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We offer holidays to the four corners of the globe. If you want specialist advise please phone our travel team and we will be happy to help.
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- Destinations
- Asia
- Sri Lanka
- Colombo
- Pettah
Pettah
Colombo's bazaar district, the Pettah, presents a real treat for
shopaholics who can wander through the hustle and bustle of whole
streets dedicated to selling a particular type of merchandise, from
local handcrafts to brand name clothing. The area was once an
exclusive residential area filled with stately homes and large
gardens in gas-lit streets. A relic of the colonial era, the Dutch
House Museum, is open to the public on Prince Street. The mansion
house dates from the 17th century and was the residence of Count
August Carl Van Ranzow. It has now been restored and stands among
the traders and boutiques as a museum displaying the life and times
of the Dutch occupation, its exhibits including furniture,
ceramics, coins and all the trappings of daily life at the
time.
Information & Facts
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.
Opening Times
Dutch House Museum open daily 9am to 5pm; closed
Fridays
Time