Sri Lanaka Commercial City

Hindu Kovils - The city of Colombo has several Hindu Kovils with colourful and ornate statues and shrines dedicated to different gods and deities. A visit to a kovil, especially during the time of a pooja (ritual offering devotion to the gods), is an awe-inspiring experience with the clanging of bells, canting of prayers, smell of oil lamps and incense. The New and old Kathiresan Kovils dedicated to God Skanda - god of war and victory, are located in Pettah. The oldest kovil in Colombo is the Sri Kailawasanthan Swami Devasthanam. Other kovils include Sri Ponnambalam Vanesar kovil located in Kochchikade, built of granite imported from South India, and the Kathiresan kovil on Galle Road in Bambalapitiya.

Paradise Road Gallery Café, Colombo - The Gallery Café is the island’s leading restaurant, mainly because of its unique ambience. The café used to be the studio of Geoffrey Bawa, Sri Lanka’s famous architecture guru. His imprint remains strong - courtyards with columns, ponds, walkways and open pavilions – spaces that inspired a creative genius. The premises also serves as an art gallery.

Royal Colombo Golf Club - The Royal Colombo Golf Club, built in 1879, is a welcome escape from Colombo’s city centre. The course is a lush green oasis accompanied by a clubhouse full of colonial charm. Only the second course to receive a royal charter, this testing course is full of heritage. Listen to your caddie to avoid the numerous water hazards.

Waters Edge Golf & Country Club - Water’s Edge is the newest leisure facility in Sri Lanka situated just a stone’s throw away from the city centre. A host of facilities are available including a testing 18-hole golf course set in a 200-acre garden of meandering waterways, a restaurant and bar, gymnasium, swimming pool with Jacuzzis, a kids arcade, and the inviting Aryana spa.

Kelaniya Raja Maha Viharaya - The ancient Kelani Raja Maha Viharaya has a history dating back 2,563 years. Lord Buddha stopped at this ancient temple during a visit to Sri Lanka in 523 BC where he was invited to preach. This temple is also famous for its image of the reclining Buddha and paintings, which depict important events in the history of Buddhism. Each year, on the full moon day of January the area comes alive with the annual 'Duruthu Perehera'.

Bellanwilla Raja Maha Viharaya - Located close to Mt. Lavinia, Bellanwila Raja Maha Viharaya has a long and hallowed history. The great sanctity attached to this temple is due to its sacred Bo Tree, which according to ancient texts is one of the thirty two saplings that sprang from the sacred Bo tree at Anuradhapura, planted in the 3rd century B.C.E. This ancient Buddhist temple houses elaborate statues of Buddha and frescoes depicting the life of Buddha.

Fort & Pettah, Colonial Architecture - The central areas of Fort and Pettah showcase the best of the city’s colonial architecture. The influence of the Portuguese and later the Dutch and British invaders are clear to see. Today it is the commercial hub of the country consisting of government offices, banks, five-star hotels and the country’s largest wholesale bazaar. With a maze of by lanes and small shops crowded with people frantically buying and selling, this is an exhilarating environment to explore.

Cycling Colombo to Negombo - If the hustle and bustle of Colombo’s streets is too much, jump on a mountain bike and take the coastal route to Negombo. It is a fascinating transition from the commercial hub of Colombo, exploring some of the cities poorer communities before cycling through fishing villages, past marshland and lagoons, along old Dutch canals. A relaxing 3 hour ride brings you to Negombo, a vibrant fishing port.

Parliament, Kotte - Geoffrey Bawa, Sri Lanka’s most influential architect, was responsible for linking the ancient architecture of this island with that of the modern world. Sri Lanka’s Parliament, which Bawa was commissioned to design, was created in the centre of a vast manmade lake. The building incorporates traditional Sri Lankan and South Indian architectural features with a series of pavilions with copper roofs.

National Museum, Colombo - Colombo’s National Museum was the first public museum to be established in 1877. The museum is housed in an impressive colonial building in the heart of the city, surrounded by extensive gardens. The museum comprises several galleries dedicated to Sri Lankan history, natural history and cultural heritage. The exhibits overflow with literature, coins, ancient rock sculptures, period furniture, artistic theatre traditions and much more.

Dutch Period Museum, Pettah - Located in the midst of the hustle and bustle of Pettah on Prince Street, is the old "Dutch House". Built by Count August Carl Van Ranzow in the latter part of the 17th century, it now houses the Dutch Period Museum. The building embodies the unique architectural features of a colonial Dutch town house with columns, verandas, and courtyards. The museum provides an insight into the Dutch period in Sri Lanka.