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About Colombo

Colombo is the largest city and commercial capital of Sri Lanka. The name Colombo was introduced by the Portuguese which derives from the classical Sinhalese name Kolon thota wich means "port on the river Kelani". It has also been suggested that the name may be derived from the Sinhalese name Kola-amba-thota which means "harbor with leafy mango trees".

A pretty metropolis sounds like a contradiction in terms, but it is a description that fits Colombo, Sri Lanka's largest city, a beehive of commotion with more than a million inhabitants.

Colombo is a metropolitan city with a population of nearly one million. It is the commercial Capital of Sri Lanka, which keeps pace with modern developments while preserving the Old World charms. Colombo is dotted with many interesting and important tourist attractions including colonial era buildings.

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Weather / Climate

Colombo's weather stays evenly hot and humid throughout the year, with no distinct seasons apart from two rainy seasons. Heavy monsoon rains occur between May and August, and again between October and January.

Religion

Colombo is a multi-religious society. Though Buddhism is the major religion, other religions such as Hinduism, Christianity and Islam are also followed.

Colombo's most beautiful festival is the celebration of Buddha's Birth, Enlightenment and Death. In Sinhala this is known as Vesak. Christmas is another major festival in the city. Although Sri Lanka's Christians make up only just over 7% of the population, Christmas is one of the island's biggest festivals.

Colombo Currency

The unit of currency is the Sri Lanka Rupee (LKR), which is divided into 100 cents. Coins come in the denomination 5, 10, 25 and 50 cents and Rs. 1, 2, 5 and 10. The higher value denominations are found as notes, namely Rs.10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1000.

Getting there

Colombo's public transportation consists of buses, trains, auto rickshaws (commonly called "three wheelers" in Sri Lanka) and taxicabs. The bus service is operated both by private and government sectors.

Colombo has excellent transportation links to all parts of Sri Lanka and direct connections by air and sea to many overseas destinations. An international airport and domestic airport located in the suburbs, public transport, taxis, and rental cars provide visitors with fast, efficient and reliable transportation to their destinations.