Why go
- Most populous city of Sri Lanka.
- Served by Colombo Ratmalana International Airport (RML).
History
Colombo is Sri Lanka's executive and judicial capital, as well as the country's most populous city. It is also the financial centre of the island and a tourist destination. The Colombo metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of 5.6 million, and 752,993 within the municipal limits. It is located on the west coast of the island. It is also the administrative capital of the Western Province and the district capital of Colombo District.
Where to stay
2, 1 Colombo - Galle - Hambantota - Wellawaya Hwy, Colombo 00200, Sri Lanka · shangri-la.com
Near Akarsha Jewellers, 25 Galle Face Center Rd, Colombo 30000, Sri Lanka · tajhotels.com
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qdjSp6geSI · Unawatuna, Sri Lanka · buonavistaheights.com
77 Galle Rd, Colombo 00300, Sri Lanka · cinnamonhotels.com
129 Kynsey Rd, Colombo 00700, Sri Lanka · maniumpathy.com
Colombo - Galle - Hambantota - Wellawaya Hwy, Beruwala 12070, Sri Lanka · barcelo.com
No. 254 Galle Rd, Colombo 00300, Sri Lanka · amari.com
115, Sir Chittampalam A Gardiner Mawatha, 00200, Sri Lanka · cinnamonhotels.com
590 Marine Drive, Colombo 00300, Sri Lanka · marinobeach.com
01 Justice Akbar Mawatha, Colombo 00200, Sri Lanka · cityofdreamssrilanka.com
55 Lionel Edirisinghe Mawatha, Colombo 00500, Sri Lanka · 55tgsuites.com
Ahangama, Sri Lanka · br.bluepillow.com
2 Galle Road, 3, Colombo, Sri Lanka · gallefacehotel.com
282/5 Kollupitiya Road, Marine Drive, Colombo 3, Sri Lanka · granbellhotel.lk
57 Ward Pl, Colombo 00700, Sri Lanka · jetwinghotels.com
31, St Kilda's Lane, Marine Drive, Colombo 00300, Sri Lanka · maradha.lk
82 Stratford Ave, Colombo 06000, Sri Lanka · lamaisondecolombo.com
59 Ananda Coomaraswamy Mawatha, Colombo 00300, Sri Lanka · cinnamonhotels.com
295, 295A Galle Rd, Colombo 00300, Sri Lanka · sofiacolombo.com
Palliyawatta Road, Wattala, Sri Lanka · pegasusreefhotel.com
88 Lauries Rd, Colombo 00400, Sri Lanka · srisuryashotels.lk
7 Hospital St, Colombo 00100, Sri Lanka · fairwaycolombo.com
16 Park Rd, Colombo 00500, Sri Lanka · mecolombo.com
30 Sir Mohomad Macan Markar Mawatha, Colombo 00300, Sri Lanka · wyndhamhotels.com
328 Galle Rd, Colombo 00300, Sri Lanka · renukahotel.com
Baseline Road, 102A Kirulapone Ave, Colombo, Sri Lanka · bestwesterncolombo.com
100E Bopitiya Rd, Uswetakeiyawa 11328, Sri Lanka · kayjayhotels.com
24 Marine Drive, Colombo 00300, Sri Lanka · oceanedgesrilanka.com
48 Janadhipathi Mawatha, Colombo, Sri Lanka · thekingsburyhotel.com
No.210 Torrington Ave, Colombo 00700, Sri Lanka · trilliumhotelcolombo.com
21 Galle Face Center Rd, Colombo 00100, Sri Lanka · marriott.com
36-38 Clifford Pl, Colombo 00400, Sri Lanka · radissonhotels.com
265 Galle Rd, Colombo 00300, Sri Lanka · marriott.com
32 Alfred House Ave, Colombo 00300, Sri Lanka · colombocourthotel.com
Colombo City Centre, 137 Muttiah Rd, Colombo 00200, Sri Lanka · marriott.com
45 Hospital Ln, Colombo 00100, Sri Lanka · citrusleisure.com
316 Galle Rd, Colombo 00300, Sri Lanka · julianalk.com
