Joanna James
The capital city of Colombo, which is one of the hippest and fast-growing cities in Sri Lanka is a wonderful place to explore. It is also a city that is often overlooked by visitors to the country as they assume it is dusty and crowded. But it is a whole lot more than that.
The Colombo sunsets are spectacular and can be seen from various positions along the western coastline. One of the ideal places though is the Galle Face Green which is a promenade that has been around since colonial times. Every day as dusk falls, locals gather at The Green to play, fly kites, take walks and much on street food. There are plenty of street vendors along the Galle road and people wander about eating Isso Wade which is made of shrimp and dhal as well as other snacks and street food delicacies.
Colombo is one of the few cities in Sri Lanka that have a nightlife. The locals are very much into fine dining in Colombo, going to the bar for a drink and partying all night. There are plenty of great party spots all over the city especially along the stretch of beach from Mount Lavinia to the Galle Face Green have some great hotels, restaurants and clubs. You can be guaranteed a good time if you want to paint the town after dark!
You can find a lot of history in the architecture in and around the Colombo Fort. Though the area has seen a lot of improvement and renovation, some of the colonial-era buildings have been restored lovingly to what they might have looked like back in the day. You can also visit the Colombo National Museum, the Dutch Period Museum and Independence Square to learn about Colombo. Despite being the youngest city in the country, it was always a busy little port dating as far back as the rule of Arab merchants in 900 AD.
The restaurant scene in Colombo far surpasses your expectations and it doesn't only come from spectacular and fine restaurants such as Rare Bar + Kitchen, you can find good food in the streets as well. Sri Lankan cuisine is notoriously flavourful and catches people by surprise. This is uniformly the same all across the country, especially in Colombo where chefs are artists and it is very difficult to find food that is not tasty.
You are probably wondering how you can find elephants in the city, but the National Zoological Gardens in Dehiwala is home to these gentle giants. They put on a small show every day at the zoo and it is something you should not miss if you are a fan of the elephants. Even if you go out looking for elephants in the wilds, you won't see them up close as you will at the zoo.
A true believer that the pen is a mighty weapon, ventures into reaching the minds of every reader with the earnest hope of leaving an indelible stream of thought.
A travel writer who has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world.
