Print
Email
Bookmark & shareA dash of urban buzz in an overwhelmingly rural country.
Colombo, Sri Lanka's largest city, is noisy, frenetic - and just a little crazy. Thankfully, the breakdowns, snarled traffic and power cuts are received with a shrug and a smile. While the city holds less obvious interest than many other parts of the island, it's very colourful and worth a look.
North of the centre is the Fort district, the country's business centre. South is Galle Face Green, a seafront expanse of occasional green. East of the fort is the pungent Pettah bazaar district.
Culture buffs shouldn't miss the National Museum, the Art Gallery, and the city's mosques and temples.
Travel Warning: Bomb Blasts
Fighting between the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE (Tamil Tiger) faction, and the breakdown of their cease-fire agreement in January, means that the north and east of the country are particularly dangerous. However, Colombo has also experienced a number of bombings lately - most recently on June 6 when an explosion on a bus killed more than 20 people. On May 26, a peak-hour commuter train was bombed resulting in eight deaths and more than 70 people injured. A bomb blast killed 26 people on a bus in peak hour traffic on April 25; earlier in the month, a suicide bomb attack near the city killed some 14 people and seriously injured over 90. On February 3, a suicide bomber killed at least 11 people and injured nearly 100 at Colombo's main train station, while a bomb attack at the city zoo occurred earlier in the day. Travellers should exercise extreme caution, especially in crowded public places; monitor local news sources and heed any local warnings regarding safety.
severity: High-level alert
Fast Facts
Population
2,305,000
Currency
Name: Sri Lanka Rupee
Code: LKR
Symbol: Rs
Electrical Plugs
230V 50Hz
Languages Spoken
Official: Sinhalese, Tamil
Time Zones
GMT/UTC +5.5
Country Dialing Code
+94
Weights & Measures
Metric
Advertisement
Book Your Trip
Travel insurance. Be covered by our recommended partner.
Compare & book flights from 100's of domestic & international airlines.
Hotels & Hostels
Booking hotels is simple with Lonely Planet. See our reviewed and recommended hotels in one place and book online. Browse hotels ›
Lonely Planet Newsletters
Updates, offers and inspiration - straight to your inbox.
Subscribe now ›
Disclaimer: We've tried to make the information on this web site as accurate as possible, but it is provided 'as is' and we accept no responsibility for any loss, injury or inconvenience sustained by anyone resulting from this information. You should verify critical information (like visas, health and safety, customs and transportation) with the relevant authorities before you travel.
