Attractions

Colombo, the island's largest city, is noisy, frenetic - and just a little crazy. 'No problem' might be the national motto; it's certainly the one phrase everyone knows and can say. While the city holds less obvious interest than many other parts of the island, it's still a colourful enough place and worth a visit to see what makes Sri Lanka tick.

Colombo is a relatively easy city to find your way around. To the north is the Fort district, the country's business centre, which has department stores, book shops, airline offices and is the site of the Central Bank, The World Trade Centre twin towers. There are also ample sights such as the clock tower, a former lighthouse, the president's residence (known by incorrigible traditionalists as Queen's House), and a cluster of colonial buildings which lend the district an aura of bygone Empire.

Immediately south of here is Galle Face Green, a seafront expanse of occasional green graced by cricket games, kite flyers and trysting lovers. Cinammon Gardens, further south, is Colombo's most fashionable neighbourhood, with elegant mansions, tree-lined streets and the city's largest park. East of the fort is the pungent Pettah bazaar district. Walk through and marvel at the riot of goods - fruit, vegetables, meat, gems, gold, silver, brass and tin junk.

Culture buffs shouldn't miss the National Museum, which has a good collection of historical works, the Art Gallery, which focuses on portraiture and temporary exhibits by local artists, and the city's many mosques and Buddhist and Hindu temples. After familiarising yourself with Sri Lankan culture, check out the island's fauna at the Dehiwala Zoo. The highlight here is an afternoon elephant show. The closest real beach is at Mt Lavinia, a faded resort 10km south of the city.

Budget accommodation, cheap food and the best shopping can be found in the Fort and Pettah districts. Nightlife is moribund, though a visit to the cinema in the Fort district is an experience.

The Fort

Originally a fort during the Portuguese and Dutch periods but now simply the commercial center of the country and the site of most major offices, big hotels, some of the better shops, airline offices, banks, main post office, immigration office, travel agents and restaurants. Within Fort are several places of tourist interest which can be conveniently seen on foot. The colonial buildings include the Presidential Secretariat, previously the parliament house, the Grand Oriental Hotel, built in the mid 19th century as barracks for soldiers, the Lighthouse Clock Tower which along with being.

Fort’s prominent landmark also shows the time and the red and white Cargills and Millers departmental stores, with ancient brass signs and wooden display cabinets. There is also the General Post Office building, the Delft Gateway dating to the Dutch period, and the Fort Police Station which was once a Dutch Hospital. Other examples of pre independent Sri Lanka are the Chartered Bank Building, the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank and the statue of Queen Victoria in Gordon Gardens. Amongst the modern structures are the Ceylinco Building, Sri Lanka’s only high rise of the 1960’s, the World Trade Center and the Hilton, Galadari and Intercontinental Hotels.

Pettah

Adjacent to Fort and quite in contrast to it, Colombo’s leading bazaar district is probably its most fascinating area. Tram cars once ploughed the narrow cobbled streets lined with shops and street stalls that offer the most fantastic bargains and the most unimaginable range of goods varying from bright printed fabrics, suitings, undergarments, children wear, footwear and handbags to electrical goods, semi precious jewellery, watches, rare first edition books, cutlery and other household items. You name it and it is bound to be available in Pettah. Each criss-crossed lane of Pettah leads to the main street and each has developed its own specialized characteristic. For example,house hold goods are found on Keyzer Street. Prince Street is famous for glass, mirrors and electrical items. Malwatte Avenue sells English, Sinhala and Tamil music cassettes. At Gabo’s Lane Ayurvedic doctors buy their medicinal herbs and Sea Street is lined with goldsmiths’ shops. There is also the Pettah vegetable and fish market which has a unique character of its own.

Cinnamon Gardens

A century ago what is now Colombo’s equivalent to Sunset Boulevard was covered with cinnamon plantations. Today, on its elegant tree lined streets nestle palatial residences of Sri Lanka’s powerful elite. The Viharamahadevi Park, the city’s largest and oldest park in Colombo 7 is a riot of color with flowering trees from March to May. Called Victoria Park during British times it was renamed after one of Sri Lanka’s famous queens whose statue has been erected in its precincts.

Dehiwala Zoo

11 km south of Fort the zoo has a wide collection of fauna from all over the world. The Mini Medura or aquarium displaying over 500 varieties of aquatic life is the only one of its kind in Asia. A reptile house has collection of cobras, tortoises and crocodiles. There is also a well-stocked Aviary, a Nocturnal House and a Butterfly Park. The highlight is the elephant show in the evening where the lumbering beasts perform a range of antics for spectators. Open from 8 AM to 6 PM.

Galle Face Green

This promenade on the sea face stretching one and a half kilometers was laid out in 1859 by the British Governor Sir Henry Ward. Used for horse racing a hundred years ago it is now the largest open space in Colombo and a haunt for children, vendors, teenagers, lovers, merrymakers and all those who want to indulge in their favorite pastimes next to the sea under the open sky. It is at its busiest on Saturday and Sunday evenings when it is packed with food vendors doing brisk business with hordes of picnickers. At one end is the Ceylon Intercontinental and at the other the quaint Galle Face Hotel, a relic of old world charm with its fine old furniture, hand carved doors, balconies and high ceilings.

