Districts · Colombo
Colombo by district
Almost everything a first visit needs sits within about 3 km of the harbour: Fort and Pettah at the old town, Galle Face and Beira Lake just south. Kollupitiya, Bambalapitiya and beyond are a ride, not a walk.Almost everything a first visit needs sits within about 1.9 mi of the harbour: Fort and Pettah at the old town, Galle Face and Beira Lake just south. Kollupitiya, Bambalapitiya and beyond are a ride, not a walk.
About these names
Colombo uses postal districts (Colombo 1–15) alongside neighbourhood names; drivers and apps generally know the neighbourhood name better than the postal number.
- Fort (Colombo 1)කොටුවseeeatSuits: Sightseeing by day, business hotelsOld harbour district: the railway station, government buildings and the Dutch Hospital precinct. Checkpoints and photo limits near the port.2 sights · 2 eats · 1 sleep areaDistrict guide →
- Pettah (Colombo 11)පිටකොටුවseeSuits: An early-morning market walkDense trading lanes and Sea Street's gold market; go before 10:00 and leave the big bag behind.Dense trading lanes and Sea Street's gold market; go before 10:00 AM and leave the big bag behind.1 sights · 1 eatsDistrict guide →
- Galle Face / Slave Island (Colombo 2)ගාලු මුවදොරseeeatSuits: Sunset walks, seafront hotelsThe open seafront green and the hotel row behind it; hot and shadeless at midday.1 sights · 1 eatsDistrict guide →
- Beira Lake / Slave IslandseeSuits: A temple morningGangaramaya temple and the Seema Malaka lake shrine sit at the lake's edge.2 sights · 1 eatsDistrict guide →
- Kollupitiya (Colombo 3)කොල්ලුපිටියsleepeatSuits: Budget and mid-range stays close to Galle FaceCoast-road guesthouses and apartments, 10–15 minutes from Galle Face by tuk-tuk.1 sleep areaDistrict guide →
- Cinnamon Gardens (Colombo 7)seeSuits: Museums and parks, outside the OS clustersNational Museum, Viharamahadevi Park and the diplomatic quarter; a car ride from Fort, not a walk.Short entry only: too little in this guide for a full page yet.
- Mount LaviniaseeSuits: A beach half-day or a last-night stay near the airport roadThe nearest proper beach to central Colombo, about 30–40 minutes by car or the coastal train.Short entry only: too little in this guide for a full page yet.
Hover, tap or tab to an area to see what it is like. Pins are sleep areas; arrows at the edge point to the airport.
Off the map: Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) (50–90 min by the usual route).
Not drawn yet (no coordinates in this guide): Cinnamon Gardens (Colombo 7), Mount Lavinia. See the table above.
Where’s what, as a list:
- Fort (Colombo 1) (කොටුව): Old harbour district: the railway station, government buildings and the Dutch Hospital precinct. Checkpoints and photo limits near the port. Suits: Sightseeing by day, business hotels. Price band $$$.
- Pettah (Colombo 11) (පිටකොටුව): Dense trading lanes and Sea Street's gold market; go before 10:00 and leave the big bag behind.Dense trading lanes and Sea Street's gold market; go before 10:00 AM and leave the big bag behind. Suits: An early-morning market walk.
- Galle Face / Slave Island (Colombo 2) (ගාලු මුවදොර): The open seafront green and the hotel row behind it; hot and shadeless at midday. Suits: Sunset walks, seafront hotels.
- Beira Lake / Slave Island: Gangaramaya temple and the Seema Malaka lake shrine sit at the lake's edge. Suits: A temple morning.
- Kollupitiya (Colombo 3) (කොල්ලුපිටිය): Coast-road guesthouses and apartments, 10–15 minutes from Galle Face by tuk-tuk. Suits: Budget and mid-range stays close to Galle Face. Price band $.
- Cinnamon Gardens (Colombo 7): National Museum, Viharamahadevi Park and the diplomatic quarter; a car ride from Fort, not a walk. Suits: Museums and parks, outside the OS clusters.
- Mount Lavinia: The nearest proper beach to central Colombo, about 30–40 minutes by car or the coastal train. Suits: A beach half-day or a last-night stay near the airport road.
- Sleep area Fort: suits Sightseeing by day, business hotels, price band $$$.
- Sleep area Kollupitiya (Colombo 03): suits Budget and mid-range stays close to Galle Face, price band $.
- Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB), 50–90 min by the usual route.