Joanna James
Colombo is a beautiful green city; it is also one of Asia's most modern cities with skyscrapers wedged in between ancient colonial buildings. Relaxing is an art in Colombo as this list explains.
This park formerly called the Victoria Park sits right smack in the middle of the city. It is Colombo's largest and oldest park established by the British. The park is in the ritzy Colombo 7 neighbourhood also called Cinnamon Gardens. It is a beautiful sanctuary of many trees, water fountains, ponds, jogging tracks and bicycle tracks. There is a huge kiddie's play gym and miniature zoo to keep the little tykes occupied while the lovely garden benches facing the busy main roads are ideal for relaxing on and watching the city whiz by.
This is a verdant marshland that's found 9kms from the south western edge of Colombo. Located in the suburb of Attidiya the lush wetland is home to bio-diverse environs. The vegetation is diverse while over 43 types of water fowl are spotted within its folds. Amongst these, the most common are the Indian Shag and the Blue Breasted Branded Rail. The sanctuary is a favourite amongst avid bird watchers as well as nature enthusiast who enjoy spending a day within the reserve.
Colombo skirted by the Indian Ocean is a fine amalgamation of land and water as there are many lakes and rivers flowing through the city. Forming the city's northeastern border is the Kelani River one of the 4 main rivers in the country. This waterway flows to the sea at Modera or Colombo 15. There are also ancient colonial time canals flowing across the city while the 65 hectare Beira Lake facing the Cinnamon Lakeside Colombo is an iconic landmark in the commercial capital. Easily reached from your Colombo hotel, the Beira Lake and its surroundings is a venue for annual regattas and festivals.
As we said Colombo is skirted by the sea on its western edge. Mt Lavinia is one of the city's most popular suburbs just half an hour away. The place is, in fact, a prelude to the golden southern coast; the Mt Lavinia beach is a huge expanse of sand framed by a myriad of restaurants offering the freshest seafood and varied cuisine. Enjoy early morning jogs, an invigorating game of beach volleyball or wading in the Indian Ocean. By nightfall drive down to Mt Lavinia and enjoy a meal under the stars, right on the beach.
This is a verdant stretch of green facing the mighty Indian Ocean. The Galle face Green promenade is a vintage sight and most iconic attraction in the heart of the city. Once a British Governor's front lawn, a horse racing track and now a leisure retreat, the green is where the locals go to rest, relax, enjoy the sea breeze and tuck into local snacks.
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