Colombo Trip Overview
(SKU: LK61010600) Travel on an open-topped double-decker tour bus around the city watching the most important locations that are steeped in local or old colonial history, or are unique and beautifully built by famous architects, or even the best shopping precincts to visit. This tour gives you an overview of them all to the busy traveler in Sri Lanka who is very short on time. A very appropriate tour for a flight stopover or first day in Sri Lanka.
Additional Info
Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes
Starts: Colombo, Sri Lanka
Trip Category: Private & Custom Tours >> Private Sightseeing Tours
Explore Colombo Promoted Experiences
What to Expect When Visiting Colombo, Western Province, Sri Lanka
(SKU: LK61010600) Travel on an open-topped double-decker tour bus around the city watching the most important locations that are steeped in local or old colonial history, or are unique and beautifully built by famous architects, or even the best shopping precincts to visit. This tour gives you an overview of them all to the busy traveler in Sri Lanka who is very short on time. A very appropriate tour for a flight stopover or first day in Sri Lanka.
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Galle Face Green, Galle Road, Colombo Sri Lanka
Your tour will start at either 9:00 am or 3:30 pm on a weekday depending on your booking. A tour guide will pick you up from your hotel in Colombo in a red city tour bus.He will explain your itinerary and start by traveling alongside Galle Face Promenade where a number of World War II cannons are placed on display. Your tour will also pass by the following attractions. The tour guide will also stop the bus and take you to some of them for a closer look.
Galle Face Promenade – a five hectare ocean-side urban park
Southern Expansion of Colombo Harbor
Colombo Lighthouse opened in 1952 by the first Prime Minister of Ceylon
Kingsbury hotel – formerly Ceylon Continental, the first five star hotel in the island
The Old Lighthouse and the Clock Tower – a Victorian landmark designed by Lady Ward and built two years prior to the Big Ben of Westminster, London
The Prison Cell of the last Sri Lankan King
The Old Dutch Hospital – the oldest building in the Colombo Fort area
The remnants of British Colonial architecture overlooking the harbor area
The historical Cargills and Millers and Caves buildings.
Khan clock tower
Slave Island – where the colonials kept African slaves in imprisonment
The Lake House complex
Air Force Headquarters
Sri Murugan Hindu Temple
Beira Lake
Gangarama Buddhist Temple
The ‘Seema Malakaya’ / Chapter House was designed by famous Sri Lankan architect Geoffrey Bawa
The War Memorial
The Colombo Public Library
The National Museum
Nelum Pokuna Theatre
Vihara Mahadevi Park
Colombo Town Hall
Horton Place, the elite residential area of Colombo
The Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH)
A replica of the Aukana Buddha Statue – a 12m pure granite standing Buddha dating back to the 5th century
The Cricket Board
Independence Avenue
Independence Memorial
Arcade Independence Square – originally an asylum, now a converted high-end shopping precinct and public gathering space
The historic Colombo Race Course – once used as a temporary airfield during WW II
Laksala – the State owned Handicrafts and souvenirs store
Your bus will stop at Colombo Town Hall so that you can take some photos of the elegant structure. You will also stop at the Independence Memorial for 15 to 20 minutes. There will be chances to do some souvenir shopping at Laksala and even optionally visit the high-end branded stores at Arcade Independence Square
Your tour will be completed at 11:30 am or 6:00 pm, depending on when you started, and you will get dropped off back at your hotel.
Special Locations for Weekend Tour
St. Anthony’s church – the historic church was the location of the famous Easter attacks
The Red Mosque
Ponnambalawaneswaram Kovil – a historic Hindu Temple constructed entirely out of granite
The Gold Market
The Old Colombo Town Hall
The market
The Belfry
Streets of historic Old Fort trade area
Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte – the location of the capital of the 14th century Kotte Kingdom
Diyawanna Lake and its surroundings
Parliament Drive bordered with the National Tree of Sri Lanka, the Ceylon Ironwood (Mesua ferrea)
The Parliament Complex designed by the Geoffrey Bawa
Note
Colombo at Night Tour held on Every Weekend
Enjoy a delightful boat ride on the Diyawanna Lake (Colombo at Night Tour Only) with views of interesting fauna and flora and exclusive views of the Parliment Complex. (Approximately 15-20 mins.)
Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes
