Colombo

Colombo is Sri Lanka’s vibrant commercial capital, where colonial-era buildings stand beside modern towers and the distinctive Lotus Tower rises above the skyline. It is a city of contrasts: ox-blood red mansions and leafy avenues in Cinnamon Gardens, the noisy, aromatic bazaars of Pettah, and the ocean breeze sweeping across Galle Face Green.

A day in the city might begin at the ornate Gangaramaya Temple and the serene Seema Malaka pavilion on Beira Lake, designed by Geoffrey Bawa. From there you could wander the Pettah markets with a guide, browse the restored Dutch Hospital precinct, visit the National Museum, or call at Bawa’s own Colombo home, Number 11, where tours are offered by appointment.

Colombo is also the island’s culinary capital, with everything from street-food kottu and hoppers to elegant restaurants in colonial villas. It is the best place on the island to shop for fine tea, handloom textiles, jewellery and contemporary design, and as evening falls, locals and visitors gather on Galle Face Green to fly kites and watch the sunset.

Many guests spend a night at the beginning or end of their journey, using Colombo as a gentle introduction to the island or a final indulgence before flying home. From here, roads lead south to Bentota and Galle, north to Negombo and inland to Kandy and the Cultural Triangle.