Is Colombo an absolute highlight of Sri Lanka? I would say for many, no. If you only have a limited amount of time in Sri Lanka, we wouldn’t suggest spending a week in Colombo. The beaches of the south, the Cultural Triangle, the hill country and the national parks are all going to compete for your time.
But we also think skipping Colombo completely is a mistake.
Colombo is where you’ll likely fly in and out of Sri Lanka, and spending at least a night or two here gives you the chance to see a different side of the country. It’s busy, chaotic, and increasingly full of new restaurants, shopping precincts and waterfront developments.
We’ve visited Colombo many times, including on our most recent trip with our two young daughters so, rather than giving you a generic list of “25 amazing things to do in Colombo”, here’s our honest Colombo travel guide, based on what we’ve actually done and what we’d recommend to someone planning a trip.
Is Colombo worth visiting?
Yes but we’d think about Colombo as a short stop rather than the main event of your Sri Lanka trip.
For most travellers, we’d recommend one or two nights in Colombo, particularly at the beginning or end of your trip.
If you’re flying into Colombo late at night, you might simply want to check into your hotel and recover before starting your Sri Lankan adventure.
If you’ve got a full day, however, there is plenty to see and do.
Colombo is particularly good for:
- Exploring Sri Lankan history and culture
- Eating
- Shopping
- Rooftop drinks and city views
- Temples and architecture
- A little beach time
- Family-friendly activities
- Breaking up a longer Sri Lankan itinerary
If you’re planning a short first trip to Sri Lanka, we’ve also put together a realistic 3-day Sri Lanka itinerary that includes Colombo without trying to cram the entire country into three days.
How long do you need in Colombo?
For most travellers, one full day is enough to see the highlights of Colombo.
Two nights gives you more breathing room and means you don’t have to rush between attractions.
We’d particularly recommend two nights if you’re travelling with children, as Colombo’s heat and traffic can make a jam-packed sightseeing itinerary exhausting.
And if you’re using Colombo as your arrival or departure point, there’s nothing wrong with having a slower day here. One of our favourite things about Colombo is that you don’t need to be sightseeing constantly.
Have a long lunch. Go for a swim. Get a massage. Sit by the water. Eat something delicious.
You’re on holiday.
The best things to do in Colombo
1. Visit the Colombo Lotus Tower
The Colombo Lotus Tower is probably the most recognisable addition to Colombo’s skyline in recent years.
Standing at around 350 metres, the tower dominates the city and is particularly impressive when you’re looking up at it from street level.
But here’s our Lotus Tower hack:
Don’t automatically buy the observation deck ticket.
Instead, consider booking lunch or dinner at Blue Orbit by Citrus, the revolving restaurant on the 27th floor.
This is what we did on our most recent trip, and we think it’s one of the better-value ways to experience the tower.
The restaurant slowly revolves as you eat, giving you panoramic views across Colombo and the Indian Ocean while you work your way through the buffet.
And here’s the important bit: your restaurant booking includes entry to the Lotus Tower, but it does not include access to the very top observation deck.
That’s the compromise.
The official tower has the observation deck on the 29th floor, while Blue Orbit is on the 27th.
But personally, we didn’t think we were missing enough to justify paying separately for the observation deck.
You get:
- Entry into the Lotus Tower
- A revolving restaurant
- 360-degree city views
- A buffet lunch or dinner
- A much more memorable experience than simply going up, taking a few photos and coming back down
The buffet also gives you plenty of options if you’re travelling with children or a group with different tastes.
Our verdict: If you want to visit the Lotus Tower, we’d choose the restaurant experience over simply paying for the observation deck.
Tip: If the views are important to you, try to time your booking around sunset.
2. Explore Port City Colombo
Port City is one of the newer parts of Colombo, and it feels completely different from the older parts of the city.
We’ve been here a couple of times now and think it’s worth adding to your Colombo itinerary, particularly if you’re looking for somewhere to slow down after a morning of sightseeing.
The waterfront is the main attraction.
You can come here for a meal by the water, walk around, enjoy the views or get involved in some of the activities on offer.
And there is actually quite a lot happening here.
Depending on what’s operating during your visit, Port City offers activities including water sports, sailing, go-karting, ATV rides, horseback riding and golf.
There is also The Beach Park, which has a private swimmable beach, food and drinks and family-friendly activities.
3. Visit the Colombo National Museum
If you’re interested in understanding Sri Lanka beyond the beaches and Instagram-famous train rides, make time for the Colombo National Museum.
It’s one of the best places to start if you want some context around Sri Lanka’s history, culture and the influences that have shaped the country.
The museum is located in Cinnamon Gardens, one of Colombo’s more established neighbourhoods, and the building itself is worth seeing.
We particularly recommend this for first-time visitors who want a little more context before travelling around the rest of Sri Lanka.
4. Visit Gangaramaya Temple and Seema Malaka
These are two cultural stops in central Colombo that are easy to combine.
Seema Malaka sits on Beira Lake and feels surprisingly peaceful considering you’re right in the middle of the city.
From there, you can walk across to Gangaramaya Temple, one of Colombo’s best-known Buddhist temples.
Remember that these are religious sites, so dress respectfully with your shoulders and knees covered.
5. Walk along Galle Face Green
Galle Face Green is Colombo’s seaside urban park and one of the easiest places to experience the city as locals do.
Go in the late afternoon and stay through sunset.
You’ll see families, couples, children, people exercising and vendors selling snacks along the promenade.
It’s particularly lively in the evening.
We’d treat this as less of a “tourist attraction” and more of a place to experience Colombo.
If you’re travelling with kids, it’s also an easy way to let them run around after a day of sightseeing.
Just be sensible with street food, particularly seafood that’s been sitting out in the heat (Dylan learnt this the hard way!).
6. Explore Pettah Markets
Pettah is where you go when you want to see a much more chaotic side of Colombo.
It’s busy, colourful and overwhelming in the best possible way.
You’ll find everything from fruit and vegetables to clothing, household goods, electronics and an impressive amount of things you probably didn’t realise you needed.
While you’re there, look out for Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque, better known as the Red Mosque, with its distinctive red-and-white striped exterior.
6. Eat!
There are so many delicious spots to eat in Colombo and the options are forever going, for example on is one of our best food discoveries from our most recent trip was The ‘Stache. And if you only order one thing, make it the Siam Ceylon / milk rice with Thai curry. It’s essentially milk rice served with Thai red curry and additional Sri Lankan-inspired flavours, and it has become one of its signature dishes. In fact, I posted a photo of the dish on my Instagram Stories and immediately had Sri Lankan locals and cousins messaging me because they recognised exactly where it was from
We have a food guide of my 10 dishes you need to try in Sri Lanka for more inspiration.
Where to stay in Colombo
For most travellers, we’d recommend staying around Colombo Fort, Galle Face or the surrounding central Colombo areas.
These locations put you within relatively easy reach of many of the city’s attractions and restaurants, and they’re convenient if you’re arriving from or heading back towards the airport.
We don’t think you need to overthink your Colombo accommodation if you’re only staying one night.
A good hotel, a rooftop pool and somewhere comfortable to sleep can be more valuable than staying somewhere specifically because it’s near one attraction.
We’ve put together a much more detailed guide to accommodation across Sri Lanka here:
Where to Stay in Sri Lanka: Best Areas & Hotels for Every Budget
In that guide, we explain why we recommend Colombo primarily as a first or last-night stop, as well as our hotel recommendations at different price points.
Planning a trip to Sri Lanka?
If you’re still figuring out your itinerary, start here:
- 3 Day Sri Lanka Itinerary: Highlights for a Short Trip
- Where to Stay in Sri Lanka: Best Areas & Hotels for Every Budget
- The Best Indoor Play Spaces for Kids in Colombo
And if you’re travelling with children, don’t miss our guide to Sri Lanka with Kids – because travelling around Sri Lanka with little ones requires a slightly different approach.