Temples, Churches and Mosques

The Gangarama Temple located beside a bo tree on the waters of Beira lake is a Buddhist temple containing many statues and antiques. It is accessible via a wooden platform. The most significant Buddhist temple is the Kelaniya Raja Mahavihara, 11 km from Colombo Fort. Dating back to over 2000 years the temple was constructed and destroyed a number of times since the time the Buddha is believed to have preached here. Images of the reclining and the preaching Buddha, frescoes depicting incidents from his life and a hollow paddy heap shaped dagaba are the main features of this temple. During the Duruthu Perahera festival in January, the temple becomes the focus of celebrations involving scores of elephants and dancers. Other important Buddhist centers in Colombo are the Vajiramaya temple at Bambalapitiya, the Raja Maha Viharaya at Bellanwila, the Gotami Viharaya at Borella with George Keyt’s murals, Colombo’s oldest Buddhist temple built in 1806, the Dipaduttaramaya, in olombo 13 and the Paramananda Purana Viharaya also in Colombo 13. The lssipatanaramaya at Thimbirigasyaya has some beautiful frescoes, the Buddhist Cultural Center at Dehiwala is famous for the rare collection of books on Buddhism and the Karagampitiya Temple also at Dehiwala has Buddha statues with sapphires for eyes.

There are several Hindu temples which are called Kovils in Colombo. On Sea Street in Pettah are the Kathiseran Temples dedicated to the war god Skanda. Built of South Indian granite is the Sri Ponnambalam-Vaneswaram temple, in Koch-chikade, three km north of Fort. In Colombo 10 the Sri Bala Selva Vinayagar Moorthy temple is devoted to Shiva and Ganesh. Other important temples are the Shiva Subramania Swami temple on Slave Island and the Sri Muthumariamman temple in Colombo 13.

St. Peter’s Church near the Grand Oriental Hotel used to be the Dutch Governer’s banquet Hall until it was first used as a church in 1804. On Galle Road next to the Lanka Oberoi is the St. Andrew’s Scots Kirk, built in 1842.Wolvendaal Church on Wolfendahl Street is Colombo’s oldest Dutch church. Going back to the middle of the 18th century it sports a floor made of tomb- stones from another Dutch Church and still holds services in English and Tamil. The famous Church of St. Anthony is situated beside the sea where Sea Street and St. Anthony’s Mawatha meet.

Two famous and starkly contrasting mosques in Colombo are the red and white candy striped Jami-Ul-Alfar Mosque dating to 1909 and the gray and more traditional Memm Harnafi M mosque at Dr C.W.W Kannangara Mawatha.

Bandaranaike Memorial International Convention Hall

This imposing octagonal building was a gift from the Chinese government in memory of S.W.R.D Bandaranaike. It was completed in 1975 and can accommodate up to 1500 people. Near it is a replica of the Aukana Buddha statue and the Independence Commemoration Hall in Kandyan architecture where in 1948 Sri Lanka formally gained independence.

Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte

At one time the seat of an ancient Sinhala kingdom Kotte is now the seat of the Sri Lankan parliament. The Kandyan style complex stands in the middle of the Diyawanna Oya Lake amid tight security.

Museums

Housed in a grand colonial building the Colombo National Museum is Sri Lanka’s finest museum and the first public museum to be established in the country. Its exhibits comprise a comprehensive showpiece of the cultural heritage of the country. Some of the rare and valuable treasures include a vast collection of half a million books, more than 4000 archaic palm leaf manuscripts, rock sculptures from the ancient cities, bronze brassware and royal weapons of Sri Lankan kings, fascinating paintings of by gone eras and an excellent collection of antique demon masks. On the first floor is the Puppetry and Children’s Museum which has a good selection of puppets and puts up live shows every weekend. Address: Sir Marcus Fernando Mawatha, Colombo 7. Open daily except Fridays from 9 AM to 5 PM.

The Natural History Museum is on the same premises and accessible from Ananda Coomaraswamy Mawatha, Colombo 7. Shown here is the natural heritage of Sri Lanka and it contains sections on applied botany, geology, fossils and the natural environment. The Discovery Room has a mounted skeleton of an elephant and a scale model in relief showing the topography of a part of Sri Lanka. There is also a display on the Mahaweli hydro-power cum irrigation scheme. Open Daily from 9 AM to 5 PM.

The Dutch Period Museum on Prince Street, Pettah was opened to the public in 1982. It is housed in an old Dutch House built in the after part of the 17th century as the residence of a Dutch Count and embodying the peculiar architectural features of Dutch colonial times. The street today buzzes with boutiques and stores of Muslim traders while inside are displayed artefacts like fumiture, ceramics, coins, arms etc. portraying vignattes of life in that period. Open daily except Fridays.

