Hugging the Indian Ocean, Colombo is a sprawling city that combines colonial architecture and glistening high rises with beaches, canals and a central lake. The city’s contrasting personalities provide a range of street markets, laid-back seafood restaurants, all-night casinos and treasured religious structures.

Things to do

Colombo lures you in with its seaside promenade Galle Face Green. This five-hectare urban park is filled with locals flying kites and selling shrimp fritters and fresh lime juice from food stalls. Stroll over to Fort, a historic neighbourhood with the towering Old Colombo Lighthouse, 17th-century Dutch Hospital and other colonial buildings.

Looking for an authentic shopping experience? Head over to Pettah Floating Market, which has 92 stalls selling food, clothing, handicrafts, electronics and other goods from boats. Prepare for even more local produce and fruit at Manning Market or visit Viharamahadevi Park on Sunday to browse local artwork for sale.

Some of Colombo’s best seafood restaurants, such as Sea Spray Restaurant and Ministry of Crab, are located along Galle Face Beach and Mt Lavinia Beach. However, you can also find street-side stalls, friendly cafes and fine-dining restaurants within the city centre. If you feel like a snack, try kothurotti, a local delicacy of rotti blended with meat, eggs, tomatoes and green chillies.

LeisureWorld Water Park is about 35 kilometres from the city centre, but this popular amusement park is worth the drive with its lazy river, racing water slides, wave pool and thrill rides. Combine fun with learning at the Museum of Traditional Puppet Art, where you can watch puppet performances and see traditional Sri Lankan puppets.

Getting around

There are numerous transport options in Colombo, but the tuk-tuks are typically the most convenient and quickest. Local buses service many neighbourhoods, while trains and long-distance buses can take you to nearby cities. Uber and taxis are more popular at night and early in the morning.