{"id":1305070,"date":"2026-10-01T15:32:52","date_gmt":"2026-10-01T15:32:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/?page_id=1305070"},"modified":"2026-10-02T10:10:09","modified_gmt":"2026-10-02T10:10:09","slug":"colombo","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/asia\/sri-lanka\/colombo\/","title":{"rendered":"Colombo"},"content":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":200,"featured_media":0,"parent":1302972,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"hw-hub-city","meta":{"footnotes":"","hw_hub_hero_eyebrow":"","hw_hub_hero_h1":"","hw_hub_hero_intro":"","hw_hub_hero_image":"","hw_hub_hero_overlay":"","hw_hub_hero_cta":"","hw_hub_why_title":"","hw_hub_why_body":"","hw_hub_why_link_label":"","hw_hub_why_link_url":"","hw_hub_why_cards":"","hw_hub_stats":"","hw_hub_countries_title":"","hw_hub_countries_intro":"","hw_hub_featured":"","hw_hub_regions":"","hw_hub_hostels_title":"","hw_hub_hostels_intro":"","hw_hub_hostels_cta_label":"","hw_hub_hostels_cta_url":"","hw_hub_hostels_source":"","hw_hub_hostels_location_type":"","hw_hub_hostels_location_id":"","hw_hub_hostels_currency":"","hw_hub_hostels_count":"","hw_hub_hostels_cache":"","hw_hub_hostels":"","hw_hub_when_title":"","hw_hub_when_intro":"","hw_hub_seasons":"","hw_hub_costs_title":"","hw_hub_costs_body":"","hw_hub_cost_rows":"","hw_hub_cost_note":"","hw_hub_money_reads":"","hw_hub_rail_title":"","hw_hub_rail_body":"","hw_hub_rail_link_label":"","hw_hub_rail_link_url":"","hw_hub_rail_image":"","hw_hub_routes":"","hw_hub_events_title":"","hw_hub_events_intro":"","hw_hub_events_source":"","hw_hub_events_continent":"","hw_hub_events_count":"","hw_hub_events_cache":"","hw_hub_events_cta_label":"","hw_hub_events_cta_url":"","hw_hub_events":"","hw_hub_events_pills":"","hw_hub_reads_intro":"","hw_hub_article_rows":"","hw_hub_show_read_time":"","hw_hub_all_title":"","hw_hub_all_body":"","hw_hub_all_cta":"","hw_hub_trips_title":"","hw_hub_trips_note":"","hw_hub_trips":"","hw_hub_faq_title":"","hw_hub_faq_note":"","hw_hub_faqs":"","hw_hub_cta_title":"","hw_hub_cta_body":"","hw_hub_cta_buttons":"","hw_hub_newsletter_title":"","hw_hub_newsletter_body":"","hw_hub_newsletter_shortcode":"","hw_hub_hub_term":"","hw_hub_scope_rows":"","hw_hub_country_hero_eyebrow":"","hw_hub_country_hero_h1":"","hw_hub_country_hero_intro":"","hw_hub_country_hero_image":"","hw_hub_country_hero_overlay":"","hw_hub_country_hero_cta":"","hw_hub_country_stats":"","hw_hub_country_intro_title":"","hw_hub_country_intro_body":"","hw_hub_country_facts":"","hw_hub_country_cities_title":"","hw_hub_country_cities_intro":"","hw_hub_country_cities_live":"","hw_hub_country_cities":"","hw_hub_country_trips_title":"","hw_hub_country_trips_intro":"","hw_hub_country_trip_types":"","hw_hub_country_do_title":"","hw_hub_country_do_body":"","hw_hub_country_do_points":"","hw_hub_country_do_tag":"","hw_hub_country_do_more":"","hw_hub_country_food_title":"","hw_hub_country_food_body":"","hw_hub_country_food_points":"","hw_hub_country_food_tag":"","hw_hub_country_food_more":"","hw_hub_country_nightlife_title":"","hw_hub_country_nightlife_body":"","hw_hub_country_nightlife_points":"","hw_hub_country_nightlife_tag":"","hw_hub_country_nightlife_more":"","hw_hub_country_transport_title":"","hw_hub_country_transport_body":"","hw_hub_country_transport_points":"","hw_hub_country_transport_tag":"","hw_hub_country_transport_more":"","hw_hub_country_money_title":"","hw_hub_country_money_body":"","hw_hub_country_money_points":"","hw_hub_country_money_tag":"","hw_hub_country_money_more":"","hw_hub_country_safety_title":"","hw_hub_country_safety_body":"","hw_hub_country_safety_points":"","hw_hub_country_safety_tag":"","hw_hub_country_safety_more":"","hw_hub_country_entry_title":"","hw_hub_country_entry_body