433 A2, Colombo 00300, Sri Lanka · mandarinacolombo.com
24 Srimath Anagarika Dharmapala Mawatha, Colombo 00300, Sri Lanka · world.nh-hotels.com
3, 457 Galle - Colombo Rd, Colombo 00300, Sri Lanka · clockinn.lk
2 York St, Colombo 00200, Sri Lanka · grandoriental.com
Wellawatta, 61 Marine Dr, Colombo 00600, Sri Lanka · miragecolombo.com
Galle Rd, Colombo 00600, Sri Lanka
Indoor
Restaurants & places to go
Coffee Shop, Cafe · Opening hours: 08:00-22:00 Features: outdoor seating, takeaway, step-free access, air conditioning · 7 Station Road, Bambalapitiya · barista.lk
Burger, Fast Food · Opening hours: 10:00-23:00 Features: takeaway, delivery, step-free access, air conditioning · burgerking.lk
Indian, Restaurant · Opening hours: 11:30-23:00 Features: outdoor seating, takeaway, delivery, air conditioning · 54 W.A. Silva Mawatha, 00600 · chanas.lk
Bubble Tea, Cafe · Opening hours: Mo-Su 08:00-22:00 Features: takeaway · 441 · cocoveranda.co
Chicken, Fast Food · Opening hours: Mo-Th,Su 10:00-23:00; Fr-Sa 10:00-24:00 Features: outdoor seating, takeaway, step-free access, air conditioning · 10… · kfc.lk
Pizza, Restaurant · Opening hours: 11:00-23:00 Features: takeaway, delivery, air conditioning · 7 Station Road, Bambalapitiya · pizzahut.lk
Tex-Mex, Fast Food · Opening hours: 11:00-23:00 Features: takeaway, delivery, halal, step-free access, air conditioning · 89 Galle Road, Mount Lavinia · tacobell.lk
Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Th 14:00-22:00; Fr-Su 14:00-23:00 Features: takeaway, step-free access, air conditioning · creperunner.lk
Juice, Burger, Sandwich, Bubble Tea, Fast Food · Opening hours: Mo-Su 10:00-22:00 Features: delivery, halal · 11D Hospital Road, Colombo, 10350 · web.facebook.com
Japanese, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Su 10:00-14:30, 18:00-23:00 · 33 Amarasekera Mawatha · sakurarestaurant.lk
Ice Cream, Fast Food · Opening hours: 10:00-24:00 Features: air conditioning · 263 Galle Road · carnivalsl.com
Biriyani, Fried Rice, Rice, Pizza, Kottu, Fast Food · Opening hours: Mo-Su 11:00-23:00 · No 492, Thalangama North, Battaramulla 10120 New Kandy Road,… · buzzfood.lk
International, Restaurant · Opening hours: PH,Mo-Su 06:30-10:30,18:30-22:30, Sa,Su 12:30-15:30 Features: step-free access, air conditioning · 1 Galle Road · shangri-la.com
Chinese, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Su 11:00-15:00, 18:00-23:00 Features: takeaway, delivery · Canal Row, Colombo 01 · chinesedragoncafe.com
Asian, Fusion, Coffee Shop, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Su 10:00-22:00 · 129 Pagoda Road · clovebistro.com
Italian, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Su 09:00-23:00 · 19 Walukarama Rd, Colombo 00300, Colombo 03, 00300 · comocolombo.com
Steak House, International, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Su 12:00-23:55 · 353 Galle Road, 00300 · fregosteakhouse.com
Regional, Restaurant · Opening hours: 24/7 · 09th floor, HQ Colombo, 464 A, T. B. Jayah Mawatha, Colombo 10. Head Quarters, Colombo 10, 00010 · headquarters.w15.lk
Sri Lankan, Asian, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Su 12:00-15:00, 19:00-23:00 · watersedge.lk
