5 cool things to do in Colombo- The Cosmopolitan Centre

The best way to divulge into the history and evolution of a city is by visiting the local museum. This building itself is quite a sight resembling the colonial architecture that was present during the time it was built- 1876. The white building sits surrounding a luscious green park, thus standing out. Inside, you will find exhibits and statues from ancient Sri Lanka and the royal families.

The construction of this hall started in 1949, shortly after the country got its independence from the British on the 4th of February 1948. It resembles the Royal Audience Hall in Kandy, which marks the location where the Kandyan Convention was signed in 1815 which ended the last Kingdom of Kandy before the British took over. The memorial hall is situated surrounding a park that is now popularly used by the public for cycling, jogging and exercising. The recently built Independence Arcade- a shopping precinct, is just a few-minute walk from the hall. It takes less than 15 minutes to reach here from nearby hotels like the Colombo Court Hotel & Spa.

This is one of the oldest buildings in the area and goes back to early 1600-the Dutch colonial era. The building was in fact, a hospital which has now been renovated and turned into a shopping precinct with many well-renowned restaurants and pubs. Most prefer to go here for a cold beer after a tiring day and listen to some live music that plays on most days.

This is an ocean-side urban park situated in Colombo Fort-the heart of Colombo and is surrounded by some of the best hotels in Sri Lanka. According to history, the main purpose of Galle Face was for the Dutch to align their canons strategically along the coast to be prepared for an invasion. At present, it is simply a vast space, more brown than green due to the many crowds and loss of grass, where many go to either jog, fly kites, simply watch the idyllic sunset and forget about the hustle and bustle of the city. There are many street-food vendors selling some of the locally famous snacks like the isso-wadei- a fried spicy lentil pancake with prawns.

If you are pressed for time and yet want to explore the Colombo city, your best option is to go on a tuk-tuk safari of the city. While there are bus rides and personalised tours in cars, tuk-tuk adds extra authenticity and the oomph factor. The drivers are quite skilled when it comes to snaking through the heavy traffic and reaching your destinations on time. A fun thing to look out for while on the road is for tuk-tuk wisdom; most tuk-tuks in the country are painted and decorated by the drivers. They also take a liking towards inspirational and funny quotes that are pasted on the back of the vehicle. Their spelling errors and grammar mistakes make the phrase that much more entertaining and unique!