Outdoors · Colombo · Sri Lanka
6 best outdoor things to do in Colombo
Parks, viewpoints and open-air sights for the dry, bright days.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Kondephy, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Start with Galle Face Green, Viharamahadevi Park and Independence Memorial Hall. Together the 6 picks below take roughly 9–12 hours across 5 areas; 4 are free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 6
- Free entry
- 4
- Time to see them all
- 9–12 hours
- Areas
- Galle Face and Kollupitiya, Cinnamon Gardens and Mount Lavinia
Outdoors in Colombo
Waterfront · Galle Face and Kollupitiya
1.Galle Face Green
Arrive about an hour before sunset, eat from the stalls near the southern end, then walk to the Galle Face Hotel's verandah for a drink.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Food
- After dark
- Iconic
- Outdoors
Park · Cinnamon Gardens
2.Viharamahadevi Park
Visit in the late afternoon when it is cooler; the trees are full of flowering colour from March to May.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Nature
Landmark · Cinnamon Gardens
3.Independence Memorial Hall
Come early in the morning or near sunset, when local joggers and walkers fill the paths.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Architecture
- Outdoors
Beach · Mount Lavinia
4.Mount Lavinia Beach
Take the coastal train from Fort for sea views, and swim only where locals do and when the flags allow.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Couples
- Kids
Zoo · Dehiwala
5.Dehiwala Zoo
Go early in the morning when animals are active and the heat is lower; combine with Mount Lavinia beach in the afternoon.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Nature
- Outdoors
Nature · Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte
6.Beddagana Wetland Park
Visit at opening time for birds; bring water and insect repellent.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Nature
- Outdoors
- Off the beaten path
- Kids
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Galle Face and Kollupitiya | Galle Face Green | 1–2 hours |
| Cinnamon Gardens | Viharamahadevi Park and Independence Memorial Hall | 1 hour + 45 minutes |
| Mount Lavinia | Mount Lavinia Beach | Half a day |
| Dehiwala | Dehiwala Zoo | 2–3 hours |
| Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte | Beddagana Wetland Park | 1.5 hours |
Booking and timing
Of these 6, 4 free, 2 low cost. None needs booking far in advance. The longest visit is Mount Lavinia Beach; group the rest by area to save travel time.
How to fit them into 3 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Galle Face and Kollupitiya and Cinnamon Gardens): Galle Face Green → Viharamahadevi Park → Independence Memorial Hall, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Mount Lavinia): Mount Lavinia Beach, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Dehiwala and Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte): Dehiwala Zoo → Beddagana Wetland Park, at least 4 hours.
The best months to be outside
- February: highs of 31°C (88°F), about 5 rainy days, very busy crowds. One of the driest months, with calm seas and clear sunsets over Galle Face.
- January: highs of 31°C (88°F), about 6 rainy days, very busy crowds. Dry, sunny and slightly less humid; peak season for the west and south coasts.
- March: highs of 32°C (90°F), about 8 rainy days, busy crowds. Hot and increasingly humid, with occasional afternoon showers.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Fort — Colonial-era business district of banks, port views and restored landmarks
- Galle Face and Kollupitiya — Seafront hotels, Galle Road restaurants and the Green
- Cinnamon Gardens — Leafy Colombo 7 of museums, parks, embassies and boutiques
- Slave Island — Old multicultural quarter between Beira Lake and new towers
- Mount Lavinia — Beach suburb with a colonial seaside hotel 12 km south of the centre
More of Colombo
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Colombo?
Galle Face Green. This 500-metre seafront lawn and promenade, laid out by the British in 1859, is where Colombo comes to relax.
+Which of these are free in Colombo?
Galle Face Green, Viharamahadevi Park, Independence Memorial Hall and Mount Lavinia Beach.