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Bookmark & shareA dash of urban buzz in an overwhelmingly rural country.
Colombo, Sri Lanka's largest city, is noisy, frenetic - and just a little crazy. Thankfully, the breakdowns, snarled traffic and power cuts are received with a shrug and a smile. While the city holds less obvious interest than many other parts of the island, it's very colourful and worth a look.
North of the centre is the Fort district, the country's business centre. South is Galle Face Green, a seafront expanse of occasional green. East of the fort is the pungent Pettah bazaar district.
Culture buffs shouldn't miss the National Museum, the Art Gallery, and the city's mosques and temples.
Travel Warning: Bomb Blasts
Travellers should exercise extreme caution in Colombo, especially in crowded public places; monitor local news sources and heed any local warnings regarding safety. On June 6, an explosion on a bus killed more than 20 people. On May 26, a peak-hour commuter train was bombed resulting in eight deaths and more than 70 people were injured. A bomb blast killed 26 people on a bus in peak hour traffic on April 25; earlier that month, a suicide bomb attack near the city killed some 14 people and seriously injured over 90. In February, bomb attacks were reported at Colombo's main train station and at the city zoo.
severity: High-level alert
Fast Facts
Population
2,305,000
Currency
Name: Sri Lanka Rupee
Code: LKR
Symbol: Rs
Electrical Plugs
230V 50Hz
Languages Spoken
Official: Sinhalese, Tamil
Time Zones
GMT/UTC +5.5
Country Dialing Code
+94
Weights & Measures
Metric
Sri Lanka - Free Guidebook Chapter
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› Go to the Sri Lanka download page.
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Disclaimer: We've tried to make the information on this web site as accurate as possible, but it is provided 'as is' and we accept no responsibility for any loss, injury or inconvenience sustained by anyone resulting from this information. You should verify critical information (like visas, health and safety, customs and transportation) with the relevant authorities before you travel.
