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- Destinations
- Asia
- Sri Lanka
- Colombo
Colombo
A pretty metropolis sounds like a contradiction in terms, but it
is a description that fits Colombo, Sri Lanka's largest city, a
beehive of commotion with more than a million inhabitants.
Frenetic traffic fills the main Galle Road that runs through the
city from the district of Fort, parallel with the coast, connecting
all the suburban enclaves down to the town of Galle in the south.
Fort is the historic centre of the city that has become the main
business district, filled with shops, office blocks and government
buildings. It is here that most of the gracious old buildings from
the Dutch, Portuguese and British colonial eras are to be seen.
East of Fort is the exciting Pettah bazaar district, where the
streets are crammed with shops and stalls selling all manner of
goods from vegetables to gemstones. Further south the city's
seafront is known as Galle Face Green, where locals enjoy games of
cricket, fly kites or take evening strolls watching the sunset.
Beyond this lies Colombo's smart neighbourhood, Cinammon Gardens,
boasting elegant mansions, tree-lined streets and the lovely
Viharamaha Devi Park. The closest beach resort to the city is Mount
Lavinia, about six miles (10km) from the city.
Main tourist attractions include museums, historic buildings and
churches, and beautiful parks. What is especially enjoyable is the
variety of cuisine that can be sampled at any one of the city's
plentiful bars, restaurants, sidewalk cafes and kiosks.
Information & Facts
Climate
Colombo's weather stays evenly hot and humid throughout the
year, with no distinct seasons apart from two rainy seasons. Heavy
monsoon rains occur between May and August, and again between
October and January.
Getting Around
Catching a bus in Colombo is an experience in itself and is
perhaps recommended only for hardened travellers. Buses become
incredibly crowded and are erratic, with no obvious schedule. A far
safer way to negotiate the city is via taxi. Prices should be
agreed on before hand as very few have meters, though they are
usually cheap and easy to hail. Driving in the city is as much of
an adventure as taking a bus and normal traffic rules do not seem
to apply. It would be well worth rather hiring a car with a driver.
Three-wheeled auto rickshaws are also available, and although
usually somewhat cheaper than taxis, are not exactly a comfortable
ride.
Language
Most people speak Sinhala, which is the national and
official language. Tamil is also spoken, and English is spoken at
most tourist establishments.
Money
The unit of currency is the Sri Lanka Rupee (LKR), which is
divided into 100 cents. Major credit cards are widely accepted, and
travellers cheques in US Dollars are recommended. ATMs are becoming
more common, but outside the main cities they are unlikely to
accept international cards. Credit cards should be used with
caution due to the potential for fraud. Foreign currency can be
exchanged at bureaux de change, banks and hotels, but exchanging
cash is more expensive than exchanging travellers cheques. Banks
are closed on Sundays.
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