Sri Lankan Tourism -»
Travel Guide
Colombo City
Sri Lanka’s largest and most important city, Colombo was the capital
of the country until the seat of the parliament shifted to Sri Jayawardenepura
Kotte. Today, this city of one million plus population remains the political,
commercial and cultural hub of Sri Lanka. A lively city.
Lying on the shores of the Indian Ocean in west Sri Lanka is practically
a long coastal strip extending 10-12 km south from the central area. The
central artery is Galle Road which runs all the way south along the coast
to the town of the same name as the A2 Highway. For postal convenience the
city is divided into zones numbered 1 to 15 which are not necessarily arranged
in contiguous numerical order. The most important are Colombo 1 better known
as Fort, which is the main commercial area, Colombo 11 or Pettah, the crowded
bazaar area barely a five minute walk from Fort and Colombo 7, earlier known
as Cinnamon Gardens and now the fashionable residential area of the city.
Colombo is one of Asia’s most fascinating, blending as it does the
past with the present. On one hand there is the legacy of the original
trading settlers the Portuguese, Dutch and the British evident in the
churches and monuments, names and religions, costumes and food and smatterings
of their languages which have been absorbed by the Sri Lankans while on
the other are the modern structures that house bustling commercial, banking
and shopping areas and the galaxy of big five star hotels offering night
clubs and entertainment. Whether it be cinema halls, theatres, art galleries,
museums, health resorts, yacht and rowing clubs Colombo has something
to cater to all tastes. More than anything else the friendly hospitality
of its people makes a visit to this exotic and most interesting city a
worthwhile experience.
Colombo City, Sri Lanka Travel Guide - Reservation Form