":"","hw_hub_country_entry_points":"","hw_hub_country_entry_tag":"","hw_hub_country_entry_more":"","hw_hub_country_season_title":"","hw_hub_country_season_intro":"","hw_hub_country_season_note":"","hw_hub_country_season_rows":"","hw_hub_country_budget_title":"","hw_hub_country_budget_intro":"","hw_hub_country_budget_note":"","hw_hub_country_budget_rows":"","hw_hub_country_budget_currency":"","hw_hub_country_events_title":"","hw_hub_country_events_intro":"","hw_hub_country_events_source":"","hw_hub_country_events_country":"","hw_hub_country_events_count":"","hw_hub_country_events_cache":"","hw_hub_country_events_cta_label":"","hw_hub_country_events_cta_url":"","hw_hub_country_events":"","hw_hub_country_hostels_title":"","hw_hub_country_hostels_intro":"","hw_hub_country_hostels_cta_label":"","hw_hub_country_hostels_cta_url":"","hw_hub_country_hostels_source":"","hw_hub_country_hostels_location_type":"","hw_hub_country_hostels_location_id":"","hw_hub_country_hostels_currency":"","hw_hub_country_hostels_count":"","hw_hub_country_hostels_cache":"","hw_hub_country_hostels":"","hw_hub_country_faq_title":"","hw_hub_country_faq_note":"","hw_hub_country_faqs":"","hw_hub_country_cta_title":"","hw_hub_country_cta_body":"","hw_hub_country_cta_buttons":"","hw_hub_country_newsletter_title":"","hw_hub_country_newsletter_body":"","hw_hub_country_newsletter_shortcode":"","hw_hub_country_hub_term":"","hw_hub_country_parent_hub":"","hw_hub_country_scope_rows":"","hw_hub_city_hero_eyebrow":"Colombo city guide","hw_hub_city_hero_h1":"Things To Do In Colombo","hw_hub_city_hero_intro":"Sri Lanka's seafront capital: colonial buildings, the chaotic bazaars of Pettah, temples by Geoffrey Bawa and the best food scene on the island. The arrival point for most trips.","hw_hub_city_hero_image":"1302975","hw_hub_city_hero_overlay":"light","hw_hub_city_hero_cta":"Where to stay | #areas\r\nWhat it costs | #money","hw_hub_city_live_stats":"1","hw_hub_city_stats":"1505 | The Portuguese arrive\r\n45\u201390 min | From the airport\r\n2\u20133 h | Train to Galle","hw_hub_city_intro_title":"The capital by the sea","hw_hub_city_intro_body":"Colombo was a trading port for the Portuguese, Dutch and British in turn, and its colonial buildings stand among new towers and a fast-changing waterfront. It is Sri Lanka's biggest city and its commercial capital.\r\n\r\nMost travellers pass through on the way from the airport, but Colombo rewards a day: the Pettah markets, the temples, the seafront at sunset and the food.\r\n\r\nOne or two days is right.","hw_hub_city_facts":"Getting in from the airport | 45\u201390 minutes\r\nGetting around | PickMe, Uber and tuk-tuks\r\nLanguages | Sinhala, Tamil and English\r\nTipping | 10% in restaurants\r\nTap water | Not drinkable\r\nHow long to stay | One or two days","hw_hub_city_areas_title":"Where to stay","hw_hub_city_areas_intro":"Fort and Pettah put you next to the station and the markets but empty out at night. Colombo 3 (Kollupitiya) and Colombo 7 (Cinnamon Gardens) are leafier, with the best caf\u00e9s and restaurants. Mount Lavinia, in the south, puts you on a beach with the city a train ride away.","hw_hub_city_areas_map":"1","hw_hub_city_areas_zoom":"12","hw_hub_city_hostels_pins":"1","hw_hub_city_areas_live":"1","hw_hub_city_areas":"Fort and Pettah | Transport | The station, the markets and the colonial core. Busy by day, empty at night. | 6.9344 | 79.8428 |  | \nColombo 3 and 7 | Comfort | Kollupitiya and Cinnamon Gardens: leafy streets, caf\u00e9s, galleries and the best restaurants. | 6.9100 | 79.8560 |  | \nMount Lavinia | Beach | A beach suburb in the south, with the city half an hour away by train. | 6.8390 | 79.8640 |  | ","hw_hub_city_itin_title":"How long have you got?","hw_hub_city_itin_intro":"The routes we would take, in the order we would take them.","hw_hub_city_itin":"","hw_hub_city_do_title":"Things to do in Colombo","hw_hub_city_do_body":"Start in Pettah, the old bazaar district, where each street sells one kind of thing: spices on one, fabric, hardware or plastic buckets on the next. In the middle stands the red-and-white striped Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque, built in 1909, which welcomes respectfully dressed visitors outside prayer times. Go in the morning, before the heat and the traffic peak.