Find flights to Colombo

Best-price flights

Colombo itinerary — 3 days

Pace

Transport

Day 1 of 3

Day 1 — Colombo

4 stops · ≈ 6 h 35 min

1 / 5

Colombo Lotus Tower

1 h 8 min

Standing 350 meters tall, the Colombo Lotus Tower is the tallest self-supporting structure in South Asia and a defining modern landmark of Sri Lanka's capital. Designed to resemble a blooming lotus flower, it symbolizes national purity and blossoming progress. High-speed elevators whisk visitors to the observation deck and revolving restaurant, offering breathtaking 360-degree panoramas of the Indian Ocean, Beira Lake, and city skyline.

Maps

to next location · 16 min

1 / 5

Gangaramaya Temple Colombo

1 h 8 min

Gangaramaya is one of Colombo's most iconic Buddhist temple complexes, situated beside scenic Beira Lake. Established in the late 19th century, its architecture harmoniously fuses Sri Lankan, Thai, Indian, and Chinese styles. The complex encompasses a sacred Bodhi tree, a gilded stupa, vibrant image halls, and an astonishing museum crammed with antique Buddha statues, intricate ivory carvings, historic relics, and vintage automobiles.

Maps

to next location · 10 min

1 / 5

Viharamahadevi Park

45 min

Originally established during the British colonial era as Victoria Park, this expansive green haven sits directly opposite Colombo's neoclassical Town Hall. Renamed in honor of Queen Viharamahadevi, the landscaped park features a prominent seated bronze Buddha statue, tranquil fountains, blooming lotus ponds, and wide tree-lined pathways where visitors can relax away from the busy streets of Sri Lanka's metropolis.

Maps

to next location · 7 min

1 / 5

Colombo National Museum

2 h

Sri Lanka's oldest and largest museum opened in 1877 on the initiative of British governor Sir William Gregory. Its colonnaded neoclassical building shelters the island's treasures: the throne and crown of Kandy's last king Sri Vikrama Rajasinha, galleries of bronze Buddha statues, palm-leaf manuscripts, masks and weapons. A separate wing is given to natural history, and the courtyard is dotted with Buddhist and Hindu sculpture.

Maps

Reserve

If you have time left — worth it too.

1 / 3

Good Market

45 min

Cheerful, small market featuring locally sourced organic produce & goods, a cafe & outdoor seating.

1 / 5

Geoffrey Bawa's Residence

1 h

Visitors can explore these refined living quarters bought in 1958 by the famed namesake architect.

1 / 3

Bellagio Colombo

2 h 15 min

Established in 1998 on Duplication Road in Kollupitiya, Bellagio Colombo is one of Sri Lanka's leading and longest-standing premier casinos. The venue offers a lively international gaming floor with popular table games such as roulette, blackjack, baccarat, and three-card poker, alongside modern electronic slots. Guests can also enjoy live musical entertainment, craft cocktails, and complimentary gourmet dining buffets.

1 / 4

Colombo Port Maritime Museum

1 h 30 min

The Colombo Maritime Museum is located in one of the former Dutch prisons, built in 1676, making it one of the oldest Dutch buildings in Colombo. The museum has undergone many renovations up to the present day and has been open to the public since 2003. The museum has two floors, featuring unique architecture and design inspired by Italian architecture. In Colombo, you will also find many Buddhist temples, the most famous of which are Gangaramaya and Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara. Not only that, but Colombo is also a great place to shop for local handmade woven goods, and afterwards enjoy a variety of seafood and local cuisine. Colombo is a wonderful escape to a picturesque coastal city.

1 / 5

Beira Lake

45 min

Expansive lake near the city center known for its scenic island, Buddhist temple & lakefront paths.

1 / 5

Pettah Market

1 h 30 min

The sprawling open-air commercial heart of Colombo, located just east of Colombo Fort station. Pettah is organized into bustling themed streets: Sea Street glitters with gold jewellers, Main Street overflows with clothing and fabrics, and side lanes are rich with the scent of Ceylon cinnamon, cloves, and tropical produce. Woven into this vibrant sensory maze is the striking red-and-white striped facade of Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque.

1 / 3

Bally's Casino Colombo

2 h

One of Colombo's premier and longest-running gaming and entertainment venues, welcoming guests since 1995. The casino features dozens of gaming tables for American roulette, baccarat, blackjack, and Texas hold'em, alongside modern slot machines. Renowned for its hospitality, Bally's offers live musical performances, nightly stage entertainment, and complimentary gourmet dining with fine hospitality around the clock.

