Listly by Joanna James
The city of Colombo has been a thriving economic hub for decades on the island of Sri Lanka. While the rest of the country focuses on farming, agriculture, tourism and other industries, Colombo has remained the sole city of innovation and technological development.
Colombo is Sri Lanka's economic capital and largest city. It is the island's financial centre and a renowned tourist destination. It is situated on the west coast of the island, close to Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte, Sri Lanka's legislative capital.
It is also home to one of the world's largest man-made harbours. The port handles the majority of the country's foreign trade. Gemstone cutting is a speciality of Colombo, and so are culinary and tobacco production, metal production, chemical manufacturing, and jewellery manufacturing.
If you are visiting on a business trip and looking for hotels in Colombo city, be sure to check out Cinnamon Lakeside Colombo which will place you smack dab in the middle of the city and in close vicinity of a bulk of the key landmarks in the city.
The Gangaramaya Vihara is among the country's most revered temples. Beautiful brass work, stone sculptures, as well as other Buddhist art, adorn the temple. It also features a museum on the premises.
The Royal Colombo Golf Club is a haven in the middle of Sri Lanka's capital. It is the second-oldest Royal Golf Club in the world, behind the United Kingdom, having been founded almost 130 years ago. For over a century, it has drawn golfers from all around the world.
The shopping prospects in Colombo are one of Sri Lanka's best-kept secrets, with many boutiques loaded with international brands, art installations and textiles, trendy clothes, shoes, and handbags, as well as handicrafts, home furnishings, and more. Colombo is well-known for its designer shopping.
Mt Lavinia, one of Colombo's most laid-back districts, is named after Lavinia, the gypsy dance lady that had a secretive romance with one of Sri Lanka's rulers and is loaded with delicious seafood eateries on the golden beach.
The Sri Lanka National Museum, often known as the National Museum of Colombo, is among the two museums in Colombo. It is Sri Lanka's largest museum. The Museum houses a library as well as a magnificent collection of art and old artworks.
Pettah, a tangle of streets in Colombo, has merchandise of all kinds, from colourful fabrics, silver and gold, and colonial-era artefacts to the needs of daily living. Pettah has everything you're looking for in Colombo. For all guests, this is a must-see!
Colombo, Sri Lanka has been renowned for its cinnamon from ancient times, notably C. verum cinnamon, which the country currently supplies 80-per cent of the world's supply.
In fact, vestiges of colonial times can still be found. In the mid-17th century, the Dutch cultivated cinnamon spice in Cinnamon Gardens, which is now an affluent residential enclave and site of the Prime Minister's Office.