UltimateGuide Sri Lanka
Our favourites
The Seema Malaka on Beira Lake, Colombo

20 of the best · Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka

The Best Things to See and Do in Colombo

Temples, a seafront at sunset and the stories behind the city.

Our 20 favourites, listed A–Z · Updated October 2026

Insiders' picks

Three of our favourites from this list, vetted by people who know and love Sri Lanka.

  1. Colombo’s front lawn

    Galle Face Green

    Galle Face·Seafront promenade

    A long seafront lawn where Colombo comes to fly kites, eat street food and watch the sunset.

    Explore View on map

  2. A temple full of treasures, and Bawa on the lake

    Gangaramaya Temple & Seema Malaka

    Colombo 2 · Beira Lake·Buddhist temple

    A busy Buddhist temple with a museum of donated treasures, and its lakeside meditation hall designed by Geoffrey Bawa.

    Sri Jinarathana Road, Colombo 2Explore View on map

  3. South Asia’s tallest tower

    Lotus Tower

    Colombo 2 · Beira Lake·Observation tower

    The lotus-shaped telecommunications tower, about 350 m tall, with an observation deck over the city.

    Explore View on map

The full list: Sights, A–Z

Neighbourhood

The back story 6

Colombo and the island: the back story.

  1. The back story

    Ayurveda, spas and wellbeing in Sri Lanka, the back story

    Sri Lanka·In depth: wellbeing

    What Ayurveda is, what to expect at a Sri Lankan spa or Ayurveda resort, and how to choose one.

    Explore View on map

  2. The back story

    Elephants, turtles and safaris: watching wildlife responsibly, the back story

    Sri Lanka·In depth: wildlife

    Elephants, leopards, whales and nesting turtles: how to see Sri Lanka’s wildlife in the wild, and the debates around captive animals.

    Explore View on map

  3. The back story

    Geoffrey Bawa and the architecture of Sri Lanka, the back story

    Colombo & the island·In depth: architecture

    How one architect created a style, “tropical modernism”, that you will see from Colombo to the south coast.

    Explore View on map

  4. The back story

    Ports, forts and a modern skyline: Colombo, the back story

    Colombo·In depth: history

    An ancient trading port, a Portuguese and Dutch fort, the British capital of Ceylon and today the island’s commercial capital.

    Explore View on map

  5. The back story

    Sri Lanka, the island’s back story

    Sri Lanka·In depth: history

    Two and a half thousand years in one island: ancient kingdoms, Buddhism, spice traders, three European powers and a modern nation.

    Explore View on map

  6. The back story

    The two monsoons: when to go where in Sri Lanka

    Sri Lanka·In depth: weather

    Sri Lanka has two monsoons that hit opposite coasts at opposite times, so somewhere on the island is almost always in season.

    Explore View on map

The icons 8

The unmissable Colombo.

  1. Colombo’s front lawn

    Galle Face Green

    Galle Face·Seafront promenade

    A long seafront lawn where Colombo comes to fly kites, eat street food and watch the sunset.

    Explore View on map

  2. A temple full of treasures, and Bawa on the lake

    Gangaramaya Temple & Seema Malaka

    Colombo 2 · Beira Lake·Buddhist temple

    A busy Buddhist temple with a museum of donated treasures, and its lakeside meditation hall designed by Geoffrey Bawa.

    Sri Jinarathana Road, Colombo 2Explore View on map

  3. Independence, 4 February 1948

    Independence Memorial Hall

    Colombo 7 · Independence Square·Monument

    The monument to Sri Lanka’s independence on 4 February 1948, in a wide square in Cinnamon Gardens.

    Independence Square, Colombo 7Explore View on map

  4. Red and white

    Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque (the Red Mosque)

    Pettah·Mosque

    The striking red-and-white mosque in Pettah, built in the early 20th century and one of Colombo’s best-known landmarks.

    2nd Cross Street, Colombo 11Explore View on map

  5. Old Colombo

    Kayman’s Gate and the old lighthouse

    Pettah and Fort·Historic landmarks

    Two small landmarks of old Colombo: the bell tower of Kayman’s Gate in Pettah and the old clock tower lighthouse in the Fort.

    Explore View on map

  6. Painted temple

    Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara

    Kelaniya·Buddhist temple

    A revered Buddhist temple about 11 km north-east of the Fort, known for its painted murals and the Duruthu Perahera in January.

    Explore View on map

  7. South Asia’s tallest tower

    Lotus Tower

    Colombo 2 · Beira Lake·Observation tower

    The lotus-shaped telecommunications tower, about 350 m tall, with an observation deck over the city.

    Explore View on map

  8. Colombo’s bazaar

    Pettah markets

    Pettah·Market district

    A grid of crowded market streets next to the Fort, each street once devoted to one trade.

    Explore View on map

Museums 4

History and art.

  1. Modern Sri Lankan art

    Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Sri Lanka (MMCA)

    Colombo 3·Art museum

    Sri Lanka’s museum of modern and contemporary art, with changing exhibitions of artists from the island.

    117 Sir Chittampalam A. Gardiner Mawatha, Colombo 2Explore View on map

  2. Founded in 1877

    National Museum of Colombo

    Colombo 7·Museum

    Sri Lanka’s largest museum, in a white colonial building in Cinnamon Gardens.

    Sir Marcus Fernando Mawatha, Colombo 7Explore View on map

  3. Bawa at home

    Number 11, Geoffrey Bawa’s house

    Colombo 3·Architect’s house

    The Colombo home of Geoffrey Bawa, made from a row of small bungalows on a quiet lane and open for guided tours.

    Explore View on map

Outdoors 2

Lake and sea.

  1. Colombo’s lake

    Beira Lake

    Colombo 2·City lake

    The lake in the middle of the city, with the Seema Malaka and views of the Lotus Tower.

    Explore View on map

  2. Colombo’s green heart

    Viharamahadevi Park

    Colombo 7·City park

    Colombo’s largest park, in front of the white-domed Town Hall, with shady paths, a large Buddha statue and fountains.

    Explore View on map

Explore more of Sri Lanka

28 of the best Restaurants & Cafés9 of the best Bars & Rooftops64 of the best Hotels22 of the best Shopping4 of the best Golf3 of the best Spas & Wellness3 of the best Luxury Cars3 of the best Health1 of the best Property9 of the best Getting Around

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