Western Province · Sri Lanka
Colombo travel guide
Colombo is a city in Western Province, Sri Lanka, home to about 648,000 people.
- Nearest airport
- RML12 km · Colombo Ratmalana International Airport
- Currency
- LKRSri Lankan rupee
- Time zone
- Asia/Colombo
- Language
- Sinhala, Tamil
About
About Colombo
Colombo is Sri Lanka's executive and judicial capital, as well as the country's most populous city. It is also the financial centre of the island and a tourist destination.
Colombo is the commercial and financial capital of Sri Lanka after the administrative capital was moved to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, a suburb east of the city. "Colombo" could refer to either the city proper, or to Greater Colombo that includes the areas of Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte and Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia. Due to it being on a strategic route in the Indian Ocean, Colombo hosts one of the busiest ports in South Asia, and was known to traders 2,000 years ago. It was an important port on the Maritime Silk Road.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Colombo
See
- Basilica of Our Lady of Lanka
- St Luke's Anglican Church
- St Michael and All Angels Anglican Church
- St Andrew's Scots Kirk church
- St Lucia's Cathedral
- St Paul's Church (1853)
- Buddha Jayanthi Chaithya stupa
- Gangaramaya Temple
- Sri Bala Selva Vinayagar
- Kalani Raja Maha Viharaya.
- Memm Harnafi
- Church of St Anthony
Do
- Galle Face Green Promenade
- Colombo Zoological Gardens
- Viharamahadevi Park
- Attidiya Bird Sanctuary
- Sri Lanka Planetarium
- Gordon Gardens
- Colombo Racecourse
- Ceylonese Rugby & Football Club Grounds
- Royal College Sports Complex
- Royal Colombo Golf Club
- Sugathadasa Stadium
- Colombo Cricket Club Ground (CCCG)
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Which part of Colombo to stay in
Colombo's cheap accommodations in the centre of town apart from the famous YMCA are mostly concentrated along the road opposite the Colombo Fort Railway Station. Many rooms are available but with shared bathrooms. These, however, tend to be dirty and dingy affairs that even seasoned travellers are unlikely to tolerate. Moving south along Galle Rd, one can find a lot of more reasonable accommodation. Around Kollupitiya (the next suburb south of Galle Face), you will still be dealing with overpriced, soulless air-conditioned concrete boxes. Further down south, prices and people will get more reasonable. There are quite a few small hotels in the side streets off Galle Rd. in Wellawatte area.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
When to go
The best time to visit Colombo
Colombo has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here. March is the warmest month, with average highs of 32 °C; May is the wettest, with about 367 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Colombo: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Colombo Ratmalana International Airport (RML), about 12 km from the city centre in a straight line; Bandaranaike International Colombo Airport (CMB, 28 km) and Koggala Airport (KCT, 116 km) are also within reach.
Getting in
Air service to Colombo is provided by the national airline Sri Lankan Airlines and foreign airlines, mostly from India and Asia. Direct flights are available from major centres in Europe, the Middle East, Southeast and East Asia and Australia, as well as from many cities throughout the subcontinent.
Getting around
Getting around by Tri-shaw (Three wheeler, tuk-tuk) is most convenient. Some three-wheelers have built in meters or the drive uses a phone app that does the same. Drivers hanging out in tourist areas often will not have or not allow meters as an option. Ask if there is a meter and if there is not a meter to use, always negotiate and agree on a price before you take a trip. But it's best to hail a meter taxi (identified by the words "Meter Taxi" on its windshield) that is traveling in the direction that you need to go instead of hiring one from the parking area or the tuk-tuk stand.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
RML · Colombo Ratmalana International Airport
CMB · Bandaranaike International Colombo Airport
KCT · Koggala Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Colombo
Eat
Sri Lankan food can be very spicy, so ask questions and order accordingly. That said, Colombo has a wide range of eateries, and there should be something for almost any combination of food preference and budget. Available everywhere are small bakeries selling rotis (either flat or folded into triangles filled with egg, vegetable or fish), hoppers (bowl shaped pancakes made with coconut milk), and other "short eats" (bread-based snacks or fried foods). The price of individual items range from Rs 50-100. Buy a "lunch packet" from street stands practically anywhere in the city. Typically, it will be a filling meal of rice and vegetables for about Rs 180.
Stay safe
Colombo is like most other South Asian capitals. Although it is not as dangerous as one would think, tourists should be very vigilant.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Colombo: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Colombo?
Colombo has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here. March is the warmest month, with average highs of 32 °C; May is the wettest, with about 367 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Colombo?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Colombo Ratmalana International Airport (RML), about 12 km from the city centre in a straight line; Bandaranaike International Colombo Airport (CMB, 28 km) and Koggala Airport (KCT, 116 km) are also within reach.
What currency is used in Colombo?
Sri Lankan rupee (LKR).
Nearby
Destinations near Colombo
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.