Colombo Fort

     During the European Fort was indeed a fort, surrounded by the sea on two sides and a moat on the landward sides. Today it's literally at the centre of Colombo's resurgence, with grand old colonial era buildings being restored amid a mix of modern structures, such as the World Trade Centre.

     Security remains in evidence in this area as the president's official residence and various government ministries are here. You may have to detour around a bit but it's a compact area and can be appreciated on a short stroll. Start at the Old Galle Buck Lighthouse, which has excellent seafront views. It was built in 1954 and is surrounded by old canons.

     Just north, look for the large white dagoba (stupa) of Sambodhi Chaitiya perched about 20 m off the ground on stilts a landmark for sea travellers. The Clock Tower at the junction of Chatham St ans Janadhipathi Mawatha (once Queen St) was originally a lighthouse that was built in 1857.

     Chatham St is seeing a lot of renovation of old buildings, one of the grandest being the old colonnaded Central Bank Just north, Sir Baron Jayathilaka Mawatha has the grandly restored Lloyd's Buildings which are in sharp contrast to the battered old hulk on the east side. Local retail giant Cargills once had its main store on York St the now mostly empty ornate red building still shows its faded elegance in its long areades that still have old store signage such as the one noting 'toilet requisites'

     The busy harbour on the north side of Fort is mostly walled off but you can enjoy sweeping views from the tiny terrace of the otherwise hudrum top floor cafe of the Grand Oriental Hotel.

Old Dutch Hospital

Centre piece of the newly vibrant Fort, this colonialera complex dates back to the early 1600s. Lavishly restored it is home to shops, cafes and resturants run by some of Colombo's best oparators. Enjoy a pause for a cold drink amid the incredibly thick coloumns of its arcades.

 St Peter's Church

Reached along the atcade on the north side of the Grand Oriental Hotel, this church was converted from the Dutch governor's banquet hall and was first used as a church in 1821. Inside it has an original wood ceiling and myriad plaques attesting to its work with seamen through the years.

COLOMBO'S MAIN NEIGHBOURHOODS

      Colombo is split into 15 postal code areas, which are often used to identify the specific districts. Pettah for example is also reed to as Colombo 11 (or just Col 11) and so on. The main areas of interest:

    ZONE                                           SUBURB

Colombo 01            Fort the revitalized centre of the city, historic and chic

Colombo 02            Slave Island not an island at all (though it really was used for keeping slaves in                                    the Dutch colonial era) some of Colombo's oldest and most threatened areas are                                    here including Union PI

Colombo 03            Kollupitiya The dense commerical heart of the city, with myriad shops, hotels                                      and businesses along Galle Rd

Colombo 04            Bambalapitiya An extension of Col 3

Colombo 05            Havelock Town Gentrifying southern extension of Col 4 includes trendy                                                Stratford Ave

Colombo 06            Wellawatta More commercial sprawl south along Galle Rd. Inland, Pamankade is                                  a newly stylish enclave

Colombo 07            Cinnamon Gardens Colombo's swankiest district has the National Museum,                                          Viharamahadevi Park, old colonial mansions and trendy shops

Colombo 08            Borella The quieter eastern extension of Cinnamon Gardens 

Colombo 11            Pettah Old quarter just east of Fort with thriving markets

Colombo 13            Kotahena Alongside the ort north of Pettah, home to old neighbourhoods and                                        important religious buildings

Navigating Colombo

Colombo's spine is Galle Rd, which starts just south of Fort and runs all the way to its namesake city in the south. Along the way, it passes the old beach resort of Mt Lavinia, which isn't officially part of Colombo but is definitely within its urban sprawl. Development is also frenzied all the way to the airport 30 km north.

NOte that street numbers start again each time you move into a new district. Thus there will be a "100 Galle Rd"in sevaral different neighbourhoods.

Some Colombo streets have both an old English name and a post independence Sinhala name. Ananda Coomaraswamy Mawatha is also known as Green Path, for example, while RA de Mel Mawatha is still known as Duplication Rd. For longer stays, the 96 page A-Z street Guide is useful Google Map are up to date and accurate.

COLOMBO IN 

One Day

Start at the bustling markets of Pettah, taking time for small Hindu temples and the Dutch Period Museum. Head west to Fort and pause to appreciate the restoration of colonial gems like the Old Dutch Hospital. Have an excellent local lunch at AVP Resturant.

