City Tour

Enjoy the sights from the comfort of an open-deck, double-decker bus with live commentary–the only open-deck city sightseeing service in Colombo. Three different tours stop over the major sights of the city leaving from different pick-up points. Pick-ups: from Colombo city hotels en route. (for more information see the website below)

• Web:

  www.colombocitytours.com

• E-mail:

  infocct@sltnet.lk

• Address:

  40, Nikape Rd, Dehiwala

• Phone:

  +94 77 759 9963

Colombo National Museum

At the Colombo National Museum, you can browse through a wealth of exhibits from prehistoric times to the colonial era. Look out for traditional fearsome masks said to be linked to magical powers.

• Address:

  Sir Marcus Fernando Mawatha, Colombo

• Phone:

  +94 112 695 366

• Opening hours:

  Daily from 9am–4pm

Dutch Hospital

Dating back to the colonial era, the Dutch Hospital has served as a hospital for Dutch officers, a police station after the country's independence, and in 2011, it was converted into a shopping and dining complex. A nice place to hang out, grab a bite, and marvel at the beautifully preserved seventeenth-century colonial architecture.

• Address:

  Hospital Street, Colombo

• Phone:

  +94 112 441 275

• Opening hours:

  Daily from 10am–10pm

Dutch Museum

This fine collonaded Dutch building with creaking floors and staircases contains exhibits from the Dutch colonial era. The interesting display of artefacts such as coins, clothing items, and furniture of that era will offer you a unique learning experience of the history of Sri Lanka.

• Address:

  CPP Building, Prince Street, Colombo

• Phone:

  +94 112 448 466

Galle Face Green

Weekends bring kite-flyers, strolling families and impromptu cricket matches to this 5 ha ocean-fronted promenade, which stretches for 500 m along the coast. Enjoy a drink at the Galle Face Hotel at the southern end of this urban park or fill up on tasty snacks on the waterfront.

• Address:

  Galle Main Road, Colombo

• More info:

  South of Fort along the coast

Gangaramaya Temple

A must-see historic site in Colombo, this Buddhist Temple houses many treasures, from Buddha statues to ancient coins. One of the most popular tourist attractions in the commercial capital of Sri Lanka and a good place for meditation.

• E-mail:

  gt@gangaramaya.com

• Address:

  61 Sri Jinaratana Road, Colombo

• Phone:

  +94 112 435 169

• Opening hours:

  Daily from 6am–10pm