Colombo, Sri Lanka
 
Much of the joy and intrigue of being a tourist in Colombo is in simply wandering the streets and seeing the local life unfolding before your eyes. This lively, exciting city seemingly never stops, although it does have a number of parks, as well as the seafront, where you can go to relax if the hectic pace gets too much. Colombo is also a great city for budget accommodation, cheap and varied dining and some good shopping.
 
The Fort
A fort during the periods of Portuguese and Dutch influence, this area is now a commercial centre, with many hotels, shops and restaurants scattered amongst the offices, banks and travel agencies. There are a number of interesting old colonial buildings, including the Presidential Secretariat, the Lighthouse Clock Tower and the Grand Oriental Hotel.
 
Galle Face Green
One of the most popular areas of Colombo, Galle Face Green is a one and a half kilometre seaside promenade. As the largest open space in Colombo, it attracts everyone from children, families, teenagers and vendors, especially on weekends when it is packed with picnickers.
 
Religious Buildings
Colombo offers a number of interesting temples, churches and mosques. Temples worth visiting include the Gangarama Temple, located beside Beira Lake, Kelaniya Raja Mahavihara, 11 kilometres from Colombo Fort, the Vajiraramaya temple at Bambalapitiya, the Raja Maha Viharaya at Bellanwila and the Gotami Viharaya at Borella. These are all Buddhist temples.
Important Hindu temples in Colombo are the Kathiresan Temples in Pettah, the Sri Ponnambalam-Vaneswaram temple in Koch-chikade and the Sri Bala Selva Vinayagar Moorthy temple.
There are also a number of churches, many dating from the 1800s. St. Peter's Church, near the Grand Oriental Hotel, was first used as a church in 1804. St. Andrew's Scots Kirk, on Galle Road, was built in 1842. Another worth visiting is the Church of St. Anthony.
Jami-Ul-Alfar Mosque and the Memm Harnafi M mosque are two of the most famous mosques in Colombo. They both offer vastly different exteriors, with the Jami-Ul-Alfar Mosque colourfully presented in red and white stripes, whereas the more traditional Memm Harnafi M mosque is a stately grey in colour.
 
Museums
The Colombo National Museum, housed in an impressive old colonial building, is the finest museum in Sri Lanka, and also the first public museum in the country. The cultural heritage of the country is on display in the array of exhibits, and a number of rare and valuable treasures are showcased. On the same premises is the Natural History Museum, highlighting the natural heritage of Sri Lanka. Other interesting and educational museums around Colombo include the Dutch Period Museum in Pettah, the Bandaranaike Museum, the National Art Gallery and the Sapumal Foundation.
 
Dehiwala Zoological Gardens
Colombo Zoo has a wide range of flora and fauna from all over the world, as well as a large collection of animals, birds, reptiles and fish from all over Sri Lanka. It includes a walk through aviary, an aquarium and a butterfly park. There are also elephant shows- a reminder of the place of the animal in Sri Lankan society.
 
Mount Lavinia
Located only 8 miles from Colombo, this quiet, sandy beach is a popular place to visit.Little bathing huts dotting the beach can be hired for the day, and vendors passing along offer fresh fruits and drinks. The Mount Lavinia Hotel is the focal point of the area.
Extracted from www.colombohotels.lk