In the afternoon visit the electric Buddhist Gangaramaya Temple and wander down to Viharamahadevi Park. Later take a stroll along the ocenfront with Sri Lankan families at Galle Face Green as the sun sets and enjoy a snack from a vendor.

Two Days

Grab a kotthu (a rotti chopped and fried with a variety of indredients) at Hotel De Pilawoos before tackling excellent National Museum. Afterwards, go shopping at the many excellent stores and boutiques in leafy Cinnamon Gardens and Kollupitiya. For dinner join the smart set at Gallery Cafe or crack your way into shellfish sitting on the sand at Beach Wadiya

Colombo

History

As far back as the 5th century, Colombo served as a sea port for trade  between Asia and the West. During the 8th century Arab trades settled near the port, and in 1505 the Portuguese arrived. By the mid 17th century the Dutch had taken over growing cinnamon in the area now known as Cinnamon  Gardens but it wasn't until the British arrived that the town became a city. In 1815 Colombo was proclaimed the capital of Ceylon.

During the 1870 the breakwaters were built and Fort was created by flooding surrounding wetlands. Colombo was peacefully handed over when Sri Lanka achieved Independence in 1948. Anew parliament was built in Sri Jayawardanapura Kotte, an outer suburb of Colombo , in 1982.

Bomb attacks in Fort over the years of war caused Colombo's major businesses and institutions to disperse across the city. With peace, Colombo is growing fast, with much development north and south along the coast and a building boom in Fort.

Sights

Lacking signature must see sights, Colombo's real appeal lies in its many neighbourhoods, which span an era from the earliest colonial days to the city's present nascent boom. Start in Fort and Pettah and work your way south.

Colombo Map

COLOMBO

Why Go

        Colombo is rapidly emerging from the bad rap it has carried for decades. No longer just the sprawling city you have to endure on your way to the southern beaches, it has become a worthy destination in its own right. New restaurants designer shops and other attractions open constantly.
        The legacies of colonial Colombo are still very much intact along its often shady boulevards. Fort is in the midst of widespread historic restoration while Pettah brims with markets and rampant commerce.
        Even traffic clogged Galle road is getting spiffier, while the seafront benefits from new roads that are spurring hotel construction. Colombo's cosmopolitan side supports stylish cafes, interesting stores, galleries and museums. Surprises abound in its old quarters. You can easily spend a couple of days exploring this vibrant city and a visit here is an excellent start or finish to to your Sri Lankan adventures.

When to Go

January-March the driest season, with night time cool breezes. More tourists so book hotels in advance.
April Colombo feels empty around the Sinhalese New Year as people return to their home villages.
December Although Christians are a minority, Christmas is popular and decorations are everywhere.

Major National Parks & Reserves

PARK	AREA	FEATURES	BEST TIME TO VISIT
Bundala National Park	62.2 sq km	Coastal lagoon migratory birds, elephants	Year Round
Gal Oya National Park	629.4 sq km	Grasslands, evergreen forest, deer. Senanayake Samudra (tank), elephants, sloth bears. leopards, water buffaloes	Dec – Sep
Horton Plains National Park	31.6 sq km	Unesco World Heritage Site, montane forests, marshy grassland, World’s End precipice, sambars	Dec - Mar
Kaudulla National Park	66.6 sq km	Kaudulla Tank, evergreen forest, scrub jungle, grassy plains, elephants, leopards, sambar, fishing cats, sloth bears	Aug – Dec
Knuckles Range	175 sq km	Unesco World Heritage Site, traditional village, hiking trails, caves, waterfalls, montane pygmy forest, evergreen forest, riverine forest, grasslands, scrub, paddy fields, 31 mammal species	Dec – May
Kumana National Park	181.5 sq km	Grassland, jungle, lagoons, mangrove swamp, waterfowl	May – Sep
Lunugamvehera National Park	235 sq km	Grasslands, reservoir, elephants	May – Sep
Minneriya National Park	88.9 sq km	Minneriya Tank, toque macaques, sambars, elephants, waterfowl	May – Sep
Sinharaja Forrest Reserve	189 sq km	Unesco World Heritage Site, sambars, rainforest, leopards, purplefaced langurs, barking deer, 147 recorded bird species	Aug –Sep Jan – Mar
Sri Pada Peak Wilderness	192 sq km	Unesco World Heritage Site, Adam’s Peak, hiking trails	Dec – May
Udawallwe National Park	308.2 sq km	Grassland, thorn scrub, elephants, spotted deer, water buffaloes, wild boar	Year Round
Wasgomuwa National Park	393.2 sq km	Evergreen forest, hilly ridges, grassy plains, elephants, leopards, sloth bears	Jun – Sep
Wilpattu National Park	1317 sq km	Dense jungle, scrub, saltgrass, elephants, leopards, sloth bears, deer, crocodiles	Jan –Mar
Yala National Park	141 sq km	Tropical thornforest, lagoons, elephants, sloth bears, leopards, water buffaloes, lesser flamingos	Nov -Jul

