Solo travel · Colombo · Sri Lanka
Solo travel in Colombo
How to enjoy Colombo at your own pace.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: AKS.9955, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Colombo is easy for solo travellers to navigate thanks to widespread English, app-based transport and a manageable size. Most stay a night or two before heading on, often to Galle, Kandy or Ella. Many solo travellers base themselves in Slave Island.
Key facts
- Base
- Slave Island
- Getting around
- Tuk-tuk
- Emergency number
- Police 119, ambulance 1990
- Language
- Sinhala, Tamil and English
Solo travel tips
- Use PickMe or Uber to avoid fare negotiations and late-night street offers.
- Join a Pettah walking tour or food tour to explore the markets with context.
- Hostels and guesthouses in Kollupitiya and Wellawatte are good places to meet other travellers.
- Book long-distance train seats ahead in peak season, especially on the Kandy line.
- Women may receive unwanted attention on crowded buses; trains and app cars are more comfortable.
Where to stay
$$ · Best for budget, culture and solo travellers
Slave Island
Officially renamed Kompanna Veediya, this inner-city area of old shophouses, mosques, Hindu kovils and Malay heritage is changing fast as glass towers rise around Beira Lake. It offers mid-range hotels close to Gangaramaya and Galle Face, and a grittier, more local street life.
- Good
- Central location; Local eateries and street life; Mid-range prices
- Watch out
- Construction and traffic; Few polished restaurants
- Nearby
- Beira Lake, Gangaramaya Temple, Galle Face Green
Great on your own
Religious site · Slave Island
Gangaramaya Temple
Keep your ticket; it also covers Seema Malaka on Beira Lake, a few minutes' walk away.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
Religious site · Slave Island
Seema Malaka
Visit at sunset, then walk along the Beira Lake promenade.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Architecture
- Couples
- Photo spot
- After dark
Museum · Cinnamon Gardens
National Museum of Colombo
Allow time for the mask gallery and the regalia room, then walk across to Viharamahadevi Park.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Art
- Rainy day
- Kids
Religious site · Pettah
Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque (Red Mosque)
Visit outside prayer times, especially avoiding Friday midday; dress modestly and women should cover their hair.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- Photo spot
- History
Historic site · Fort
Old Dutch Hospital
Book Ministry of Crab or another restaurant here for dinner, and arrive early to explore the courtyards.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- History
- Food
- After dark
- Free
Landmark · Cinnamon Gardens
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
Meeting people
- Sunset street food on Galle Face — Grab isso vadai, roasted corn and king coconut from the stalls and eat on the seawall as the sun goes down.
- Crab dinner — Lagoon crab in pepper or curry sauce at the Old Dutch Hospital or a Mount Lavinia beach restaurant.
- Galle Face and Kollupitiya — Hotel rooftop bars with sea views and clubs off Galle Road.
- Old Dutch Hospital — Bars and restaurants in a colonial courtyard in the Fort, busy with after-work crowds.
Sensible precautions
Common scams include friendly strangers near Galle Face and the Fort who claim a temple festival is on and steer visitors into gem shops, and tuk-tuk drivers who overcharge. Sea currents on the west coast are strong, especially from May to September, so swim only where it is safe.
- Emergency number
- Police 119, ambulance 1990
- Staying connected
- Dialog, Mobitel and other networks sell tourist SIMs at the airport; 4G coverage is good across Colombo and most cafés and hotels have Wi-Fi.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Colombo good for solo travellers?
Colombo is easy for solo travellers to navigate thanks to widespread English, app-based transport and a manageable size. Most stay a night or two before heading on, often to Galle, Kandy or Ella.
+Where should solo travellers stay in Colombo?
Slave Island: Old multicultural quarter between Beira Lake and new towers.