Traveller Information
Visas to Sri Lanka
Foreign travelers to Sri Lanka are required to either have a visa or Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) to enter the country.
Colombo International Airport (CMB)
The Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) is the primary airport servicing the city of Colombo.
Travel Information Centres
Visitors to Colombo can obtain travel information from the two main travel information centres set up by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA).
Exchanging Currency
When travelling about Sri Lanka it is advisable and highly recommended for tourists to always carry Sri Lankan currency.
Colombo 03
For the discerning and weary holiday maker visiting Colombo, probably no other city offers more variety, dining and entertainment options than Kollupitya aka Colpetty. The area numbered Colombo 03 is one of Colombo’s most popular business cum residential districts, housing many organisations ranging from large conglomerates to banks, IT companies, government institutions, diplomatic offices and hotels.
Colombo 04
A suburb of Colombo numbered Colombo 04, Bambalapitiya is yet another bustling town in Colombo. The city is centered around Sri Lanka’s largest shopping mall, Majestic City which draws hundreds of visitors each day.
Colombo 07
Colombo 07 or Cinnamon Gardens as it is also known is one of Colombo’s plushest residential areas. The area gets its name from the large Cinnamon plantations that were in existence during the 18th century.
Sinhalese in Colombo
The Sinhalese community basically follows two faiths.
Tamils in Colombo
The Tamil population in Colombo is also of great significance.
Muslims in Colombo
Muslims first arrived in Sri Lanka as Arab traders and merchants.
Attractions
The city of Colombo has its fair share of attractions. Here are some main attractions in Colombo.
Budget Accommodation in Colombo
With sky rocketing prices of room rates of hotels in Colombo, many seem to opt for budget hotels or hostels. Though they don’t provide you with the facilities of star class hotels, the accommodation is comfortable and more importantly it is affordable.
Tea Boutiques in Colombo
Though Sri Lanka is inherently a tea drinking nation only during recent times that cafes have been opening up primarily focusing on tea.
Shopping Centres
Some of the best shopping malls in Colombo to start off your shopping adventures would be Liberty Plaza in Colombo 3, Colombo’s largest shopping mall Majestic City in Colombo 4 and the trendy and up market Crescat Boulevard in Colombo 03.
Travelling in Colombo
For anyone looking to travel around Colombo, buses are the cheapest mode of transport available. Buses in Colombo are usually available throughout the day, are extremely frequent, and travel to almost any destination mostly converging at the Main Bus Terminal in Pettah or its immediate vicinity.