Asia > Sri Lanka > Colombo: Weather, Climate and Travel Guide

Colombo is the economic capital of Sri Lanka, it has a little over 600,000 inhabitants. Over the course of its history it has experienced influences from various areas including Portuguese, Dutch and British. The city has several concert halls suitable for music and theatre as well as museums and art galleries. The city’s major festival is Vesak, a celebration in honour of Buddha for which the city is illuminated by numerous lights for a whole week during May. You will notice the diversity of architecture due to the different colonists and influences from Buddhist, Hindu, Islamic and Indian cultures. The British influence is particularly visible in the neo-renaissance style buildings and the ocean promenade, Galle Face Green and the Galle Face hotel that lies at its end. The Vihara Maha Park (formerly called Victoria Park) will charm you with its cinnamon plantation around the National Museum. Visit the quarter of Pettah with its animated streets packed with street stalls, markets and Hindu temples, from there go on to the Fort quarter with its two towers and roads of white and red brick buildings. For transport between the various quarters we suggest you use the famous tuk-tuks as the city is quite spread out.