Day 2 — Colombo

3 stops · ≈ 8 h 56 min

1 / 4

Upali's by Nawaloka

1 h 15 min

A premier dining institution celebrating authentic Sri Lankan cuisine, situated opposite Viharamahadevi Park in central Colombo. Dedicated to time-honoured island recipes, the restaurant crafts deeply spiced curries slow-cooked in traditional clay pots. Highlights include succulent Jaffna crab curry, slow-cooked mutton, crispy egg hoppers, roast paan with fiery pol sambol, and sweet coconut-jaggery watalappan.

Maps

to next location · 13 min

1 / 5

Independence Square

45 min

Set within Colombo's refined Cinnamon Gardens, Independence Square centers around the monumental Independence Memorial Hall, built to mark Sri Lanka's independence from British rule in 1948. Inspired by the royal audience hall of the Kingdom of Kandy, the massive open-air pavilion is supported by 60 carved stone pillars and guarded by 60 stone lions. Manicured lawns and paved promenades make it a beloved leisure park.

Maps

to next location · 1 h 11 min

1 / 5

Dehiwala Zoological Gardens

2 h 45 min

Founded in 1936 in a suburban district of Colombo, the National Zoological Gardens of Sri Lanka in Dehiwala spans 30 acres of landscaped tropical botanical grounds. It showcases an impressive collection of wildlife with an emphasis on Asian species, including Sri Lankan leopards, Asian elephants, sloth bears, and exotic birds. The zoo also features a walk-through marine aquarium, a vibrant butterfly garden, and sea lion demonstrations.

Maps

Day 3 — Colombo

5 stops · ≈ 7 h 22 min

1 / 5

Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque

30 min

The Red Mosque of Pettah, built in 1908-1909 for the Muslim community of Colombo's port quarter. Its facade is striped in alternating red and white — a candy-cane mix of neo-Moorish and Indo-Saracenic elements crowned by small domes. The mosque is active: visitors are welcome outside prayer times, shoulders and knees must be covered, and shoes come off at the entrance.

Maps

to next location · 14 min

1 / 5

Ministry of Crab

2 h

A restaurant inside the 17th-century Dutch Hospital building in central Colombo, opened in 2011 by chef Dharshan Munidasa with cricketers Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene. Its speciality is lagoon crabs in nine size grades, from half-kilo specimens to two-kilogram giants, cooked in black pepper, garlic chilli or butter. The restaurant regularly features in lists of Asia's best dining venues.

Maps

to next location · 2 min

1 / 3

World Trade Center- West tower

45 min

A premier commercial landmark dominating the skyline of Colombo's historic Fort district in Sri Lanka. Rising 152 metres across 39 storeys, these iconic twin towers opened in 1997 and stood as the tallest buildings in South Asia for years. The complex houses the Colombo Stock Exchange and international corporate headquarters, alongside a multi-level podium mall offering Ceylon tea, fine gems, and casual dining.

Maps

to next location · 8 min

1 / 5

One Galle Face Mall

2 h

Colombo's premier seven-storey shopping and lifestyle destination, opened by the Shangri-La Group in 2019. The upscale mall features international fashion retailers, a modern multiplex cinema, and a vibrant gourmet food court. Open-air terrace restaurants provide sweeping panoramic views across the Galle Face Green promenade and the Indian Ocean.

Maps

to next location · 5 min

1 / 5

Galle Face Green

1 h 8 min

A historic ocean-side urban park and promenade stretching along the Indian Ocean coast in the heart of Colombo. Established in 1859 by British Governor Sir Henry George Ward, it remains the city's favourite gathering spot. Visitors come to fly colourful kites in the sea breeze, watch vibrant tropical sunsets, and sample classic Sri Lankan street food like crispy prawn isso vadai and freshly chopped kottu roti.

Maps

Weather in the coming days

Trip essentials

Currency

Language

Sinhala and Tamil (official); English widely spoken in tourist areas

Outlets

Type D and G plugs, 230V, 50Hz

Transport

Tuk-tuks are everywhere — use PickMe or Uber apps for fair prices; red SLTB and private buses are cheap but crowded; trains from Fort Station connect to other cities; walking is feasible in central areas like Galle Face and Pettah

Tips

Agree on tuk-tuk fares before riding, or insist on the meter — or just use PickMe to avoid haggling
Carry small cash notes; many local shops and tuk-tuks don't accept cards
Visit Buddhist and Hindu temples with covered shoulders and knees; remove shoes and hats before entering
Traffic is heavy and slow — allow extra time between meetings or sights, especially at rush hour
Stay hydrated and use sunscreen; it's hot and humid year-round, with monsoon rains roughly May–September and October–January

Useful links

Budget