COLOMBO

Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka, with a population of 4,575,000. It is located on the
west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte (which is the official capital
of Sri Lanka) suburb or the parliament capital of Sri Lanka.

Due to its large harbour and its strategic position along the East-West sea trade routes,
Colombo was known to ancient traders 2,000 years ago.


The name "Colombo", first introduced by the Portuguese in 1505, is believed to be derived from
the classical Sinhalese name Kolon thota, meaning "port on the river Kelani"
Another belief is that the name is derived from the Sinhalese name Kola-amba-thota which
means "Harbour with leafy mango trees"


As Colombo possesses a natural harbour, it was known
to Indian, Greeks, Persians,Romans, Arabs, and Chinese traders over 2,000 years ago.
Traveller Ibn Batuta who visited the island in the 14th century, referred to it as Kalanpu. Muslim
Moors, whose prime interests were trade, began to settle in Colombo around the 8th century AD
mostly because the port helped their business by the way of controlling much of the trade
between the Sinhalese kingdoms and the outside world. Their descendants now comprise the
local Sri Lankan Moor community.

Visit


Museums


Buddha Statues at Seema Malakaya, Colombo

The National Museum of Colombo, Cinnamon Gardens. +94 11 269-4767. Closed Fridays
and all public holidays. 09:00-17:00. Also known as the Sri Lanka National Museum, it is the
largest museum in Colombo. Among its exhibits, it contains regalia of the 17th century Kandyan
Kings. LKR500 entrance fee and LKR250 for photography pass.


The Natural History Museum- Sir Marcus Fernando Mawatha, Cinnamon Gardens +94 11
269-1399. Closed Fridays and all public holidays. 09:00-17:00. This museum features Sri
Lanka's floral and fauna in dioramas.


The Dutch Period Museum- 95 Prince Street, Pettah. +94 11 244-8466. Closed Fridays
and all public holidays. 09:00-17:00. Historical museum documenting Dutch colonial rule in Sri
Lanka. Houses Dutch-inspired artefacts.


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COLOMBO

Galleries

The Sapumal Foundation- 32/4 Barnes Place. +94 11 269-5731. The Sapumal Foundation
was once home to the late Harry Pieris. Visitors are able to see his studio and art materials that
have been left undisturbed over the years. This gallery also contains 200 paintings that follow
the development of Sri Lankan art. Special art classes are also available at the gallery.


The Lionel Wendt Memorial Art Centre- 18 Guilford Crescent. M-F 09:00-13:00 & 14:00-
16:00. +94 11 269-5794. The Art Centre provides a multi-functional creative experience with
exhibitions, art shows and stage events. Visitors to the Art Centre are also able to purchase
various antiques as well as paintings and crafts by contemporary Sri Lankan artists.


Visit Galle Face Green Promenade at sundown for a spectacular view. The promenade
stretches 13 acres between Galle Road and the Indian Ocean; it tends to attract children,
teenagers, vendors, and families. Usually on Saturday and Sunday evenings, the land is filled
with day-trippers, food vendors, and people picnicking. The Galle Face Green Promenade was
reopened to the public in May of 2001


Colombo Zoological Gardens- Colombo's zoo has a wide variety of animals, birds, and
reptiles from all over the world. One of the most popular attractions to the zoo is the elephant
show, which is held daily at 5:15PM. The zoo also offers elephant and pony rides. Currently, the
zoo is being renovated, and plans to have an open area for the elephants.


Casa Serena Art Gallery, 122 Havelock Road, Colombo 5, +94 (0)11 2587440. Tue-Sat
10AM-6PM and M-1PM to 6PM. The Gallery is a purpose built space, designed to exhibit a
diverse array of art, photography, sculpture, video installations and craft. It focuses on
contemporary and traditional arts and features the work of local and international artists.


Turtle Conservation Villa (Our Turtle Conservation Project), No. 73/23 St Rita Road Mount
Lavinia Colombo Sri Lanka (Drive south from Colombo city centre along Galle Road and turn
right into St. Rita's Road. Drive all the way to the end of the road, cross over the train tracks
and onto the beach. Turn left and 20 meters ahead - you have arrived!), +94 (0)11 427
7195. 8am - 6pm.

A non-profit centre for the conservation of turtles along the coast just past Mount Lavinia Hotel.
Since 2003 OTCP (Our Turtle Conservation Project) has been ensuring the hatching, release,
preserving and protecting of Sri Lanka's endangered turtles. It is a local initiative that aims to
educate both locals and tourists about the importance of protecting these incredible sea
dwellers, in a fun and interactive environment. SLR 500.

Buy

Barefoot handicraft store, 706 Galle Road, Colombo 03, Kollupitiya. Has a wide range of good
quality souvenirs and handmade items: clothes, bags, and children toys, from some of the most
beautifully-colored fabric you've ever seen.

Crescat Boulevard, 89 Galle Rd, Colombo 3, Kollupitiya. An up-market shopping mall. Though
it is fairly small, it contains a food court on the basement floor.

Liberty Plaza RA de Mel Mawatha, Colombo 3, Kollupitiya. Another shopping mall similar to
Majestic City however it is smaller in size. You can find various items such as clothing, CDs and
DVDs.