Malaysian, Restaurant · Malaysian restaurant · 488 Nawala Road, Koswatte, 10107 · papparich.lk
Brunch, Restaurant · Opening hours: 24/7 Features: air conditioning · instagram.com
Sandwich, Cake, Cafe · Opening hours: Mo-Su 07:30-18:30 · 523 Union Place, Colombo, 00200 · breadtalksrilanka.com
Donut, Cafe · Opening hours: Mo-Su 7:00-20:00 · gonutswithdonuts.com
Pasta, Pizza, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Su 11:30-22:30 Features: takeaway · 544 Madiwala Road
Breakfast, Cake, Curry, Ice Cream, International, Pasta, Sandwich, Cafe · Opening hours: Mo-Su 08:00-22:00 · 38 Ward Place, 00700
Western, Cafe · Opening hours: Mo-Su 09:00-00:00 Features: takeaway · 120/A Sri Sambuddhathva Jayanthi Mawatha, Thimbirigasyaya
Fish, Ice Cream, Tea, Seafood, Coffee Shop, Asian, Chinese, Diner, Chicken, Indian, Curry, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Su 11:00-23:00 Features: takeaway,…
Korean, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Su 12:00-22:30 · 25 Sri Sambuddhathva Jayanthi Mawatha, Colombo 05
Italian Pizza, Pizza, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Su 11:00-22:00 · 278 Colombo - Negombo Road
Vietnamese, Restaurant · Opening hours: Tu-Su 11:00-22:00 Features: outdoor seating, vegetarian options, air conditioning · 755 New Parliament Road
Arabic, Indian, Chinese, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Su 09:00-00:00 Features: step-free access · 45A Alexandra Place
Sushi, Japanese, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Su 11:00-22:30 Features: outdoor seating, takeaway, delivery, vegetarian options, air conditioning · 481…
Lebanese, Mediterranean, Restaurant · Opening hours: Tu-Su 12:00-21:30 Features: takeaway, delivery, vegan options · 95/17 Arunodaya Mawatha
Local, Italian Pizza, Indian, International, Curry, Burger, Sandwich, Chicken, Mediterranean, Cafe · Opening hours: Mo-Su 06:30-22:00 Features: vegetarian…
Thai, Indonesian, Mongolian, Indian, Restaurant · Thai/Indonesian restaurant · pepperhouse.lk
Barbecue, Restaurant · Features: air conditioning
Rice & Curry, Fried Rice, Pastry, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Fr 08:00-17:00
Seafood, Restaurant · Seafood restaurant · Galle Road · manhattanfishmarket.com
Arab, Indian, Restaurant · Arab/Indian restaurant · 623/E Nawala Road, Rajagiriya
Middle Eastern, Restaurant · Middle Eastern restaurant · 48D Park Street
German, Restaurant · German restaurant
Fast Food · fast food · potbiriyani.lk
Healthy Foods, Restaurant · Features: takeaway
Fusion, Pizza, Italian, Restaurant · Features: takeaway · 84 Srimath Anagarika Dharmapala Mawatha
354 more places in the Ultimate edition. See the Ultimate edition →
Airports
Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) 31 km to the centre
Colombo, 1, LK — You board from the indoor waiting area — no need to plan for the weather. ✈ 25 airlines (SriLankan Airlines, L, Malaysia Airlines, Air India Limited…) · direct flights to 41 destinations incl. Male, Abu Dhabi, Singapore, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur… (OpenFlights route data).
