Things to do · Colombo · Sri Lanka
17 best things to do in Colombo
17 sights and experiences ranked for a first visit, with honest notes on time, cost and crowds.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: AKS.9955, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
The essential sights in Colombo are Galle Face Green, Gangaramaya Temple and Seema Malaka. Of the 17 picks below, 10 are free, 4 work on a rainy day and 7 suit children. Allow about 2 days to see the highlights without rushing.
Key facts
- Top sight
- Galle Face Green
- Free sights
- 10
- Good on a rainy day
- Gangaramaya Temple
- Time to see the highlights
- 2 days
At a glance
| Sight | Area | Time needed | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Galle Face Green | Galle Face and Kollupitiya | 1–2 hours | Free |
| Gangaramaya Temple | Slave Island | 1 hour | Low cost |
| Seema Malaka | Slave Island | 30 minutes | Low cost |
| National Museum of Colombo | Cinnamon Gardens | 1.5–2 hours | Low cost |
| Viharamahadevi Park | Cinnamon Gardens | 1 hour | Free |
| Pettah markets | Pettah | 2 hours | Free |
| Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque (Red Mosque) | Pettah | 30 minutes | Free |
| Old Dutch Hospital | Fort | 1–2 hours | Free |
| Independence Memorial Hall | Cinnamon Gardens | 45 minutes | Free |
| Lotus Tower | Beira Lake | 1–1.5 hours | Mid-priced |
| Mount Lavinia Beach | Mount Lavinia | Half a day | Free |
| Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara | Kelaniya | 1–1.5 hours | Free |
| Number 11 (Geoffrey Bawa's house) | Kollupitiya | 1 hour | Mid-priced |
| Wolvendaal Church | Pettah | 30 minutes | Free |
| Dehiwala Zoo | Dehiwala | 2–3 hours | Low cost |
| Beddagana Wetland Park | Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte | 1.5 hours | Low cost |
| Sri Ponnambalawaneswaram Kovil | Kotahena | 45 minutes | Free |
The 17 best things to do
Waterfront · Galle Face and Kollupitiya
1.Galle Face Green
This 500-metre seafront lawn and promenade, laid out by the British in 1859, is where Colombo comes to relax. Kites fill the sky on windy afternoons, families stroll at sunset, and food stalls at the southern end fry isso vadai, a lentil fritter topped with whole prawns.
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
Religious site · Slave Island
2.Gangaramaya Temple
One of Colombo's most important Buddhist temples mixes Sri Lankan, Thai, Indian and Chinese styles, with a bodhi tree, a vihara full of Buddha statues and an eclectic museum of gifts, from vintage cars to clocks. It organises the Navam Perahera procession each February.
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
3.Seema Malaka
Designed by architect Geoffrey Bawa in the 1970s, this meditation hall for monks floats on three platforms in Beira Lake, connected by walkways and lined with seated Buddha statues. It is especially calm at dusk when the lights come on.
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
4.National Museum of Colombo
Sri Lanka's largest museum, opened in 1877 in a white Italianate building, holds the throne and crown of the last king of Kandy, ancient Buddhist bronzes, traditional masks and colonial-era paintings. It gives useful context before travelling to Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa or Kandy.
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
Park · Cinnamon Gardens
5.Viharamahadevi Park
Colombo's largest central park, formerly Victoria Park, faces the white-domed Town Hall and has a large seated Buddha, fountains, shady trees and a children's playground. It is busy with families at weekends.
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
Market · Pettah
6.Pettah markets
Just east of the Fort, Pettah is a grid of streets where each lane specialises: spices and dried fish, fabrics, electronics, hardware or gold. Handcarts and tuk-tuks squeeze through the crowds, and the area holds the Red Mosque, Hindu kovils and the old Dutch Museum building.
Go on a weekday morning, keep valuables secure and use a local guide or walking tour if you want to understand the lanes.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Shopping
- Food
- Photo spot
Religious site · Pettah
7.Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque (Red Mosque)
Built in 1909, this mosque's red-and-white candy-striped brickwork and onion domes make it one of Colombo's most photographed buildings. It towers over the crowded market lanes of Second Cross Street.
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
8.Old Dutch Hospital
Dating from the Dutch period in the 17th century, this restored colonial building with courtyards and verandahs is one of the oldest in the Fort. It now houses restaurants, bars and shops, including the well-known Ministry of Crab.
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
1.Independence Memorial Hall
Built to commemorate independence from Britain in 1948, this columned hall is modelled on the royal audience hall of Kandy. The surrounding Independence Square has walking paths popular with joggers, and the restored Arcade Independence Square next door has cafés and shops.
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
Viewpoint · Beira Lake
2.Lotus Tower
At about 350 metres, the lotus-shaped Colombo Lotus Tower is the tallest structure in South Asia. Its observation deck, opened to the public in 2022, looks across the port, Beira Lake and the city to the sea, and the tower is lit in changing colours at night.
Go around sunset to see the city in daylight and after dark on the same ticket.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Views
- Kids
- After dark
- Rainy day
Beach · Mount Lavinia
3.Mount Lavinia Beach
Colombo's nearest swimming beach, 12 km south, is a golden strip backed by seafood restaurants and the Mount Lavinia Hotel, a former governor's mansion. Sunsets are popular, and trains on the coastal line stop just behind the sand.
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
Religious site · Kelaniya
4.Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara
About 10 km north-east of the centre, this temple is believed by Buddhists to have been visited by the Buddha. Its image house is covered with 20th-century murals by Solias Mendis depicting Sri Lankan history, and the Duruthu Perahera procession is held here each January.
Visit in the late afternoon and dress in white or light colours, as Sri Lankan pilgrims do.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Art
- Off the beaten path
Architecture · Kollupitiya
5.Number 11 (Geoffrey Bawa's house)
Sri Lanka's most influential architect created his Colombo home by joining four small bungalows on a quiet lane off Bagatelle Road. Guided tours show how he used courtyards, light wells and antiques to create a cool, layered interior.
Combine it with lunch at the Gallery Café on Alfred House Road, Bawa's former office.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Book ahead
- Visits are by guided tour only; book ahead through the Geoffrey Bawa Trust.
- Architecture
- Art
- Off the beaten path
- Rainy day
Religious site · Pettah
6.Wolvendaal Church
Completed in 1757, this Dutch Reformed church on a rise at the edge of Pettah has thick walls, a cross-shaped plan and the tombstones of Dutch governors set into the floor. It is one of the most important Dutch colonial buildings in Sri Lanka.
Pair it with a walk through Pettah's markets; it is quiet and cool after the crowds.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Architecture
- Off the beaten path
Zoo · Dehiwala
7.Dehiwala Zoo
The National Zoological Gardens, about 10 km south of the centre, is one of the oldest zoos in Asia, with Sri Lankan species such as leopards, sloth bears and endemic birds among its collection, plus a large aquarium section.
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
8.Beddagana Wetland Park
Near the parliament in Kotte, this restored marshland has boardwalks, a bird-watching tower and paths where you can spot kingfishers, herons, monitor lizards and sometimes otters within the city limits.
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
Religious site · Kotahena
9.Sri Ponnambalawaneswaram Kovil
Built of granite brought from South India, this Shiva temple in the northern district of Kotahena is unusual for its stone, rather than painted, gopuram and carved pillars. Daily pujas are accompanied by drums and pipes.
Remove shoes and, for men, sometimes shirts, as worshippers do; ask the priests before photographing inside.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- Off the beaten path
- History
Pick by interest
| Interest | Best picks |
|---|---|
| Art and museums | National Museum of Colombo, Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara and Number 11 (Geoffrey Bawa's house) |
| History | Gangaramaya Temple, National Museum of Colombo, Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque (Red Mosque) and Old Dutch Hospital |
| Views | Lotus Tower |
| Outdoors and nature | Galle Face Green, Viharamahadevi Park, Independence Memorial Hall and Mount Lavinia Beach |
| Food and markets | Galle Face Green, Pettah markets and Old Dutch Hospital |
| After dark | Galle Face Green, Seema Malaka, Old Dutch Hospital and Lotus Tower |
| With children | Galle Face Green, National Museum of Colombo, Viharamahadevi Park and Lotus Tower |
| On a rainy day | Gangaramaya Temple, National Museum of Colombo, Lotus Tower and Number 11 (Geoffrey Bawa's house) |
What to book ahead
- Number 11 (Geoffrey Bawa's house): Visits are by guided tour only; book ahead through the Geoffrey Bawa Trust.
Plan the rest of your trip
Questions travellers ask
+What is the number one thing to do 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.
+What can you do for free in Colombo?
Galle Face Green, Viharamahadevi Park, Pettah markets, Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque (Red Mosque) and Old Dutch Hospital. More free things to do.
+What is there to do in Colombo when it rains?
Head indoors to Gangaramaya Temple, National Museum of Colombo, Lotus Tower and Number 11 (Geoffrey Bawa's house).
+What is there to do in Colombo at night?
Galle Face Green, Seema Malaka, Old Dutch Hospital and Lotus Tower are best after dark.