Gangaramaya Temple
Busy Buddhist temple beside Beira Lake, filled with statues, ornaments and gifts from devotees. It also has a small museum, and visitors should dress modestly.
Colombo
Modern shopping, temples, Galle Face Green and colonial buildings fill the commercial capital, which is also the main gateway.
Attractive locations
Galle Face Green
Long seafront lawn in the city centre where families fly kites and walk by the ocean. Food stalls line the promenade, especially busy at sunset.
Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque
Striking mosque in the Pettah district with red-and-white striped brickwork. A well-known landmark of old Colombo. Visitors should dress modestly and respect prayer times.
Lotus Tower
Tall lotus-shaped communications tower near Beira Lake, with an observation level. It is lit up at night and can be seen from much of the city.
Wolvendaal Church
Dutch Reformed church from the 18th century, built in a simple cross shape. Its old stone floor and memorial tablets recall Colombo's Dutch period.
Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara
A Buddhist temple on the Kelani river northeast of central Colombo, which tradition says the Buddha visited. Painted murals in the image house show scenes from his life.
Viharamahadevi Park
Colombo's largest public park, with shady lawns, flower beds, a playground and a gilded Buddha statue. It is a green rest stop close to the city's museums and Town Hall.
Airports
Colombo Ratmalana International Airport RML
It is about 12 km in a straight line from Colombo.
Bandaranaike International Colombo Airport CMB
It is about 28 km in a straight line from Colombo.
Koggala Airport KCT
It is about 116 km in a straight line from Colombo.
Scams and safe taxis
Taxi and scam advice for this country is on the Sri Lanka page
Weather by month
Each month shows its average temperature in °C and its mm of rain per month.
- Jan25.4 °C76 mm
- Feb26.2 °C71 mm
- Mar27.4 °C115 mm
- Apr27.6 °C226 mm
- May27.3 °C224 mm
- Jun26.7 °C143 mm
- Jul26.1 °C99 mm
- Aug26.1 °C113 mm
- Sep26.2 °C162 mm
- Oct26.2 °C292 mm
- Nov26.1 °C305 mm
- Dec25.6 °C175 mm
Driest months: Jan, Feb, Jul. Wettest months: Apr, Oct, Nov.
Costs
Prices here are about 29% of US prices (World Bank, 2025). This compares a country's overall prices, not the cost of a trip.
Festivals and events
culture
Sinhala and Tamil New Year
Over several days, many shops stay closed during this holiday for families.
religious
Vesak lanterns
Streets are hung with lanterns, and dansal stalls hand out food for free.
Who can help
Emergency
Police 119. Ambulance 1990. Tourist police hotline 1912.
local government
Sri Lanka Tourist Police
Helps with: Sri Lanka Tourism's emergency page lists a Tourist Police number in Colombo for visitors, alongside the national police emergency hotline 118 / 119.
Who qualifies: Tourists and other visitors in Sri Lanka.
Phone: 011-2421052
local government
Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA)
Helps with: Sri Lanka's national tourism authority. Its tourism hotline 1912 gives visitor information, and its website links to a tourist complaints page.
Who qualifies: Anyone travelling in Sri Lanka or planning a trip there.
Phone: 1912
Email: [email protected]
Address: No. 80, Galle Road, Colombo 03
local government
Suwasariya ambulance service (1990)
Helps with: A national ambulance service that Sri Lanka's tourism authority lists for tourists. Dial 1990 for an ambulance.
Who qualifies: Anyone in Sri Lanka, including tourists, who needs an ambulance.
Phone: 1990
ngo
Sri Lanka Red Cross Society
Helps with: Sri Lanka's national Red Cross society. Its national headquarters is in Colombo, with contacts for 25 district branches listed on its site.
Who qualifies: People in Sri Lanka who need to reach the Red Cross national headquarters or a district branch.
Phone: +94 11 2694487
Address: 106, Dharmapala Mawatha, Colombo 7
un agency
International Organization for Migration (IOM) Sri Lanka
Helps with: The UN migration agency's country office in Colombo. Contact it about migration matters in Sri Lanka.
Who qualifies: Migrants and organisations working on migration. It is not a help service for ordinary tourists.
Phone: +94 11 2112 600
Email: [email protected]
Address: 9th Floor, Institute of Bankers of Sri Lanka Building, No. 80A, Elvitigala Mawatha, Colombo 08
embassy
Foreign embassies and high commissions in Sri Lanka (official list)
Helps with: For a lost passport or serious trouble, contact your own country's embassy or high commission. The Sri Lankan foreign ministry's Diplomatic Corps page lists missions in Colombo with addresses and phones.
Who qualifies: Citizens of each country, through their own embassy or high commission.
local government
Disaster Management Centre (DMC)
Helps with: Sri Lanka's national disaster management centre. Its call centre 117 is the public line for disasters, and it runs an emergency operation centre.
Who qualifies: Anyone in Sri Lanka affected by a disaster or reporting one.
Phone: 117