Colombo - why to go, how to get there, what to see, where to stay

General information about Colombo

Colombo is the largest city, financial and cultural center of Sri Lanka. Despite the fact that officially the capital of the country was moved in 1982 to the neighboring city of Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, Colombo is still considered the most important city in the country and is perceived by many as the capital. Until now, on many sites you can find incorrect information (since 1982!) that Colombo is the capital of Sri Lanka.

The population of the city with suburbs is 5.6 million people, the city itself is just over 700,000. In reality, the city with suburbs is simply huge in area, and if, for example, you settle in the most popular tourist area, the suburb of Mount Lavinia, then you will get to the center by bus for about an hour. Colombo is located on the west coast closer to the southern tip of the island (see Colombo on the map of Sri Lanka).

Historically, the Greeks, Persians, Romans, Arabs, Portuguese, Dutch and English had a hand in the development of the city. Almost all of these cultures today are reflected in architecture and landmarks.

Like most Asian capitals, Colombo is a bustling city, partially built up with modern high-rise buildings, and at the same time preserving its identity and flavor, not yet completely turning into a high-rise stone jungle. Rather, on the contrary, most of the city consists of low-rise buildings, and in some places just real shacks. But the situation is changing rapidly, and over the past four years a large number of modern skyscrapers have grown in the center, although old houses covered with mold are still huddled at the foot, and the streets are filled with garbage. Moreover, since 2016, Colombo International Financial City has been built on an artificial island adjacent to the central district of Colombo Fort – a modern city and financial center that promises to completely transform the appearance of the city and even the country.

🎬 Our videos about Colombo

If you prefer to watch videos instead of reading or you didn't understand something from our guides, then we have made a video guide about Colombo for you:

• 🎥 Part 1: Overview, how to get there, transport, hotel
  Look at: RuTube | VK Video
• 🎥 Part 2: Sights and what to see
  Look at: RuTube | VK Video
• 🎥 Part 3: Walking around the districts, shopping and prices
  Look at: RuTube | VK Video
• 🎥 Part 4: Currency exchange, maps, districts, hotels, where to eat
  Look at: RuTube | VK Video
• 🎥 Historic hotel in Colombo - watch to the end and try to guess the price (I'll reveal it at the end)
  Look at: RuTube | VK Video
• ❤ Our entire playlist about Sri Lanka
  Look at: RuTube | VK Video

Holidays in Colombo and why to come here

Tourists do not often linger in Colombo. It is usually used as a temporary resting place immediately upon arrival in the country through Colombo Bandaranaike International Airport or before finally leaving the country. And some tourists skip Colombo altogether when traveling around Sri Lanka, using the Negombo resort located closer to the airport, or even going straight to the place of the main holiday.

Nevertheless, due to the large number of attractions and well-developed urban infrastructure in Colombo, it is quite possible to spend two or three days, during which it will not be boring. You can visit temples, meditation centers, mosques, museums, walk along the embankment or in the park. There is even a conditional tourist area here, and in the evenings you can walk and visit bars and restaurants, nightclubs. Fans of gambling will find casinos in Colombo that work specifically only for tourists.

There is even a beach in Colombo in the suburban area of Mt Lavinia, and you can actually stay in a room overlooking the ocean, and even swim on the city beach. A full-fledged resort area with tourist infrastructure has been formed in this area, and some tourists stay in it for their entire vacation. There is a beach in the center next to the Galle Face promenade, but this place is not suitable for swimming and relaxing on the shore.

Another reason to visit Colombo is shopping. In fact, this is the only place in the country where you can do full-fledged shopping. You can do this in one of several large shopping centers: One Galle Face, Majestic City, Liberty Plaza, Nolimit, House of Fashion, Odel. In general, there are large shopping centers only in Colombo, you will not find them anywhere else in the country. If you need very cheap consumer goods, brand-quality fakes without branded labels, cheap electronics, and indeed everything that can be sold and bought, go to the Pettah shopping district near the main railway station and bus stations. This area is a huge market where you can buy anything, but you need to be careful: there are pickpockets, all kinds of deceivers, and even when buying, they can easily slip you a non-working thing or different from the one you looked at on the counter. Learn more we told you about shopping in Colombo here...

Where to eat in Colombo and what are the prices

In order to find a place to eat, there are no special problems in Colombo. But you need to take into account the specifics of the local cuisine, which not everyone likes (see about Sri Lankan cuisine). Establishments of various categories of quality and prices are common, there are many halal restaurants, there are, among others, international chains of KFC and Burger King. McDonald's restaurants no longer work here.

In the resort area of Mount Lavinia there are several cafes and restaurants right on the beach overlooking the sea. If you need to eat inexpensively, but clean and tasty, we advise you to visit Burger King in the Colmbo Fort area and order local rice dishes there. If you need an inexpensive and sea-view, then go to the Galle Face promenade, where dozens of local cafes and stalls with authentic and modern cuisine and inexpensive seafood start working in the evening.

But the local everyday inexpensive cuisine in Colombo personally disappointed us a little when compared with the rest of Sri Lanka. Inexpensive establishments with traditional rice kari, baryani or chicken, a variety of flatbreads and roti are still to be found here. There are many similar establishments in the Pettah area and near the railway station, but their terrible sanitary condition will surprise even seasoned travelers. But in the Colombo Fort or Gala Face area, such establishments are generally in short supply. At least we had trouble finding them.

Therefore, if you need budget daily meals with acceptable sanitary conditions, we advise you to go to one of the local shopping centers, they have food courts and catering areas with ready-made food in supermarkets. For example, you can have a good meal at the One Galle Face shopping center. It is also relatively inexpensive at KFC and Burgerking chain restaurants. Finally, a good and well-known tourist institution with a good price in the Colombo Fort area - The Colombo Food Court, you can eat there from 600 rupees.

In general, from our experience we can identify such prices for food in Colombo:

• To eat at the hotel restaurant (breakfast, lunch or dinner) – from 2000 rupees/person / 6.04 USD
• To eat in a fast food chain restaurant – from 800 rupees/ person / 2.42 USD
• To eat in the food court of the shopping center or in the food area in supermarkets – from 600 rupees / person / 1.81 USD
• To eat at a local street restaurant where locals eat – from 500 rupees / person / 1.51 USD

Currency Exchange in Colombo

Colombo is one of the best places to change currency in Sri Lanka. But a good exchange rate still needs to be found, because, like everywhere else, tourists are trying to "cheat" a little when exchanging. In our experience, it is best to change cash dollars or euros to other currencies at a less profitable rate. The exchange rate for dollars is the most profitable, but if you have euros in your hands, then there is no point in changing them to dollars at home, you will lose more.

The best rate can be found in the exchangers in the center in the Colombo Fort area. If you are unfamiliar with this area, then go straight to Chatham Street and York Street, this is actually the financial center of the whole of Sri Lanka. But it is necessary to change there not in banks, but in authorized points, as in the photo below. We changed several times in the Royal Exchange and Senaratna exchangers, everything went perfectly and the course is one of the best.

However, it is better to go around several places to find the most profitable option. The exchange rate between them differs quite slightly, but for large amounts it will be significant. Check the availability of a hidden commission before the exchange. It is best to ask them to count and show you on the calculator exactly how much you will receive, and recalculate everything yourself, and only after that change it.

And another life hack! It is possible and necessary to bargain in exchangers, especially if you change large amounts of several hundred dollars.

And here's a comparison of courses at one point at the airport and on this street:

• The official (exchange) rate of the dollar is 302.45
• The exchange rate on the scoreboard in the exchange offices of the airport is 298.75 (1.22% lower than OFIC)
• The real exchange rate at the airport's exchangers is 302 for old and new dollars (0.15% lower than the official exchange rate)
• The real exchange rate in Colombo's exchangers is 302 for new dollars (0.15% lower than OFIC), and 300 for old dollars (0.81% lower than OFIC)

And such rates are in euros:

• The official (exchange) rate of the euro is 356.56
• The exchange rate on the scoreboard in the exchange offices of the airport is 354.56 (0.56% lower than OFIC)
• The real exchange rate in the exchange offices of the airport is 356 for new and old euros (0.16% lower than OFIC)
• The real exchange rate in Colombo's exchangers is 356 for new and old euros (0.16% below the official exchange rate)

Market exchange rate (Sri Lankan rupee) for today (02/06/2026)

• 1000 рупия (LKR) = 217,56 rubles (RUB)
• 1 US dollar (USD) = 330,95 LKR
• 100 rubles (RUB) = 459,64 LKR
• 1 euro (EUR) = 384,94 LKR

Real currency exchange rate *

• 1 US dollar (USD) ≈ 324,33 - 330,29 LKR
• 1 euro (EUR) ≈ 377,24 - 384,17 LKR

* - The real exchange rate is calculated taking into account the fees charged by exchange offices and banks for the exchange. It can also be higher than the calculated one, but if you are offered an exchange rate lower than this, it's a reason to think about finding another place to exchange.

Currency Calculator*

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* The calculator converts amounts based on official world currency exchange rates. When exchanging currency at exchange offices, the rate will differ slightly depending on the exchange office's commission.

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Hotels in Colombo and where to stay

There are a lot of hotels in Colombo, but, according to our personal travel experience, the city cannot be called the "capital of budget hotels". Unfortunately, it is not easy to find a budget hotel of acceptable quality at a reasonable price and with a good location by the standards of other Asian countries here. This does not mean that there are no budget accommodation options at all, but objectively there is a clear shortage of hotels of normal quality for a reasonable price. Here you can find either expensive hotels at a price closer to $ 100 per room, or completely dead guest houses or hostels of $ 25 each with cockroaches and dirty sheets.

In other words, you should not expect to rent a decent clean room for two with all the amenities for an amount of $ 20. It is worth, rather, to expect to spend at least $ 40 for normal accommodation, and even then, when booking in advance.

Therefore, if possible, we advise you to book accommodation in Colombo in advance at any time of the year. If you still decide to look for a hotel on the spot, then do not forget to bargain hard. Initially called prices are overestimated at times, and if desired, sometimes you can bargain even to a price lower than when booking online.

You can find and book a hotel in Colombo on these sites, or through the search form:

• 🛌 Search for hotels in Colombo on Trip.com (👍 Mir maps work)
• 🛌 Search for hotels in Colombo on Yandex.travel
• 🛌 Search for hotels on Ostrovok.ru

As for choosing a place or area for accommodation, here are our tips from personal experience:

• If you are staying in Colombo at the beginning or at the end of the trip for a couple of days, just to get to know the city, run through its sights and go further, it is best to choose a hotel closer to the center in the areas of Colombo Fort, Pettah or Galle Face. This way you will be closer to all the sights, infrastructure, transport and entertainment. These areas themselves are interesting for evening walks, and the Pettah area is also the oldest, as well as the main trading platform of the country.

• If you plan to spend a few days in Colombo and want to diversify your stay with a beach holiday, then we recommend the Mount Lavinia area. It is very far from the center, but it is the only place in Colombo where there is a beach suitable for swimming and relaxing on the shore.

• Finally, if you plan not to stay in Colombo at all, but only want to spend the night after or before the flight, then you can stay at a hotel near the airport or drive to Negombo. Near the airport, even within walking distance, there are several hotels at an affordable price just to take a break-to spend the night. But keep in mind that it will not be possible to quickly get into the city and walk around it from here: a quick trip will be possible only by taxi, and it will take 1-2 hours in one direction, depending on traffic congestion. If there is an intention to walk around the city, it is better to go to the city right away and check into a hotel there.

More details about the districts of Colombo with photos and videos told in a separate instruction here..

Weather and tourist seasons in Colombo

Colombo is hot all year round, you can visit it at any time. The temperature rarely drops below 25 degrees. The air humidity is very high.

The high and low tourist seasons in Colombo are shaped by the level of precipitation, as well as the holiday periods.

There are two rainy periods during the year: April-June and September-November. This is not the most convenient time to visit, as there may be heavy rains, but there is no reason not to go to Colombo.

The driest time of the year and peak season is December-March. In the summer months of July and August, there is also little precipitation.

Tourist seasons in Colombo by month, when is the best time to go

Current weather in Colombo and forecast for the near future:

* - прогноз указан по местному времени. Данные получены с https://openweathermap.org. Если отображаются устаревшие даты, обновите страницу с помощью F5+Ctrl.

How to get to Colombo

Colombo is the main transport hub of the country. Nearby is the main international airport of the country Bandaranaike, and almost in the center is the main railway station, and several bus stations. In addition to the fact that it is through Colombo airport that tourists arrive in the country, when moving around the country, it is here that it is most convenient to transfer from train to train or bus when you move between different parts of the island.

Learn more about all the ways, how and how to get to Colombo here, and here are brief instructions about directions:

• From cities of the Russian Federation and other countries. Definitely fly, there are no other options. The cheapest way is to fly with transfers by budget airlines, for example AirArabia. There are other options for connecting flights with excellent airlines Qatar, Etihad and others, all of which are much cheaper than direct flights from Russia.
• From Colombo Airport. Taxi or tuk-tuk with the order through the application (more reliable and cheaper), or on the spot in the parking lot or at the counters. The cheapest bus is No. 187, runs often.
• From Negombo. The cheapest commuter trains, or buses from Negombo bus station, run fast express trains and regular slow city trains. There are a lot of buses, come to the station and leave, trains are scheduled up to 8 times a day.
• From other cities and resorts in Sri Lanka. There are direct buses from almost anywhere in Colombo. There are only rare exceptions like Arugam Bay or Delft Island, but from there it is easy to get there during the day with a transfer. There are also direct trains from many resorts.

ЦЕНА	ПЕРЕСАДКИ	АВИАКОМПАНИЯ	ДАТА ВЫЛЕТА	ДАТА ВОЗВРАЩЕНИЯ
Купить от 45278 ₽	1 пересадка		18.06.2026	16.07.2026
Купить от 54858 ₽	1 пересадка		09.07.2026	16.07.2026
Купить от 54684 ₽	1 пересадка		09.08.2026	08.09.2026
Купить от 51095 ₽	2 пересадки		25.09.2026	08.10.2026
Купить от 52732 ₽	1 пересадка		07.10.2026	22.10.2026
Купить от 51416 ₽	2 пересадки		30.11.2026	21.12.2026

Transportation Colombo, what to use to move

Colombo has an equally developed public transport system in the form of buses, there is even urban rail transport. The fare on them is very inexpensive, the route network is wide, they go often.

But, in our opinion, both of these modes of transport are inconvenient to use during a short trip, and it is much easier to use taxis, tuk-tuks or rented vehicles to travel around the city.

In the center of Colombo, especially in the Colombo Fort and Pettah areas, it is quite possible to move on foot. There are short distances here, the streets are narrow, so walking can be even faster and more convenient than standing in traffic jams on transport. However, be careful: there are very few traffic lights here, and drivers hardly miss at pedestrian crossings.

The most optimal way to move around Colombo is tuk-tuks or auto rickshaws, they are also Bajaj. They can be quite safely moved even by three + a driver. They are cheaper than a car taxi by about a third, or even twice, however, somewhat less convenient and more dangerous. You can order here-tuks through the PickMe and Uber international version applications or just catch them on the street. We recommend using applications. A trip within the center will cost from 250 rupees (0.76 USD).

Car taxis are not very common, there are much fewer cars here than tuk-tuks, but you can find them. It is best to use a taxi with a meter (Taxi-meter) or the PickMe or Uber apps. Taxi costs from 400 rupees (1.21 USD).

There is a good extensive network of city buses in Colombo, but it's still an extreme for an unprepared tourist to travel on them. Their routes are confusing, there are no air conditioners, they drive very slowly and almost always crowded, and passengers jump in and out almost on the move. Some buses are suburban and travel far beyond the city limits. Although in general this type of movement is quite convenient and costs a mere penny, but the main thing here is to learn how to use them.

There is also a railway on which commuter trains run (like our electric trains, but not on electricity). All of them arrive and depart from the main Colombo Fort railway station, from where they can be taken to the outskirts of the city. The southern branch is of the greatest interest, along which it is very inexpensive to get to the popular tourist area of Colombo Maunt Lavinia (Mt Lavinia), and it will be much more comfortable and faster than by bus.

Learn more about Colombo transport and what to use here...

Sights in Colombo and what to see

Colombo is full of all kinds of interesting historical, cultural and architectural sights, and if you stay here for 2-3 days, you will definitely have enough of them to occupy all your time. However, despite their number, do not expect much variety from them. These are mainly temples and mosques, there are museums, many architectural sights.

As for tourist entertainment, in Colombo their choice is not rich. During the day, you can go shopping in the Pettah area or in modern shopping centers, visit a SPA or massage parlor, or just walk around the city in search of interesting places. There are no amusement parks, water parks, or children's entertainment in Colombo. The only place that can be visited with children is the Dehiwala Zoological Gardens Zoo, but it is located quite far from the center in the Dehiwala area. There is also an observation deck on the new Lotus Tower, but the cost of visiting it, in our opinion, is too high, so we will not recommend it.

In the evening in Colombo, you can sit in one of the bars in the center, and there are several cafes for tourists on Mount Lavinia beach. Also a popular place is the Galle Face promenade, where many local restaurants open in the evenings, draft beer is sold, and events are held on holidays. Another place to visit in the evening is the relatively new Pettah Floating Market. However, during our last trip, we found that the floating market had fallen into disrepair, so we can't recommend visiting it now. And in the late evening you can visit one of the dozens of casinos in Colombo, they work around the clock. Sex tourism in Colombo is not developed and is strictly prohibited. If you want to find a girl or a boy, then, of course, you can, but this is fraught with big problems.

There are few travel agencies for buying excursions in Colombo, so as an option, you can search and book excursions online:

• Excursions to Colombo on Trip.com (there are a lot of options, Russian maps work)
• Excursions to Colombo on GetYourGuide (many options, Russian maps do not work)
• Excursions to Colombo on Sputnik8.com
• Excursions to Colombo on Tripster.ru
• Excursions to Colombo on Tezeks.com

If you have only 1-2 days in the city, then here are the main locations to include in the route, which we advise you to visit:

• Gangaramaya Temple
• Meditation Center
• Sambodhi Chaitiya Stupa from the observation deck and Maritime Museum
• Galle Face Promenade
• Temples of Kathiresan
• Yami ul Alfar Mosque or Jami ul Alfar
• Old Town Hall
• Viharamahadevi Park
• Colombo National Museum
• Independence Hall
• Grand Oriental Hotel and Chekhov Museum
• Historic Cargills Building
• Old Parliament Building Old Parliament
• St. Peter's Church

Details about everything Colombo attractions with their opening hours, cost, and ways to get here...