Fish for sale at a road side stall.

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Federation of Self Employees Market

Top choice in Colombo


The concentrated and manic commerce of Pettah is concentrated even further in its markets. Stretching along 5th Cross St, this don't-miss market is a hive of household goods interspersed with artful displays of fruit and veg, such as towering pyramids of limes. Garish toys add colour.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Colombo attractions

1. Potato Warehouse

0.07 MILES

If you can dodge the teeming mass of load-carrying labourers for a moment, it pays to look up as you explore Pettah. Case in point is this old potato…

2. Manning Market

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Just east of Fort train station, Manning Market is ripe with everything grown in Sri Lanka. It’s the city’s wholesale fruit and veg centre and is a monkey…

3. Dutch Period Museum

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This unique museum was originally the 17th-century residence of the Dutch governor and has since been used as a Catholic seminary, a military hospital, a…

4. Old City Hall

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Dating to 1865, this municipal building from the British era is mostly empty today, save for some old trucks and municipal equipment on display in the…

5. Jami-Ul-Alfar Mosque

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In the heart of Pettah, the decorative 1909 Jami-Ul-Alfar Mosque is a show-stopper with its candy-striped red-and-white brickwork. Guards will usually let…

6. Pettah Floating Market

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A perfect example of how quickly Colombo is changing: what was an industrial canal has been reborn as a waterfront district with simple cafes, food…

7. Central Market

0.28 MILES

In a modern multistorey building, this market lacks the vibrant charm of Pettah's other market offerings.