Overview
Take a trip to Colombo on your Sri Lanka Vacation
On Sri Lanka vacations, Colombo is Sri Lanka’s largest city and was the island’s capital till 1978, although still remains Sri Lanka’s commercial and financial centre.
Located on Sri Lanka’s west coast and featuring a large harbour, Colombo is ideally situated along the east-west sea trade routes and has been a port city for the last 2000 years.
Before obtaining its independence in 1948, Sri Lanka was under the control of the Portuguese, Dutch, and British from the 16th century, and its history is reflected in the colonial architecture, food, clothing, language, and attitudes found throughout the city. While the Portuguese and Dutch primarily used Colombo as a military fort, the British set Colombo on its way to major development, constructing houses and other various structures.
With Colombo’s own cultural and historic attractions in districts such as Fort, Cinnamon Gardens and Pettah, on Sri Lanka vacations, it is also used as a gateway to other cities including Nuwara Eliya, a high-altitude, a picturesque city featuring Sri Lanka’s most important tea production site, and Kandy, Sri Lanka’s cultural capital and home to the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic of Buddha.
Surrounded by various canals, a river to the north and northeast, and a lake in the heart of the city, Colombo is a mix of land and water, as well as of old and new, and offers interesting places to shop, dine, and experience some of Sri Lanka’s arts and culture on a Sri Lanka vacation.
Surrounded by various canals, a river to the north and northeast, and a lake in the heart of the city, Colombo is a mix of land and water, as well as of old and new, and offers interesting places to shop, dine, and experience some of Sri Lanka’s arts and culture on a Sri Lanka vacation.
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3 Trips Found
Highlights of Sri Lanka: Dambulla, Kandy & the Coast
Sigiriya Rock Fortress and ColomboUncover the treasures of Sri Lanka on a journey from bustling Colombo to tranquil beaches, ancient temples, and the breathtaking landscapes of the countryside.
10 days
From US$2,247/p.p.
Request a Quote
Highlights of Sri Lanka: Dambulla, Kandy & the Coast
Sigiriya Rock Fortress and ColomboUncover the treasures of Sri Lanka on a journey from bustling Colombo to tranquil beaches, ancient temples, and the breathtaking landscapes of the countryside.
10 days
From US$2,247/p.p.
Request a Quote
What do the experts say?
You should try a Zen meditation session. Imagine slipping into a silk kimono for the day—carefully tied by an expert dresser, every fold precise, every colour chosen to suit the season. It’s a ritual that feels as personal as it is timeless.
What do I love about Japan? In a word - EVERYTHING. The incredible contrast that Japan offers - new/innovative vs old/traditional, the warm and welcoming people, the incredible rich culture, the culinary wonders awaiting around every corner, the cleanliness, efficiency and safety. It's one of the best places to visit in Asia in my opinion.
Pub Street in Siem Reap, Cambodia, is a local favourite with very inexpensive drinks. It's also a great place to try the local delicacy, BBQ frog.
I love how laidback and relaxed Laos is compared to other countries in Southeast Asia. It's like the best of Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand all rolled into one, and then sent back in time 20 to 30 years.
The Festes Majors are summer festivals held in the villages of Andorra. Each festival is unique to the village, with its own distinct style.
Colombo is the largest city and former capital ...
Sammangodu Sri Kathiravelayutha Swami Temple
Tuk-tuks are a popular mode of transport in Col...
A wedding pattern on the hands of a Colombo bride
A fishing boat at sunset
Most Popular Time to Travel
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Place
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Daily max temperatureMonthly rainfall
ColomboOccasional Showers
31°C / 88°F
43mm / 1.7"
Weather data is based on monthly averages.Popularity rating
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Joanna MaysWhat made this experience great was Cedric Wai. Had a client going to Asia and this is Cedric's wheelhouse since he is from there.
Everything was wonderful. Everything went smoothly. The individual tours were wonderful and all the guides were exceptional. A lot of traveling-the flight was very good on Cathay Pacific would highly recommend their airline seats were comfortable and spaced well. Being on an airplane for 16 hours sucks in general, but other than being a little sore from being stuck in one place all was good.
Thank you so much for all your help and the trip was wonderful and everything that it should be! Next trip will be much more relaxing, sitting still for a while on a beach somewhere ha ha!Careen SullivanAndrea Paredes helped me plan a last minute Colombia trip for my clients who had never been! They loved every minute of it. The hotels, history, excursions, and flights went very smooth. They were so happy with all their tour guides. Deanna Frisbie BorregoMy destination specialist, Katie Stephenson was amazing from the onset. Her customer service, communication style and planning skills was so timely and top notch.
Our trip was to Fiji, New Zealand and Australia, from Aug 4-22, 2026. The way she planned and booked the trip makes the experience convenient and enjoyable. The flexibility of payment makes the decision faster and attractive. Everything we need to know including contacts were readily available within our travel documents itinerary.
Overall, I'll say it's money well spent and a lifetime experience particularly for my kids.FestusI'm a new travel agent and used Goway to help plan a group trip to the UK. Ani, from Goway was so great! She was very detailed oriented, she had great communication and was very thorough in the planning. I felt confident that my clients would be taken care of. My clients had an amazing trip and loved all of it! SieKyeAthul Ajay was our travel agent and he was excellent from the beginning to the end of planning our trip. Great at communicating and replying back too. Sabrina GaffoglioIsabella Luu made the arrangements for our trip to Scotland and all aspects of the trip and stay were excellent. Our assistance at the airports were very good as all were alerted to our needs. Our ride services were excellent. Isabella was always available to answer any questions that we had in a knowledgable and prompt manner, which is always very important to me.Audrey Henry
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