Regions at a Glance

Colombo

Sunsets

Built right up to the shores of the Indian Ocean, Colombo faces west into the setting sun. Many evenings begin with an explosion of magenta and purple on the horizon that you can share with others at a hotel bar or with the real people along the shore.

Urban Life

The first time you almost get run down by a madman with a cart full of goods in the markets of Pettah, you may regret your decision to come. But soon you'll be in the chaotic thick of things and on the ride away, you'll be urging your threewheeler driver to go faster.

shopping

From artworks to tea you can find unique and desirable goods and gifts in Colombo especially along the leafy streets of Cinnamon Gardens.

West Coast

Beaches

From all inclusive package tour resorts to former hippy hangouts and little visited sands, the beaches of the west coast span all the spectrums  and keep everyone happy.

Activities

Ride the waves and dive the reefs of Hikkaduwa bird watch on the marshes explore the back blocks and see the dolphins in the north and get pampered in a spa and take a boat safari around Bentota.

Accommodation

The beaches around Bentota are home to some breathtaking boutique hotels that rank among the finest in the country. Cheerful Negombo alo contains some memorable accommodation.

The South

Beaches

There are beaches here with lots going on and a real traveller vibe or there are beaches with barely another person in sight but the uniting factor is that there're almost all stunning.

Activities

In these parts it's all about surfing and diving. The area between Galle and Matara is arguably the finest slice of surf country in South Asia for divers there's everything from wrecks to reefs to big fish.

Wildlife

Monkeys crash trough the trees, whales splash trough the seas, leopards slink through the night birds flap through the skies, turtles  emerge on the beach and naturalists can't stop smiling.

The Hill Country

Walking

Hack through jungles, shiver over high plateaus, traipse to vertigo inspiring view points, tip toe through tea plantations and walk in the footsteps of gods.

Wildlife

No other part of Sri Lanka offers such varied wildlife habitats. There's steamy rainforests filled with noisy birds, grassland savannahs ruled by elephants and highland forests covered in delicate lichens and moss.

Eating 

Eating in Sri Lanka is rarely anything but a pleasure but it's in the Hill Country where the preparation and consumption of food becomes an art form and the best food comes from your guest house kitchen.

The Ancient Cities

Ancient Monuments

The Polonnaruwa Quadrangle the ancient quarter of Anuradhapura the jaw dropping sight of the rock monastery at Sigiriya just some of the remarkable ruins ready for exploration.

Temples

Amid the leaf shrouded ruins of Anuradhapura is Sri Maha Bodhi a tree that has seen history and devotion for 2500 years. Old temples, such as the one up over 1800 steps in Mihintale, will inspire your own devotion.

Cycling

The ruins of the Ancient Cities are sited within much larger parks and reserves.You can pedal between the wonders along palm shaded paths and never see a car. Guesthouses have bikes for hire.

The East

Beaches

Most of the east coast's miles upon miles of beaches are untouched but even those that are developed are sandy wonderlands, with just the right amounts of palm trees white sands and low key scenes.

Activities

The east generously provides activities to alternate with napping on beach hammocks. The ocean here isn't just calm and gorgeous but it has the reefs and wrecks for great snorkelling and diving and the right waves for surfing.

Wildlife

Kumana National Park doesn't have the size (or the leopard population) of its neighbour Yala. However it also lacks Yala's tourist population, which means the leopards, elephants and birds here are all yours.

Jaffna & The North

Off the Beaten Path

All but shut down to travel for years, the North is now ready to be explored.The going is rough and rocky but seeing glimpses of war history is powerfully moving.

Temples

Hindu gods and goddesses painted in exquisite riots of colours animate towering temple gateways all over the North. Even better through are the friendly priests and devotees who will welcome you to puja (prayer)

Islands & Seashores

Seemingly endless coastlines curl around the Jaffna region's mainland and islands. Coast roads causeways and wooden boat rides to isolated islands are only second to the islands sublime beauty.