\r\n\r\nWalk south through Fort, the colonial business district, to the Dutch Hospital, a seventeenth-century building now full of restaurants and bars, and on to Galle Face Green, a long seafront lawn where families fly kites and street-food stalls fry prawn fritters at sunset.\r\n\r\nGangaramaya Temple, a cluttered, fascinating mix of Buddhist shrine, museum and vintage car collection, sits beside Beira Lake. Its ticket also covers Seema Malaka, a calm meditation pavilion on the water designed by Geoffrey Bawa, Sri Lanka's most influential architect.\r\n\r\nThe National Museum, Sri Lanka's oldest, gives the best overview of the island's kingdoms before you head to Anuradhapura or Kandy. For views, the Lotus Tower, the tallest structure in South Asia, has an observation deck. In the south, Mount Lavinia has the nearest proper beach, and the colonial Mount Lavinia Hotel's terrace is a classic sunset stop.","hw_hub_city_do_points":"Pettah | Bazaar streets and the Red Mosque. Go in the morning\r\nGalle Face Green | Sunset, kites and prawn fritters\r\nGangaramaya | Temple, museum and Bawa's lake pavilion\r\nNational Museum | The best primer on the island's history","hw_hub_city_do_tag":"things-to-do","hw_hub_city_do_more":"All things to do in Colombo","hw_hub_city_free_title":"Free things to do in Colombo","hw_hub_city_free_body":"Galle Face Green is the city's free evening out: the whole of Colombo seems to come here at sunset, and it costs nothing to walk, watch the kites and the waves.\r\n\r\nPettah's markets are free to wander, and the Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque does not charge. The colonial buildings of Fort, including the Old Parliament and the clock-tower lighthouse, line streets you can walk freely, as does Independence Square, a white colonnaded memorial with a shady park around it.\r\n\r\nViharamahadevi Park, opposite the Town Hall, is the city's main green space, and the Dutch Hospital precinct is free to walk through even if you do not eat there.","hw_hub_city_free_points":"Galle Face Green | The city's free evening out\r\nPettah markets | Free to wander; the mosque is free too\r\nFort | Colonial streets and Independence Square\r\nViharamahadevi Park | The main green space","hw_hub_city_free_tag":"free-things-to-do","hw_hub_city_free_more":"All free things to do in Colombo","hw_hub_city_food_title":"Eating and drinking in Colombo","hw_hub_city_food_body":"Colombo has the best food on the island and the widest range, from street stalls to some of Asia's best crab.\r\n\r\nKottu roti is the city's signature: flatbread chopped on a hot plate with vegetables, egg and meat, and you will hear the clatter of the blades before you see the stall. Hoppers, bowl-shaped rice-flour pancakes, often with an egg cooked into the base, are an evening food. Lunch is rice and curry, a plate of rice with several small curries, sambols and poppadoms. On Galle Face Green, try isso wade, crunchy lentil fritters topped with whole prawns.