Colombo

Designed by Sri Lanka’s leading architect Geoffrey Bawa in the late 19th century. The Seema Malaka Buddhist Temple is a peaceful oasis in the middle of hectic Colombo. Come here for some meditation and rest and be amazed by this beautiful piece of architecture and design.

Get a real sense of life in Colombo and experience the hustle and bustle of Sri Lanka's capital with a visit to the Pettah Market, also called Manning Market. At this busy open-air market, visitors can explore scores of shops selling everything under the sun, from fresh vegetables, spices and meats to clothing, electronics, gold and jewellery. Arrive early before trishaws and touts clog up the streets.

At the Colombo National Museum, you can browse through a wealth of exhibits from prehistoric times to the colonial era. Look out for traditional fearsome masks said to be linked to magical powers.

Dating back to the colonial era, the Dutch Hospital has served as a hospital for Dutch officers, a police station after the country's independence, and in 2011, it was converted into a shopping and dining complex. A nice place to hang out, grab a bite, and marvel at the beautifully preserved seventeenth-century colonial architecture.

This fine collonaded Dutch building with creaking floors and staircases contains exhibits from the Dutch colonial era. The interesting display of artefacts such as coins, clothing items, and furniture of that era will offer you a unique learning experience of the history of Sri Lanka.

Weekends bring kite-flyers, strolling families and impromptu cricket matches to this 5 ha ocean-fronted promenade, which stretches for 500 m along the coast. Enjoy a drink at the Galle Face Hotel at the southern end of this urban park or fill up on tasty snacks on the waterfront.

Lionel Wendt Art Centre is a prestigious venue for the performing arts, especially music. It features a theatre and two galleries showing different exhibitions of contemporary art and crafts.

These kovils or temples dedicated to the Hindu war god Murugan (Skanda) bring colour to Colombo’s back streets with their ornate exteriors of sculptured Hindu deities. Visit at night when priests perform the evening puja or prayers to the sound of drums.

Kelaniya Raja Maha Viharaya is one of the most important Buddhist temples in the country. Believed to be sanctified during Buddha's third visit to Sri Lanka, the original temple was destroyed on two different occasions by invaders from India, and later from Portugal. Restored in the 18th century by the Dutch, it contains historic statues and paintings that preserve the spirit of past ages.