Best Things to Do in Colombo - practical advice with names and honest picks.
Colombo rewards a short stay with food that outperforms its reputation and a colonial streetscape that's easy to cover on foot in a day. It also functions as the only realistic entry point for most visitors to Sri Lanka, so a day or two here sets up the rest of the trip.
What makes Colombo worth a visit
Colombo rewards a short stay with food that outperforms its reputation and a colonial streetscape that's easy to cover on foot in a day. It also functions as the only realistic entry point for most visitors to Sri Lanka, so a day or two here sets up the rest of the trip.
How we picked these
This ranking is compiled from published information about Colombo: official sites, opening hours and ticket prices. It does not yet include first-hand visit notes, so there are no queue times or personal verdicts here.
Ranking criteria: how distinctive the place is (does this exist anywhere else?), what it costs, and how much of your day it takes.
Best Things to Do in Colombo
Ranked and reviewed — 10 of the best in Colombo
1Galle Face Green
Isso wade (prawn fritters) from the carts near the northern end are fried fresh in batches, ask which batch just came out.
2Pettah Market
Sea Street, lined with gold jewellery shops, is calmer than the main vegetable and electronics lanes and a good place to catch your breath.
3Gangaramaya Temple
The temple's back rooms hold an odd private collection, antique jewellery, vintage cars, and Buddha statues donated by devotees, worth 10 minutes even if you're not religious.
4Dutch Hospital Shopping Precinct
The building dates to the 1680s and functioned as a hospital for Dutch East India Company staff; look for the original stone archways preserved in several shopfronts.
5Colombo National Museum
The second floor's ancient stone sculpture gallery is usually empty even when the ground floor is crowded with school groups.
6Jami-Ul-Alfar Mosque (Red Mosque)
The best exterior photo angle is from across Second Cross Street in the late afternoon, when the low sun lights up the red stripes directly.
7Colombo Lighthouse (Old Lighthouse)
The lighthouse sits inland now because the sea it once guided ships into was reclaimed decades ago, look for old harbour photos online to see how much the coastline moved.
8Seema Malaka Temple
Seema Malaka is administratively part of Gangaramaya Temple a few streets away; visiting both together makes sense since they're run by the same monastery.
9Dutch Period Museum
Ask the staff about the building's past as a hospital and orphanage before becoming the governor's residence; it's not well signposted but adds context the displays don't cover.
10Viharamahadevi Park
The park's flower show runs each April to coincide with Sinhala and Tamil New Year celebrations, drawing larger crowds than a typical weekday visit.
Honourable Mentions
A few more worth knowing about in Colombo
Independence Memorial Hall
The surrounding lawns, called Independence Square, double as one of Colombo's more popular outdoor exercise spots at dawn before the heat builds.
Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara
The riverside area behind the temple, along the Kelani River, is a quiet spot locals use for reflection and is often missed by visitors who only see the main shrine.
Mount Lavinia Beach
Walk a few minutes south past the main hotel strip to find quieter, less crowded stretches of sand still within easy walking distance of the restaurants.
Where to Eat
Dishes worth seeking out in Colombo
Kottu roti
Pilawoos, Galle Road
Hoppers (appa)
Upali's by Nawaloka, Kollupitiya
Isso wade
Galle Face Green food carts
Rice and curry
Ministry of Crab (upscale) or local 'hotel' canteens (budget)
Lamprais
Hotel de Pilawoos or Paradise Road Cafe
Colombo in one day vs two days
More on Colombo
Start with the main Colombo page if this is your first read. The Colombo travel guide is the longer read.
We plan trips to Colombo and the rest of Sri Lanka. Tell us your dates and we will put a route together. Our routes are on the tours page.