The Bandaranaike Museum is dedicated to the late prime-minister S.W.R.D Bandaranaike and the exhibits consist of photographs, objects and documents relating to his life and times. It also has recordings of some of his famous speeches. Open daily from 9 AM to 4 PM except Mondays and poya (full moon) days.

The National Art Gallery features a permanent collection, chiefly of portraits and temporary collections of Sri Lankan Artists. Address: 106, Ananda Kuma- raswamy Mawatha. Open daily from 8 AM to 5 PM except on Poya days.

The Sapumal Foundation is the gallery for viewing post 1920’s Sri Lankan art. Its exhibits include the Harry Peiris collection. Address: 2I4 Barnes Place. Open from Thurs to Sat. 10 AM to 1 PM. Entry free.

The Lionel Wendt Center puts up exhibitions of contemporary Sri Lankan artists Address 18 Guildford Crescent.

Slave Island

South of Fort, on a long, narrow island, was where the slaves had their night quarters; the land was thus called Slave Island. Slavery was abolished in 1845. Today the spot, surrounded by what remains of the former Beira Lake, is scarcely recognizable as an island; and it has undergone a rapid transformation in the 1990s. Elegant office buildings and stores have sprung up and overflowed into the adjacent city districts. But the island also manages to accommodate various government departments, from the tax authority to the Air Force; a residential area inhabited mainly by Moors; and the Arulmihu Shiva 5ubrahmaniya Swami Kovil (temple dedicated to the god Subrahmaniya/Murugan/ Skanda), of which the entrance tower, consecrated in 1993, is on Kew Street. Slums, Christian churches, hotels and the important Buddhist Gangarama Temple complete the varied picture. Anyone looking for peace and quiet can visit the Sima Malaka meditation island, which belongs to the nearby temple. Designed by contemporary architect Geoffrey Bawa, this simple temple is ornamented with Thai statues of the Buddha.

Mount Lavinia

Yearing for a sandy beach and the crash of waves but too lazy to drive too far out? Head for Mount Lavinia, only 8 miles from Colombo.

To the saliors of the 19th century, Mount Lavinia stood out like the silhouette of a pregnant wench along the souhthern coastline. This is one of the loveliest beach areas close to any metropolis in the world, being a mere 8 miles from the heart of the city of Colombo.

To get there, drive south along Galle Road from Colombo Fort and turn right to Hotel Road half a mile past the Mount Lavinia cemetery. The focal point of Mount Lavinia is the Mount Lavinia Hotel, though there are others like the Mount Royal Beach Hotel which was built in the 1970s.

Mount Lavinia Hotel was built in 1810 as a private residence by a fun-loving British Governor who constructed secret passages in the building. Some of these have been discovered in the kitchens, but unfortunately, are not open to the public.

Apparently, a rodiya girl who worked for the Governor fell in love with him. When the Governor was leaving, he asked the rodiya waht she wanted from him. Much to his surprise, she did not ask for the house which he was willing to give her. Instead, she asked for official permission to wear a cloth about the waist, a mark of status normally denied to rodiyas. The Governor gave his consent with an official gazette notification and the house was sold and turned into a hotel.

On the beach there are little bathing huts which can be hired for the day. Lie in the sun and relax, take a dip when it gets too hot and enjoy the sights and sounds. There are pineapple and coconut vendors who sell drinks to quench your thirst, while others sell beads and shells.

There are signboards warning swimmers of strong undercurrents, so don't venture into deep waters.

 

Kelaniya Raja Maha Viharaya

A half-day tour to the Kelaniya Temple. See the chair on which the Buddha reputedly at when he preached for peace.

Drive west from Colombo fort and turn right after crossing the Kelaniya Bridge. Then turn right soon after Peliyagoda to the road which leads to the Kelaniya Rajamaha Vihare temple, a distance of about 7 miles.

This dagoba is unusual. It is not round like those found in most parts of the island, but shaped like a heap of paddy. The history of the temple dates back to over 2,500 years. It is believed that Buddha visited here and preached from a jewelled chair to warring factions on the futillity of fighting. The original dagoba was said to have enshrined the chair but was later destroyed by South Indian invaders.

The reclining Buddha and the Buddha in meditative pose are two important statues here, but it is possible to spend hours just looking at the extraoridinary frescoes depicting the life of the Buddha and important events in the island's history.

There is the story of King Kelanitissa who boiled a Buddhist monk alive in oil because he suspected him of trying to pass a love letter to the Queen. The angry gods raised tidal waves and the King was told that the only way to appease the gods was to sacrifice his daughter to the sea. the King obeyed the wishes of the wise ones; the seas calmed and the daughter who was swept out to sea on a boat landed at Kirinda. King Kavantissa of the south married her and she became the mother of perhaps the best known of the island's kings, Dutugemunnu.

The temple is a hive of activity on the full moon of January, when hundreds of elephants and thousands of dancers parade the strets during the Duruthu Perehera festival.