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COLOMBO

Buy

Lakpahana 14 Reid Avenue, Colombo 07, Cinnamon Gardens. A non-profit organization run by
the craftsman association of Sri Lanka with assistance from the government. Offers all
handicrafts and gemstone jewellery. Unique metalware, wood carvings, silver jewellery, batik,
textile products and other crafts. Only member in Sri Lanka of the World Craft Council and
winner of several international awards therefore all our products come with an international
guarantee.The only place where quality exceeds price.

Lakmedura, 113 Dharmapala Road, Colombo 07, Cinnamon Gardens.

Majestic City in Kollupitiya on Galle Road has a wide variety of clothing outlets - including a
sub-branch of Odel - at very good prices, as well as various electrical goods and toy shops. It's
pleasantly air-conditioned and includes a food court on the ground floor.

Odel No 5, Alexandra Place, Colombo 7, Cinnamon Gardens. A stylish department store, with
its very own Delifrance outlet, clothing, houseware, sporting goods, books and movies, as well
as Delight for sweet indulgences from chocolates to exotic nuts.

Paradise Road 213, Dharmapala Mawatha, Colombo 7, Cinnamon Gardens. Tel: 268 6043.
Open 9AM-7PM. A shop with a small caf in a British colonial style building where antiques,
home dcor items and art can be viewed or purchased.

The Pettah Market, this is the place to go for shopping for all kinds of things from fruits to
clothes to electronics if you want to buy at wholesale prices. You have to bargain extensively
and it is recommended that you take a local you trust along with you.

Even if you don't buy anything, Pettah, or Colombo 11 is an experience in itself being a very
typical, loud and crowded oriental market place full of all sorts of odds, ends and junk.

Each street in the market has its own speciality, for example, in 1st Cross Street you can find
electrical items, 2nd Cross Street has jewellery and so on. In the Pettah Market area, some
street vendors actively ask passers-by, foreigners and locals to view products they are selling
though polite refusal is generally accepted.

Casa Serena boutique, 122 Havelock Road, Colombo 5, +94 (0)11 2587440. Tue-Sat
10AM-6PM and M-1PM to 6PM. The boutique showcases a wide range of traditional and modern
creations to enhance the art of living. Some are practical, some are useful, and some are just
beautiful souvenirs

Eat

Hansa Sri Lanka Speciality Coffee (Hansa coffee), 24 Fife Rd, Colombo 5 (off
Thimbirigasyaya Road,), +94 773 116 579/ 09:00-20:00. An exceptional gourmet coffee,
made from Sri Lanka coffee beans. The coffee can be purchased at several stores including
supermarkets and is served in hotels and cafes throughout the island

Jabong Sri Lanka (Online Shopping in Sri Lanka), Online fashion store for branded footwear,
apparel and accessories (live and operational) 24/7. Jabong. lk recently began its operations Sri
Lanka offering branded imported footwear, apparel and accessories in Sri Lanka. Good prices,
worth a visit.

Upali's, 65 CWW Kannangara Mawatha (Town Hall), Colombo 7 (Directions: Upali's is on the
road to Town Hall past the Alexandra Roundabout (where Horton Place and Nelum Pokuna
meet) 710888666. Open: 11 AM to 3 PM, 6 PM to 11 PM.

Upali's is a welcome new restaurant near the Nelum Pokuna junction. It does affordable Sri
Lankan food in an Indian style location with excellent service.

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KANDY

See

The Temple of the Tooth,

+94812234226 The temple is open from dawn to dusk. It houses a tooth relic of the Lord
Buddha, and is consequently considered one of Sri Lanka's most holy shrines. Although you
may not view the actual tooth itself, the casket within which it is said to be is displayed twice a
day. The best time to view this ornate casket is around 6.30PM. Foreigner entrance: Rs 1,000.

The Pinnewala Elephant Orphanage has about 70 semi-tame elephants roaming freely around
this wonderful sanctuary.

The best time to visit is the feeding time from 09:30-10:00AM and 01:30-02:00PM, and the
bathing time from 10:00-10:30AM and 02:00-02:30PM when all the elephants are taken to the
river close by. Entrance: Rs 2,500 (January 2014).

Alternatively but slightly different, the Millenium Elephant Foundation is right next to Pinnewala
Elephant Orphanage. On the Kegalle Kandy road, 4-5 km from Kegalle at the Karandunpona
junction take the road north by bus heading towards Rambukkana for about 3-4 km. The
foundation is on the eastern side of the road. Entrance: Rs 1,000.

The Royal Botanical Garden in Peradeniya




Peradeniya Botanical Gardens is the best botanical garden in Sri Lanka and one of the best
in the region. It dates back to the ancient kings of the country although the British changed the
look of it. The British are said to have used the gardens to grow trees that could not be grown
at Kew gardens.


The large banyan tree, the orchid house, the suspension bridge, and the bats are some of the
main attractions. Foreigner entrance: Rs 1,100. Drive there through the University of
Peradeniya the most scenic and the largest university in the country.


