Colombo, Sri Lanka 🇱🇰 2025

Date : 8th March 2025 

Travelled : 1200 NM from Thailand to Colombo in Sri Lanka  

Visited : Colombo  

Stayed : Holland America’s Zuiderda

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After 4 nights sailing we approach Colombo at first light. We find the early morning mist is actually Colombo’s morning smog which continues all day.

The Indian Ocean crossing was smooth enough and it seemed a little less humid but maybe where just acclimatising. Pams table tennis is improving…

A couple of photos of Colombo taken as the Zuiderdam does a reverse park.

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We had originally booked a tour today, but finding we were on a standby list we cancelled. Some of our new best friends had organised a tuk-tuk tour so we decide to tag along.

The local tourist office has organised a warm welcome on the dock-side. The dancing and drums with the beautiful costumes a great start to our day (pictured below and the video)

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The port of Colombo is huge, the shuttle bus from the Zuiderdam takes 15 minutes to reach the port gates where hundreds of tuk-tuks are waiting. It’s a real scrum but we finally hook up with the one we have booked.

We are soon on our way, by the time we travelled a kilometre Pam is queuing whether our travel insurance covers tuk-tuk injuries.

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Our first non-life threatening stop is the old town hall museum. It’s a lovely old colonial building which would have been very grand in its day. There are two fire engines parked in the vestibule, just for show I suspect. A council meeting with a dozen or so mannequins is in full swing which is a little concerning.

Nice view of the traffic out the window. Our next stop is the cities fruit market which is just out the back.

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The market was a busy place, the secret being to move with the flow. Lots of fruits and fresh herbs, dried fish and household items. It was both colourful and aromatic.

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Back in the traffic once again a quick photo stop at the Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque. Our driver complaining he will get a ticket if we stopped. Being Ramadan it is closed for non-believers this month. The red and white patterning quite spectacular.

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Then on to the Colombo Lotus Tower. Standing at 351 metres it is the symbol of the City of Colombo. Well worth a photo.

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Our next stop is in the area called The Captain’s Garden and the Sri Kaileswaram Kovil Temple. The name doesn’t make sense to us either. Beneath the highly decorated tower a shrine, but go around the tower, take your shoes off and pay the fee it’s a Hindu theme park out the back

The second photo a bit of a closer look at the ornamentation.

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Back in the tuk-tuks and on our way to the Gangaramaya Temple.

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The Gangaramaya Temple is described as an eclectic mix of Thai, Indian and Chinese Buddhist symbols and an amazing collection of oddities. Examples being a 1930’s model Rolls Royce used by Queen Elizabeth during her visit, nearby a yellow Morris Minor…then there’s the taxidermist challenge a stuffed elephant head.

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Next stop is the Independence Hall and Park. This beautiful pavilion was the place the British officially granted independence to Sri Lanka in 1948. It is a grand open hall with a view of the park but avoiding the snake charmers, monkey handlers and those who want you to hold their 2 metres long python is a challenge.

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Our thankfully last photo stop is the Sima Malaka Meditation Centre but just for the view of the city beyond this man-made lake within the park.

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Our tuk-tuk tour almost done we head for a small Sri Lankan restaurant for lunch which is included in our tour before going back to the Zuiderdam.

We’ve seen a lot of Colombo today, the tuk-tuk are quick in the traffic, easy to park and quick to get in and out off. The big tour buses can be so slow to load and unload especially with so many people having mobility issues.

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Michael + Pam