Start your day at the white house! Just kidding, at the Town Hall. An old colonial building reminiscent of the white house in Washington DC. A few years ago, the walls of many government buildings came down and the surroundings were made into parks and gardens that the public can enjoy. Right next to the town hall building is the Viharamahadevi Park, a lovely garden in the heart of the city.

As you walk through this calm area amidst the busy metropolitan, you would see the Nelum Pokuna Theatre. This newly built grand structure in the shape of a blue lotus flower (Sri Lanka’s national flower), across from this on the left side is St Bridget’s convent, an all-girls Catholic school established in 1902. My alma mater and a beautiful building to see as well.

The National Museum, the biggest museum in the country, is also quite close to this if you have a bit longer in Colombo and have a sense of curiosity to take look back into the rich history that this island nation holds.

Head to Independence square, this huge stone monument commemorates the nation’s independence from the British in 1948. It is surrounded by gardens, a statue of Sri Lanka’s first president and fountains which sprout at night, thereby definitely making it a must-see spot. The Arcade Independence square is nearby, a reconverted asylum, which is now a place to grab a bite, do some shopping and chill.

Pro tip no 1: If you’re a budget traveler, don’t eat at big popular restaurants, the prices have gone up to match those of other metropolitan cities around the world.

Of course, some restaurants like the Ministry of Crab are so good that you have to try it. (more tips below!) But for everyday eating, I definitely recommend some bistro-like shops where you will see a lot of locals converging. In these places, you can find rice and curry for as low as 150 rupees (0.8 euros or less)

From here, take a tuk-tuk to Gangaramaya temple. Don’t be fooled by it’s outside appearance, it’s not just a temple, go inside  (you need to leave your slippers as it is a place of worship) and inside you will see the biggest amount of Buddha statues you’ve ever seen.

 

Near the temple is the Beira Lake, across from which you’ll see the Colombo skyline. Take a peek at the small temple in the lake, the Seema Malaka Temple, with its iconic Buddha-studded pavilion. You can also ride paddle boats on this green lake.

Head to the nearby Pettah floating market, a newly constructed market with 92 stalls over the water selling local produce and handicraft. Afterwards, walk through the busy streets of the Pettah district. It is most definitely the busiest part of Colombo, with tons of colour, people, carts, tuk-tuks, and stalls extending to the middle of the street. It is definitely a sight to see.

Pro tip no 3 : While on the streets, hydrate by having coconut water (thambili in Sinhala language) which will be freshly cut for you and given in the coconut itself with a straw inside it!

Our next destination is the Fort area. While there, don’t forget to look up and around as this Pettah / Fort area is full of old British buildings and nice architecture. Head to the Dutch Hospital Precinct, now fondly referred to by youth simply as „Dutch“. At Dutch. there are some good restaurants or nice places for tea or a drink. The World Trade Centre (twin towers) is just opposite housing many offices and stores inside. When I was younger, for a long time, they used to be the tallest buildings in all of Colombo!

And so, it’s the end of our busy day in Colombo. What better way to spend it than how to locals do. At Galle Face Green, a long stretch of beach along the border of Colombo, extending from the World Trade Centre all across to the Galle Face Hotel (this beautiful building was founded in 1864, making it one of the oldest hotels east of Suez) on the other side. In the evenings, this promenade is lively with food stalls, kites in the sea, music and beautiful sunsets every day.

How to get around

Some places in Colombo are walkable. However, buses are needed to get around larger distances and definitely between cities.  If unsure, just yell the name of the place you would like to go to the bus driver and usually they would tell you if it is the right bus or not. It is definitely the cheapest way to travel around Colombo, each ticket costs about 10 rupees (0.005 euros or less)! This is for a distance of around 6 stops and then depending on the distance, the price slowly increases.

In addition, there are tuk-tuks (or three-wheelers as we refer to them in Sri Lanka), it may be a more convenient way to travel as buses are a bit harder to figure out. Usually, in Colombo the tuk-tuks have meters. But always make sure when you get in, that they have the meter switched on! Ask them about it! A kilometer is around 50 rupees or lower (0.25 euros)

Pro tip no 4: If you don’t want to hail a tuk-tuk on the street, another method is to download an app called PickMe. It’s great because it also shows you minicabs and taxis in the vicinity in addition to tuk-tuks, how much your ride will cost etc, like Uber. (Uber works in Colombo as well) 

• Rice and curry – the national food of Sri Lanka. Most people eat this for lunch and dinner! It’s rice surrounded by 4 or 5 curries, stir-fries, meat and crispy crackers called “Papadam”. Traditional Sri Lanka bistro – like eateries offer 150 rupees (0.75 euros) rice and curry
• Kottu – an appetizing combo of roti bread, eggs, vegetables and spicy gravy plus or minus meat all thrown together and rhythmically sliced up on a steel board
• Egg hoppers
• String hoppers
• Lamprais – flavoured rice steamed in banana leaf with curries and meat
• Short eats snacks – rolls, vegetable roti, isso wade ((fried patties topped with prawns)

Pro tip no 5 : There are good restuarants like The Bayleaf, Sakura, The Bavarian and Mango Tree serving various kinds of international cuisine, German, Italian etc. or enjoy the taste of crab at the Old Dutch Hospital’s Ministry of Crab. But for it to be a perfect day in Colombo, you can’t miss rice and curry, available at afore mentioned local bistros / eateries. Make sure to go where you see a lot of locals, they would have a the best food and cheapest prices. Try no to go to big restuarants if you are a budget traveler because the prices are steadily rising to match the ones of other western capitals.