Culture & Living Traditions
Colombo
Western Province
The commercial capital — a working port city of Dutch warehouses, Buddhist and Hindu temples, food streets and new towers.
- How long
- 1 day is usually enough
- Best months
- January, February, March, April, November, December
Most itineraries treat Colombo as somewhere to pass through, which is a small mistake. Half a day here is worth it, particularly at either end of a trip.
Pettah market is the dense, loud, entirely unpolished commercial heart of the city, with the red-and-white striped Jami Ul-Alfar mosque at its centre. The Gangaramaya temple nearby is an unusual mix of Sinhalese, Thai, Indian and Chinese architecture.
Galle Face Green at sunset is where the whole city goes — kite sellers, isso wade stalls, and families out walking. It is the most enjoyable hour in Colombo.
