Colombo is Sri Lanka’s capital city and most populated area with 5.6 million residents. Its skyline is distinctive with the stunning Lotus Tower and eye-catching Altair Towers. It is the most commercial area of Sri Lanka and has lots of shopping, restaurants, and hotels. There is a strong colonial vibe and is also very modernized, however, in some parts of the city you can still experience some local flair.
I stayed at the Pearl Grand Hotel, a 4-star luxury hotel in the heart of the city. It boasts a rooftop pool and cafe and beautiful, comfortable rooms. The rates are really affordable, as they are nationwide and across most of Southeast Asia. Sleeping in style won’t cost you a fortune in Sri Lanka, and with the Pearl Grand, you certainly aren’t sacrificing comfort or cleanliness for affordability. I highly recommend it if you find yourself in Colombo.
In the evening, we went out for dinner and drinks at 41Sugar and the food was to die for. So were the drinks. Get the mojito, you won’t be disappointed. The building also has a nightclub if you’re feeling like dancing all night!
The next day, after a wonderful nights sleep, my friends and I had breakfast at the hotel cafe– a bountiful plate of fresh fruit and omelets and fresh juice all around. We spent the afternoon relaxing by the pool, reading and taking an occasional dip to cool off. The view from the pool was phenomenal. I really enjoyed it.
Later that day we went to a bakery that was recommended to us for their delicious cakes, Butter Boutique. The sweets were divine and the decor was too cute! We walked from there to Vihara Maha Devi Park, a lovely green space in the middle of the city. It was Poya Day (a national celebration of the full moon) so many of the locals were out enjoying activities with their families such as paddleboats and pony rides. It was a perfect day for people-watching.
After a few hours in the park, we took a PickMe (Sri Lankan Uber) to the Old Dutch Hospital area for dinner. Surprisingly, most of the restaurants were closed for the holiday! So we grabbed a coffee and ordered a PickMe back to our homestay. Colombo is a really fun city. It’s not the most memorable itself, but depending on how you spend your time there and who you’re with, Colombo can be the perfect place to have some fun and make lifelong memories.
Have you been to Colombo? What did you do there? Let us know in the comments, we love hearing from our readers!
xoxo,
char
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