Colombo Court Blog Colombo
Is Colombo worth visiting? A straight answer
It has few major monuments, it is less photogenic than Galle, and many guidebooks suggest skipping it. Here is a fair case for and against, from a Colombo hotel.
As a hotel in Colombo, we are not neutral on this question. However, many of our guests arrive planning to stay only one night and leave wishing they had stayed longer, and it is worth explaining why.
The case against, which is real
Colombo does not have one famous must-see sight. Unlike Galle, it is not a picturesque walled Dutch fort by the sea, and unlike Kandy, it does not have the Temple of the Tooth. Traffic between five and seven in the evening is heavy, and the weather is hot and humid all year. A determined sightseer can see the main attractions in a day and a half.
If your aim is to see as many sights as possible, Colombo may disappoint you, and one night may be enough.
The case for
Colombo is a city to experience rather than simply to look at, and there are four things it offers better than anywhere else on the island.
The food. Dishes from every part of the country come to Colombo, and the choice, from street stalls on Galle Face to fine restaurants, is wider than anywhere else in Sri Lanka.
The layers. Portuguese, Dutch and British influences sit side by side, and Buddhist temples, mosques and Hindu kovils share the same streets, as part of everyday life rather than arranged for visitors. A morning in Fort and Pettah tells you a great deal about the island’s history.
The sea. Galle Face Green at dusk, when families walk along a kilometre of grass beside the Indian Ocean, is one of the best free experiences in Asia.
The rest. This is often left out of guidebooks. Travelling around Sri Lanka can be tiring, with slow roads and hot days. A city with good hotels, spas and restaurants at the start or end of your trip is not a compromise. It helps the rest of the journey go well.
How long
Two days, preferably at the beginning of your trip. We have set out the reasons and an order to do it in.
The verdict
Colombo is worth visiting, best enjoyed slowly, and much better than its reputation. Come to enjoy the city rather than to tick off sights, and it may become one of the parts of your trip you talk about most.
