific day).
Keep your smartphone and wallet in your front pockets, and if you stroll around with a small backpack, it’s best to keep it in front of you, instead of on your back – so you can walk stress-free.
Oh, and don’t bring your original Passport or ID with you, print a few copies and take one with you, so if anything unpleasant happens, your original copy is safe in your hotel room (thank us later!).
We were very comfortable walking around with this small Travel Wallet that you can hide under your shirt, it takes no space and is very safe.
And if you’re wondering where to get one (or some alternatives), you can check some out here below 👇
Travel Wallet Money Belt 1
Travel wallet Money Belt 2
The beautiful Jami Ul Alfar Mosque (Red Mosque)
This is one of the most unique mosques we have seen while travelling around the world. A real architectural marvel.
It’s in the Pettah District and the address is 📍 228 2nd Cross Street, Colombo 01100, Sri Lanka
It was built in 1908 and due to its colours, red and white stripes, and design, it is one of the landmarks of the city.
You can get here by bus (if you’re unfamiliar with the area it’s not recommended) or by tuk-tuk and taxi (everyone knows where it is so you will have no issues reaching it).
Non-Muslim tourists can visit it, regardless of their gender, but have restricted access; it’s also important to note that appropriate covering clothes are mandatory and on Fridays, access to non-Muslims is prohibited. 🚷
Proper covering is offered to all visitors at the entrance, as well as a guide to help you explore the allowed areas and answer your questions.
There is no entry fee for visitors and tourists, and you can tip your guide at the end of the tour, as this service is also offered free of charge.
Galle Face Green
This a great beach park for a walk with family and friends, but you can enjoy it solo as well.
The best time to visit is between December and March, during the dry season in Colombo, but the park is open all year round to the public.
This is a popular seafront location with plenty of food stalls along the walkway from where you can enjoy an amazing ocean view.
Considered one of the ideal places to chill, relax and meditate, we recommend you come here at sunrise or sunset.
Swimming is not prohibited but highly discouraged as the waves can be rough and you don’t want to get in trouble.
The entrance is free, so what are you waiting for?
Old Parliament Building
10-15 minutes walk from Galle Face Green, in the Fort District, another important and interesting place to see is the Old Parliament Building of Colombo, home of the Presidential Secretariat of Sri Lanka.
This beautiful building was built 94 years ago, representing the island’s most important institutional landmark.
Fascinating ‘Ionic Style’ (as stated by Presidential Secretariat sources) resembles the Parthenon, a temple that reigns on the hill of the Acropolis in Athens.
It officially opened on January 29th 1930 by the Governor Sir Herbert Stanley and over the years, due to several alterations in the country’s legislature, it served as State Council between 1931-1947, House of Representatives between 1947-1972, National State Assembly between 1972-1978 and Parliament of Sri Lanka between 1978-1982.
In September 1983 the Parliament was moved to Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte, and this building was renamed as the Presidential Secretariat to this day.
Swan Boat Ride
📍 Swan Boat Service, WVJ4+VVR, Beira Lake, Colombo 01000, Sri Lanka
It costs $1-$2 for a ride, and it’s a fun experience for couples and families. If you run out of things to do (unlikely but…) this could be a nice experience to kill some time.
Colombo Port City Bridge
This bridge is part of an initiative of the Government of Sri Lanka together with the China Harbour Engineering Company, and it’s becoming a popular tourist attraction.
The overall project should be completed by October 2024, and you can find more information here.
Could Colombo become a direct contender, challenging already established and well-known hubs such as Dubai and Singapore?
Gangaramaya temple
You can’t miss this Buddhist temple when looking for the best things to do in Sri Lanka – Colombo!
Where is it?
This magnificent temple is located near the Beira Lake📍 61 Sri Jinarathana Rd, Colombo 00200, Sri Lanka
Entry Fee: there is no ticket required to enter the temple.
Gangaramaya is one of the oldest Buddhist temples in Colombo, and the peace surrounding this place is magic.
It was started in the 1800s by a scholar monk called Hikkaduwe Sri Sumangala Nayaka Thera, when Buddhism was gaining popularity again after the country was governed by other countries.
Initially, it was just a small building near the lake, but as more and more people wanted to pray here, in 1885 with the help of the community, they made it bigger.
Today the temple is not only a place of worship but also a learning and cultural centre. They host celebrations and events, and it’s open to everyone.
Famous for its beautiful buildings, peaceful atmosphere, and history it became a popular attraction for a lot of people from all over the world who come to see it.
Official link: https://gangaramaya.com/
Sammangodu Sri Katirvelauta Swamy Temple
Where is it? 📍 141 1st Cross St, Colombo 01100, Sri Lanka
A few steps away from Pettah Market and the Red Mosque, you can find this beautiful small temple.
We found it while walking around the streets looking for some restaurants where we could try local cuisine.
We did not enter, but if you’re around we recommend you to check it out!
Where to Eat
We often stopped at random street food stalls (we can’t recommend a specific place in this case, just go with your guts) but the majority of the time we visited the hotel’s restaurant or went back to a couple of places we were satisfied with.
One of them is the Sriyani Restaurant
Address: 📍 131 2nd Cross Street, Colombo 01100, Sri Lanka
This is a typical local restaurant. The food is excellent (mainly vegetarian curries), portions are big and prices are hard to believe: I would say a couple of dollars (max) for each person (500-1300lkr/person).
It’s built on a few floors, and upstairs you can enjoy A/C, and our favourite dish was their delicious Samosas.
Another restaurant we enjoyed for a couple of dinners was the Palmyrah Restaurant.
Address: 📍328 A2, Colombo 00300, Sri Lanka
A very spacious restaurant with delicious Jaffna-style dishes, and courteous staff. People recommended it to us, especially for their Crab curry 🦀🍚
Overall, we have always been very satisfied with these 2 places, but for some reason, I prefer to eat at lower-standard restaurants.
Higher prices usually mean better quality, hygiene etc. However, the experience I have had at local smaller shops and restaurants, having a chat with the owners and seeing them preparing your dishes with love and going above and beyond to make you happy, for me it’s priceless.
Yes, it comes with a little bit more risks, but that’s the way I like it.
Some people prefer instead to just visit places like the Palmyrah only, and that’s okay. To each their own! 😁
The last place where we used to grab some food was the “All Day Dining” restaurant at our hotel.
It offers local and international dishes, prices are decent and we recommend you to check our dedicated blog post out by clicking the orange link here below. 👇😇👇
Check out our Full Review of the GranBell Hotel in Colombo – Sri Lanka
Conclusions
Colombo is a very interesting and beautiful city to visit and explore.
It offers several options for any taste and preferences, and you can visit and see all our recommendations in just a couple of days during your stay in the city, before adventuring into the real island vibes that we will cover in the next blog posts.
We truly hope this guide helped or will help you save time and make informed decisions, and we wish you a great time in Colombo.
Oh, and if you liked this content, keep your eyes on our Latest Posts so you don’t miss our next gems!