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Sri-LankaDescription and is it worth a visit
Colombo Lotus Tower and observation deck in Colombo is the highest point of the city and the whole of Sri Lanka, a television and telecommunications tower with a height of 356 meters (together with the antenna spire at the very top). Its main attraction for travelers is the panoramic observation deck at the top, which offers a view of the entire city. However, in our opinion, it is not necessary to visit it, since the price for access to the observation deck for foreign tourists is very high.
The construction of the tower, financed by the Eximbank of China, was completed in early 2018, and since then its unique silhouette in the form of a spire with a lotus flower has become one of the dominants of the urban landscape. The tower is really visible from almost anywhere in Colombo. The main entertainment for tourists is concentrated on the observation deck, located at an altitude of about 250 meters. The view from there is really impressive: in clear weather you can see the main areas of the city, such as the Colombo Fort business district, the lively and colorful Pettah, the seaport, as well as the endless Indian Ocean. The ticket includes not only a visit to the observation deck, but also the Pixel Bloom interactive zone, where the history of Sri Lanka and the tower itself are shown on the walls. It may be interesting if you like such technological attractions, but you won't see anything special there.
Apart from the observation deck and the panorama inside the tower, there is nothing else to do. On the lower floors there is a coffee shop and a gift shop. In our opinion, visiting Lotus Tower is the case when the decision depends solely on your budget and interests. If a view from a height is a must for you on any trip and you are willing to pay for it, then you may like it. If you are limited in funds or prefer more authentic and impressive sights, then you can safely delete the tower from your list. Instead, you can climb the free observation deck at the Sambodhi Chaitiya Stupa, located in the Colombo Fort area right next to the port.
🌐 Website: colombolotustower.lk/
🕐 Working hours
On weekdays from 09:00-22:00, on weekends from 09:00 to 23:00.
💵Entrance fee / ticket price
Entrance for foreigners is paid in local currency in the equivalent of 20 US dollars at the current exchange rate (approximately 20 USD), children 3-10 years - 10 dollars. For locals, admission is 850 rupees.
🚶 How to get there
The tower is located in the central part of the city near the main district of Colombo Fort and Pettah, next to the railway station and bus station (tower on the Colombo map). Despite the apparent proximity and excellent visibility of the tower from different points in the center, getting to it is as close as it seems, since the direct path to it is blocked by an iron road. Therefore, if you decide to visit it, we advise you to use a taxi or tuk-tuks, a trip within the center will cost from 300 rupees. We have told you all about Colombo transport and how to use it here.
If you still decide to walk to the tower on foot, then from the Pettah area you will have to bypass the railway a lot. From Colombo Fort, you can walk here along the equipped promenade path along the shore of Beira Lake along McCallum road.
Getting to know the sights of Colombo is much more interesting and informative with the help of excursions that can be purchased on one of the sites with reviews: