I’ll be honest, Colombo is not, and will probably never be, one of my favorite cities. In many ways, it reminds me too much of Manila (all the bad things that I absolutely hate about my home city) – it’s incredibly crowded, very polluted (hello smoke belchers), and largely forgettable. Having said that, there are a couple of notable cultural and historical sites within the city, plus the fact that your international flight will enter through Colombo anyway, that makes a stay in this city somewhat a necessity (but not necessarily a chore)

Of course, you can opt to head straight to other parts of Sri Lanka from the airport, but I would actually advise against it as:

• Transport schedules can be unpredictable (e.g. flight delays, train delays), so as much as possible, I try to put an extra ~half a day in between to account for potential delays or mishaps
• Colombo may not be the best city in the world, but there are hidden gems here that you might miss out on in your hurry to sample the wonders of this country

So, my advice? Spend at least a day (or a day and a half) in Colombo – with some suggestions from moi on how to make your time here extra special! Hopefully, this blog will help you in determining which attractions within Colombo to check out, what day trips to do, and where to eat while here!

Table of contents

• Attractions within Colombo
• Day trips from Colombo
• Where to eat in Colombo

Attractions within Colombo

I’m listing down the MAIN attractions in order of how you should go about it – either because of its beautiful architecture or because of its cultural significance. Aside from Jami Ul Afar Mosque, everything else should be walkable!

Jami Ul Afar Mosque

To get here, I’d suggest you take an Uber or a tuktuk that uses a meter – starting rate is typically LKR 40km, and goes up by LKR 4 per 0.1km

Spending the past few months in a Muslim country has made me appreciate the beauty and intricacy of mosque architecture so much more. I have no idea why, but churches always seem so austere to me – perhaps because many of the churches I’ve seen are of Gothic designs. Mosques, on the other hand, typically have common distinctive features (e.g. minarets, domes, etc) but the overall design can vary widely

I loved Jami Ul Afar Mosque because of its fascinating juxtaposition of colors… On any other building, I’d argue red and white stripes would make it look like an oversized candy cane, but here it works! The part I didn’t appreciate though was – they don’t allow women to go in. It’s part of their culture, but it saddened me because I really wanted to see the interiors

Aukana Buddha Statue

Aukana Buddha is a key figure of the Buddhism religion, with the original statue situated near Anuradhapura in the 5^th century. As most people won’t be headed to Anuradhapura, this replica of the statue in Colombo is as good as you can get then!

The statue’s depicted in a standing position giving a blessing, and there’s definitely an aura of calm and serenity in the area (at least when I went). I heard that it can get quite rowdy with tourists though

Independence Memorial Hall

In 2018, Sri Lanka will be celebrating its 70^th anniversary of independence from British rule, making this memorial hall even more special!

Viharamahedevi Park and Town Hall

The oldest and only large-scale public park in Colombo, this park is named after a queen (who I honestly don’t recognize), and was the mother of a king (who I also don’t recognize). The park’s situated in front of the colonial style Town Hall building, and features a huge Buddha statue as well as a series of fountains – perfect for picture taking

In my case, I took shelter in one of the pavilions during a small squall (I had apparently arrived during the monsoon season). Once the storm had passed, I was pleasantly surprised to be greeted by this picture-perfect post-rain view

Cenotaph War Memorial

In loving memory of those killed during the two world wars, this cenotaph is a poignant reminder of those who died for the rest of the world to remain free

Gangaramaya Temple

Considered to be one of the most important Buddhist temples in Colombo today, Gangamaramaya is considered more than just a place of worship, but is also a seat of learning and a cultural centre for the country

Spa Ceylon Spa & Boutique

Location: Old Dutch Hospital, Fort,, Colombo

I know, this isn’t an attraction per se; but I had one of the best massages ever at Spa Ceylon (after a whole week of travelling the backpacker life across Sri Lanka + climbing up all these temples and mountains…) The price tag is hefty though (at close to ~USD 200, it’s dang expensive!), but I figured it was a super well-deserved treat after my very first full-fledged solo cross-country travel!

To be fair, the luxe price tag also comes with luxe service, as your private massage room comes with its own bath robe, a fully decked out en suite bathroom (which was better than any other bathroom found in the Sri Lanka hostels I’d stayed with), and the pleasing smell of the oils and perfumes used during the massage. Anyway, I look back fondly on this memory (my wallet does not!), so do try if you’re willing to splurge before you head back home

Day trips from Colombo

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

The Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage was initially established by the Sri Lankan Department of Wildlife Conservation in 1975 to protect abandoned or orphaned elephants. It’s a great opportunity to see elephants up close and personal if you don’t have the time to visit the famed national parks of Sri Lanka

While here, you’ll enjoy the opportunity to view the following, all while donating to the orphanage (at a hefty price of LKR 2,500)

• The baby elephant bottle feeding (these 3.5 month old babies receive 35L of milk each day!!! CRAZY. Wonder how often they go to the bathroom, or are their bladders also that huge???

• The grown elephant feeding

• Elephants roaming in the open and bathing themselves by the river

Overall, I left the orphanage with mixed feelings. The elephants here do seem well looked after, and it was fascinating to see these gentle creatures up close – BUT please note that there have been concerns expressed over the amount of contact elephants have with the public, the fact that elephants are now being bred into captivity (as opposed to its initial status as an orphanage), and that the elephants are tethered for long amounts of time when there are no tourists around

If you’re still keen to go from Colombo, you can either:

• Take a train heading to Kandy, which has a stop at Pinnawala
• Rent a private car for Pinnawala for half a day. Going rate is around ~LKR 10,000 (~USD 70) / car / day

Southern Sri Lanka tour: Bentota-Galle-Mirissa-Yala

I’ll be honest – I’ve never done this as I had ran out of time. I opted to do Trincomalee instead of South Sri Lanka, as I figured it’d be easier to do these four locations when I come back to Colombo in the future (plus, I was already at Dambulla, which is much nearer to Trincomalee, so why the heck not!)

Anyway, if you opt to do this, I recommend renting a private car for ~2 days (~LKR 10,000 / car / day), and do the below route (as recommended by a friend):

• Between Galle and Colombo, check out Bentota for its quiet beaches, the turtle hatchery in Hikkaduwa (you can hold baby turtles, so cute!!), and birdwatching by the river at Bentota Ganga
• Afterwards, check into your hotel at Galle (my friend suggests Taru Villas for its location), and head to the Fort for sunset watching and a sumptuous dinner (be prepared to pay tourist prices!)
• In the morning, do a half-day trip to Mirissa for its famed whalewatching tours (my friend saw ~50 dolphins and blue whales while there!!) When in doubt as to which boat company to use, the recommended one is Blue Water Tours, which is ~20% more expensive but their boats are typically the cleanest and by far the least crowded
• On the way back to Galle, drop by some tea plantations to see tea cultivation and harvesting in action

Dang, after writing this all out, it makes me remember why I wanted to do this in the first place. There’s not getting around it then, I simply must must go back!!

Where to eat

Ministry of Crab

Location: Old Dutch Hospital, Fort, Colombo

Ministry of Crab was ranked 29 on Asia’s 50 best restaurants 2017, and I must say, that honor is extremely well-deserved! Damn, the crab here is simply delicious. If you want to enjoy this experience too, make sure to have your reservation ready as this restaurant gets ful; VERY quickly. To work up an appetite, you can opt to walk here after you’ve checked out the Jami Ul Afar Mosque (would suggest you only do this in the nighttime, otherwise you’ll sweat buckets!)

Food of the day: Crab (try the different ways crabs can be cooked – the selection is truly outstanding!)

Upali

Location: 65 C W W Kannangara Mawatha, Colombo

Located in the heart of Colombo (a short walking distance from Viharamahedevi Park), Upali offers you a glimpse of what Sri Lankan cuisine tastes like – and it’s magnificent! I was initially afraid that I wouldn’t like the food much, as I didn’t really appreciate the food of its country neighbors, but nope – looks like I can get fat in Sri Lanka!

Food of the day: String hoppers, sambols, and different types of curry

Gallery Café

Location: 2 Alfred House Road, Colombo

The Gallery Café was once the studio of the country’s most famous architect, the late Geoffrey Bawa – so you should come here to see the art gallery! Beyond the art and architecture though, the food itself is amazing and deserves all the praise!

Food of the day: Black pork curry, Lamb, Passionfruit meringue

Rare by Uga

I now understand the appeal of high teas. We started at 3PM, and food just kept coming. After three layers of savory eats, sweets, and scones with cream and jam + endless refills of rose oolong tea – it was a miracle I managed to waddle my way to the airport. Thank God for the long flight, which helped ease my digestion LOL. If you’re raring to do a high tea experience, I suggest you NOT eat lunch to maximize the experience

Sadly, I’d heard some bad reviews recently re Rare by Uga (quality supposedly deteriorated). Unsure if true, but if you’re keen to check it out, call 115 673 000 for reservations. Otherwise, I heard High Tea at Galadari is also fantastic!

If you wish to follow me on my 10-day Sri Lanka solo female backpacker journey, do check out my other blog posts as well:

• Sri Lanka Travel Guide for first-time travelers
• Hill country: Ella
• Former capital of Sri Lanka: Kandy
• Cultural Triangle: Sigiriya and Dambulla
• Beach-y wonder: Trincomalee

My schedule over the entire 10 days was essentially as follows:

	City	Attractions covered
Day 1	Colombo	Gangaramaya Temple, Cenotaph War Memorial, Viharamahedevi Park, Town Hall, Independence Memorial Hall, Aukana Buddha Statue, Jami Ul Afar Mosque, Ministry of Crab
Day 2	Colombo	Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, Upali
Day 3	Ella	Train from Colombo to Ella, Rawana Falls
Day 4	Ella	Ella’s Rock, Nine Arches Bridge, Little Adam’s Peak
Day 5	Kandy	Train from Ella to Kandy, Kandy Lake, Kandy Garden Café, Kandyan Dance
Day 6	Kandy	Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, British Garrison Cemetery, Muslim Hotel, Bahiravokanda Vihara Buddha
Day 7	Sigiriya	Bus from Kandy to Sigiriya, Pidurangula Rock
Day 8	Sigiriya, Dambulla, Trincomalee	Sigiriya Rock, Dambulla Cave Temple, Koneswaram Temple, Lover’s Leap, Happy Creamery House
Day 9	Trincomalee	Swim in the beaches of Trincomalee, Bus to Colombo, Spa Ceylon Spa & Boutique
Day 10	Colombo	Gallery Café (Lunch), Rare by Uga (Tea)