Let’s me start from the commercial capital of the Country. It’s COLOMBO.
Colombo is the largest city in the country. It is located on the west coast of the island, bordering Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, which is the official administrative capital of Sri Lanka.
Colombo History
The name “Colombo” is derived from the word “Kolomthota (Sinhalese name) and was first introduced by the Portuguese in 1505. It was also known to Indians, Greeks, Persians, Romans, Arabs, and Chinese traders for well over 2,000 years.
Colombo possesses a natural harbor. And it’s the largest port in sri lanka as well as south asia.
Climate
Colombo consists of a tropical climate and the temperature ranges from 20-35 Celsius throughout the year. But in the monsoon period, which falls from May to August, and October to January, heavy rains can be expected.
Attractions
Colombo is blend of colonial buildings, ruins and modern life. And also city has many canals and, in the heart of the city, Beira Lake is one of the most unique landmarks of Colombo.
Galle Face Green – Galle Face Green is a stretch of green space boardwalk located in the heart of the city along the coast bordering the Indian Ocean, and is a popular destination for tourists and residents alike. The Galle Face Hotel is a historic landmark on the southern edge of this boardwalk.
Gangaramaya Temple – Gangaramaya Temple is one of the most important temples in Colombo. In this temple you can see varied mix of Sri Lankan, Thai, Indian, and Chinese architecture.
Independence Square – Is a national monument in Sri Lanka. This was built on February, 1948 after the independence was gained from the british rule. Independence Square is located in Cinnamon Grand.
Colombo Light House – The tower is located in the intersection of Chatham Street and Janadhipathi Mawatha in Colombo Fort. It was initially invented as a clock tower and the lantern was added after a few years.
National Museum Sri LankaThis was founded by the British governor, Sir William Henry. It’s a colonial type mansion with Italian architecture.
Pettah Market – The Pettah Market has an atmosphere like the ‘China Street’ in Bangkok or Singapore. It is Located on Olcott Mawatha Road beside the Fort Railway Station. You could buy virtually anything from here ranging from electronics, clothing items, souvenirs, to food items. Electronic items like speakers, fans, phones, etc., are of course mainly imported from China. This is a great local market with cheap products, and the sales representatives will try to rip you off so please be ready for a bargain. The place can be very crowded and noisy. This is the go to place if you are looking for cheap souvenirs. It is nothing like you will experience in Europe.
They have separate bi-streets with shops which are specialised a certain set of products, i.e. textile materials in one street, and stationery items in another street, etc.
With a bit of careful surveying and a little bit of bargaining knowledge I would still recommend to do most of Sri Lankan shopping here.
Floating Market Complex – The Floating Market which sits between the long distance private bus terminal in Pettah and the Fort railway station contains 92 stalls including refreshment stalls and a restaurant. The first of its kind market in the country, the Floating Market will offer people a unique shopping and dining experience.
Larger scale shopping is also available for the shopping enthusiast. If you are travelling to Sri Lanka you must visit the Barefoot in paradise road. You can buy some unique souvenirs. There are a few shopping malls worth visiting such as Crescat Boulevard, Majestic City , and the newly opened Arcade Independence Square. These larger malls feature clothing stores, restaurants, supermarkets, and cinemas.
Sri lanka is famous for “Ceylon Tea”. You can find out many tea shops around Liberty Plaza, the World Trade Center, and the airport. Another good option is Mlesna Tea, with shops at the Hilton, Crescat Boulevard and the airport.
– Kalani Bandaranayake
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