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 25 airlines, 41 direct destinations
- SriLankan Airlines UL (A320, A330-200, A340-300, A321, CNC) · 37 routes: Abu Dhabi, Bahrain*, Bangalore, Bangkok, Beijing, Dammam, Delhi, Dhaka*, Doha, Dubai, Frankfurt, Jakarta*, Jeddah, Karachi, Kochi, Koggala, Kuala Lumpur, Kuwait, London, Madras, Madurai*, Mahe*, Male, Mattala, Moscow, Mumbai, Muscat, Paris, Riyadh, Rome, Shanghai, Sharjah, Sigiriya, Singapore, Tiruchirappalli, Tokyo, Trivandrum
- L MJ (A320, A340-300, A330-200, A321) · 25 routes: Abu Dhabi*, Bahrain, Bangalore*, Bangkok*, Dammam*, Delhi*, Dhaka, Dubai*, Jakarta, Jeddah*, Kochi*, Kuala Lumpur*, Kuwait*, Madras*, Madurai, Mahe, Male*, Mattala*, Mumbai*, Muscat*, Riyadh*, Sharjah, Singapore*, Tiruchirappalli, Trivandrum*
- Malaysia Airlines MH (A320, A330-200, A340-300, 737-800) · 4 routes: Karachi, Kuala Lumpur, Male*, Rome
- Air India Limited AI (A320, A321) · 3 routes: Delhi*, Madras, Mumbai*
- Oman Air WY (32C, A330-200, A330-300, A340-300, 737-800) · 3 routes: Male*, Muscat, Singapore*
- Saudi Arabian Airlines SV (777-200, A340-300) · 3 routes: Dammam*, Jeddah, Riyadh
- Alitalia AZ (A320, A330-200, A340-300) · 2 routes: Abu Dhabi*, Rome*
- Cathay Pacific CX (777-300) · 2 routes: Bangkok, Singapore
- China Eastern Airlines MU (737) · 2 routes: Kunming, Male
- Emirates EK (777-300, 777-300ER) · 2 routes: Dubai, Male
- Korean Air KE (A330-300) · 2 routes: Male, Seoul
- Maldivian Q2 (A320) · 2 routes: Gan Island, Male
- Spicejet SG (DH8) · 2 routes: Madras, Madurai
- Air Arabia G9 (A320) · 1 route: Sharjah
- AirAsia X D7 (330) · 1 route: Kuala Lumpur
- American Airlines AA (A320) · 1 route: Abu Dhabi*
- British Airways BA (777) · 1 route: Male
- Etihad Airways EY (A320) · 1 route: Abu Dhabi
- Fly Dubai FZ (737-800) · 1 route: Dubai
- Jet Airways 9W (737-800) · 1 route: Mumbai
- Kuwait Airways KU (AB6) · 1 route: Kuwait
- Qatar Airways QR (A320, A321, 777-300ER) · 1 route: Doha
- Singapore Airlines Cargo SQ (A330-300) · 1 route: Singapore
- Thai Airways International TG (A320) · 1 route: Bangkok
- Turkish Airlines TK (330) · 1 route: Male
Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.
Colombo Ratmalana International Airport (RML) 9.2 km to the centre
Colombo, 1, LK — You board from the indoor waiting area — no need to plan for the weather.
Getting there by ferry
Diggala Ferry
Ferry terminal · 17 km from the centre · dilshan
Ferry - Ruskin Island
Ferry terminal · 17 km from the centre · dilshan
Where things are
Local search powered by Geoverts and geo-intelligence by Better Mapping
base map © OSM
Photographs
credit: Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons · See source page
When to go
Tourist season
May – September
The warmer, longer-day half of the year is the safest bet for a first visit.
Shoulder season
April, October
Cooler and quieter, with fewer visitors and better value.
Worth avoiding
Deep winter
Short days and the coldest weather — check local conditions before travelling.
Getting there & around
Getting there. The nearest airport on record is Colombo Ratmalana International Airport (RML); 2 other airports serve the wider area. Check rail and road links from the tourism sources below. By air: CMB has direct flights to 41 destinations on 25 airlines (incl. Male, Abu Dhabi, Singapore, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur…). By water: 2 ferry terminals within 20 km (nearest: Diggala Ferry, 17 km).
Getting around. Use the map above to orient yourself; nearby hotels, attractions and places to eat are listed from the live Ultimate data for Colombo, Sri Lanka. Local transit details will be added as the guide is expanded.
Private aviation
On-demand charter, jet cards and the semi-private scheduled carriers that serve this city.
Broker · Any aircraft via operators worldwide · Global charter broker with 30+ offices; private jets, group charters and cargo.
FBO, charter, management · Managed fleet · FBO network and management across Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific.
Fractional, jet card · Embraer Praetor, Bombardier Challenger & Global, Gulfstream · Fractional ownership and jet cards in North America and Europe.
Charter, management · Large-cabin & VIP airliners · Geneva-based operator known for large-cabin and VIP airliner charters.
Charter, management, FBO, MRO · Managed fleet worldwide · General Dynamics company: charter, completions and FBOs in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the US.
Tours & experiences
Sightseeing
Sightseeing
Sightseeing