New Ranweli Spice Garden located in close proximity to Peradeniya Royal Botanical
Garden (2 km back from the garden to the round-about towards Kandy and from there head
north west for about 1.5 km where the a road on the eastern side leads to the garden after
another 1 to 2 km) is a place to see and learn about Sri Lankan spices and herbs. It is a fun
place to guess the spices.

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KANDI

See contd

After seeing around the "garden" (which is actually just about 10 spice plants), spices can also
be purchased as a souvenir, but there is no obligation to buy. However, be reminded that here
the spices sell at a steep premium, and you can get them easily at the market or even
supermarket for 50% less.

Also prepare yourself for a 20 minutes lesson in the shady and mosquito ridden backyard on the
products for sale there - just skip this part. Entrance free and free pick up service from any
destination within Kandy and Peradeniya for foreigners, but prepare to buy something to
compensate for the tuk-tuk. Fon: +94 77 1351931.

Bahirawakanda temple

The omini present Buddha statue seen from everywhere in Kandy city. Take a tuk tuk ride to
the Temple or walk, just 1 km away from the Kandy city. The way to the temple may not be
easy to locate, you might have to take a three wheeler or ask a local, when in doubt just walk
up and follow the colorful Buddhist flags over the road. Entrance fee Rs 200.

This Buddha statue is best viewed from far away. Once you get onto the premises it is no
longer easy to see. Plus it is not a very peaceful place as temples go.

The Tea Museum, Hantane

The ancient Tea Factory of Hantana Estate is converted into a Museum dedicated to the history
of Sri Lankan Tea. Run by the Sri Lanka Tea Board.

Udawattakele Royal Forest Sanctuary, the forest located "in the Kandy city", was planned and
maintained as the part of the Royal palace complex of the Sinhala Kings. A patch of tropical rain
forest still survives and if you don't come across it it is still a wonderful walk.

You are guaranteed to come across plenty of monkeys and some tranquil ponds. Wear long
trousers after rain, and take some salt as there are lots of leeches about.

Temples situated around Kandy are some other popular tourist attractions. The most famous
temples are: Gadaladeniya, Lankathilaka Viharaya, Embekke Devalaya, Dodanwala Devalaya,
Degaldoruwa, Hindagala Viharaya, Madawala Viharaya and Galmaduwa Viharaya.

Visit Athur's seat for a panoramic view of the Kandy city.

Kandyan Art Association No. 72, Sangaraja Mawatha, Kandy (almost at the rear end of the
Maligawa Temple of the Tooth Relic and can be reached by walking along the lake road from
the Ulpenge situated at the Southern entrance.Only five minutes walk from the Temple of the
Sacred Tooth Relic. 094 81 2223100

From 9 am to 5 pm

A center for traditional arts and crafts with a government-sponsored sales room and fixed
prices. The building in which the Kandyan Art Association is currently housed is over 175 years
old.

Despite its varied uses over the years, the building has retained its unique character over the
last two centuries and today serves not only as the Associations art gallery and sales outlet,
but also a site for the demonstration of a range of production activities, including hand loom
weaving, dumbara mat weaving, and wood carving. Entrance free.



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KANDI

Buy

Laksala is the somewhat overpriced state owned handicraft shop, with many of the items sold
here easily found for much cheaper prices in other stores throughout the country. Laksala is
located by the lake.

Kandy City Centre opened up in January 29, 2009. It is an ultra modern shopping complex with
space for over 400 shops. By the time of its opening it is the country's most modern and
biggest shopping complex.

Waruna Antiques, 761 Peradeniya Road (10 minutes from Kandy, Old Peradeniya
Road), 0094777710013. 9AM. Kandyan masks, jewellery, coins, plates, textiles, etc.

Jayamali Batiks Studio, No.196, 1st Floor, Central Market,
Kandy, 094777833938, [9]. Exclusive Batiks By Upali Jaykody. You will be able to buy high
quality, uncommon, artistic, modern batiks.



Eat

Bakehouse, for snacks or traditional Sri Lankan meals. Scenic view of the City, from its first
floor balcony, where they serve a Sri Lankan buffet, but this tends to sell out by about 7:30PM

Devon Restaurant is famous for quality snacks. Captain's table is at Upstairs of Devons. Good
Sri Lankan and South Indian food.


Avanhala, is just in front of the Kandy lake. Good food and best scenery.


SRIRAM Indian Restaurant located in the Colombo Street offers nice south Indian food.

The Flower Song Chinese Restaurant on Kotugodelle Vidaya is just north of the town centre, is
to be avoided. It sells really overpriced, foul tasting "Chinese" food. On the plus side, the bill is
a print out so you can clearly see what you've ordered including the 20% taxes (not mentioned
in the menu) added on top of the mandatory 10% service charge. It is relatively clean, air-
conditioned and serves alcohol (beer and wine). (Updated July 2013)

Dinemore, just opposite to the Anniewatta tunnel. On the top of Nihal's Super. Quality Mid-
Eastern and South-Indian food for affordable prices.



Lyons restaurant located in front of the Hindu Kovil. Serves quality food, both Western and
Eastern.














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