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The Galle Face promenade and the Colombo skyline beside the Indian Ocean

West coast

Colombo

Sri Lanka's commercial capital, an easy first or last night with sea-front walks, temples, markets and the best restaurants on the island.

Plan a trip with Colombo
Time to spend
1 night (half a day of sightseeing)
Best months
December to March. May and October are usually the wettest months.
Getting around
Tuk-tuks with meters, and ride-hailing apps (PickMe and Uber) work well. Traffic is heavy at peak hours.
Good to know
Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, next to Colombo, is the official legislative capital.

Colombo is where most journeys start or end. The airport is at Katunayake, about 35 km north, and the expressway gets you into the city in about an hour outside rush hour.

It is not a city of grand sights, but one well-planned afternoon shows a lot of the island in miniature: Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim and Christian places of worship within a few streets, colonial-era buildings in Fort and Pettah, and the sea-front promenade at Galle Face Green at sunset.

Spend your last night here if your flight leaves early in the morning, or skip it entirely on a short trip.

What to see and do

  • Galle Face Green

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    A long sea-front lawn and promenade, busy with families, kite flyers and street-food stalls from late afternoon.

    1 hr 15 min · SunsetFree entry

  • Gangaramaya Temple and Seema Malaka

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    A busy Buddhist temple with an eclectic museum, and the Geoffrey Bawa-designed Seema Malaka pavilion floating on Beira Lake nearby.

    1 hr 15 min · Morning · 06:00 to 22:00LKR 300 to LKR 1,500to confirmCover shoulders and knees

    Entry or donation charged at the gate; the amount varies.

  • Pettah markets and the Red Mosque

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    Colombo's crowded bazaar district, organised street by street by trade, with the red-and-white Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque (1909) at its heart.

    1 hr 30 min · Morning · 08:00 to 18:00Free entry

    The mosque may be viewed from outside; visiting inside depends on prayer times.

  • Colombo National Museum

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    The island's largest museum, opened in 1877, with royal regalia of the Kandyan kings and fine bronze and stone sculpture.

    1 hr 30 min · Midday · 09:00 to 17:00LKR 1,200to confirm

    Reported at LKR 1,200 for foreign adults (camera permit extra); confirm at the counter.

Also consider

Nearby places to stay

Photos

Families flying kites on Galle Face Green on a Sunday, with the city's towers behind
Families flying kites on Galle Face Green on a Sunday, with the city's towers behind
Buddha statues at Gangaramaya Temple, Colombo
Buddha statues at Gangaramaya Temple, Colombo
The golden seated Buddha inside Gangaramaya Temple, Colombo
The golden seated Buddha inside Gangaramaya Temple, Colombo
Rows of seated Buddha statues at Gangaramaya Temple
Rows of seated Buddha statues at Gangaramaya Temple
The street front of Gangaramaya Temple in Colombo
The street front of Gangaramaya Temple in Colombo
Bags of chilli and spices for sale in Pettah market, Colombo
Bags of chilli and spices for sale in Pettah market, Colombo

Ready-made trips that include Colombo

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