\r\n\r\nFor a splurge, Ministry of Crab in the Dutch Hospital is famous for its Sri Lankan lagoon crab. A street meal is \u20ac1 to \u20ac3; a restaurant meal \u20ac5 to \u20ac12.","hw_hub_city_food_points":"Kottu roti | The city's signature, \u20ac1.50\u20133\r\nHoppers | An evening food, with an egg inside\r\nIsso wade | Prawn fritters on Galle Face Green\r\nLagoon crab | The splurge, at Ministry of Crab","hw_hub_city_food_tag":"food","hw_hub_city_food_more":"All food guides for Colombo","hw_hub_city_nightlife_title":"Going out in Colombo","hw_hub_city_nightlife_body":"Colombo has the only real nightlife in Sri Lanka, though it is still modest. Most of it is in hotel bars, rooftop terraces and a few clubs in Colombo 3 and 7, which get busy late on Fridays and Saturdays.\r\n\r\nThe Dutch Hospital precinct has bars that are easy for a first night, and rooftop bars give views of the sunset over the sea. Galle Face Green stays lively in the evening with families and street food rather than drinking.\r\n\r\nA local Lion beer is \u20ac2.50 to \u20ac5; cocktails in rooftop bars are \u20ac6 to \u20ac10. Every full-moon day is a Poya holiday, when alcohol sales are banned and most bars close or serve only quietly; check the calendar before planning a night out.","hw_hub_city_nightlife_points":"Colombo 3 and 7 | Clubs and hotel bars\r\nDutch Hospital | Easy first-night bars\r\nA beer | \u20ac2.50\u20135\r\nPoya days | No alcohol on full-moon days","hw_hub_city_nightlife_tag":"nightlife","hw_hub_city_nightlife_more":"All nightlife guides for Colombo","hw_hub_city_transport_title":"Getting around Colombo","hw_hub_city_transport_body":"Bandaranaike International Airport is in Katunayake, about 35 kilometres north. A taxi or PickMe car takes forty-five minutes on the expressway, or longer in traffic; airport bus 187 to Fort is much cheaper but takes over an hour.\r\n\r\nIn the city, PickMe and Uber cars and tuk-tuks are cheap and spare you haggling; street tuk-tuks should use the meter. Buses are crowded and confusing for visitors.\r\n\r\nColombo Fort station is the hub. Trains run down the coast to Galle in two to three hours, and the coastal line is fully working. The line inland to Kandy was badly damaged by Cyclone Ditwah in late 2025 and is due to reopen from October 2026; until then, buses and cars reach Kandy in three to four hours. Express buses use the Southern Expressway to Galle and Matara.","hw_hub_city_transport_points":"From the airport | 45 min by car; bus 187 is cheaper\r\nIn the city | PickMe, Uber and metered tuk-tuks\r\nTo Galle | Coastal train, 2\u20133 hours\r\nTo Kandy | Bus for now; train from October 2026","hw_hub_city_transport_tag":"transport","hw_hub_city_transport_more":"All transport guides for Colombo","hw_hub_city_money_title":"What Colombo costs","hw_hub_city_money_body":"Colombo is mid-priced for Sri Lanka and the most expensive city on the island. Dorms start around \u20ac8 and a careful day is \u20ac20 to \u20ac35.\r\n\r\nA PickMe tuk-tuk across the city is \u20ac1 to \u20ac3, a kottu \u20ac1.50 to \u20ac3, a museum ticket a few euros. The Lotus Tower and Gangaramaya charge foreigners more than locals, as do most sights in Sri Lanka.\r\n\r\nThe currency is the Sri Lankan rupee (LKR); prices here are euro equivalents. Colombo is the easiest place to use cards and find ATMs, so take out cash before heading to smaller towns.","hw_hub_city_money_points":"Dorm bed | From about \u20ac8\r\nA day | \u20ac20\u201335\r\nTuk-tuk ride | \u20ac1\u20133 by app\r\nCash | Easiest city for ATMs and cards","hw_hub_city_money_tag":"budget","hw_hub_city_money_more":"All budget guides for Colombo","hw_hub_city_safety_title":"Staying safe in Colombo","hw_hub_city_safety_body":"Colombo is safe, with low violent crime. The main annoyance is the tuk-tuk scam: a friendly stranger, often near Galle Face or the Fort, tells you about a special festival at a temple today and puts you in a tuk-tuk that ends at a gem shop or a vastly overpriced ride. Politely walk away, and use PickMe or a metered tuk-tuk.\r\n\r\nTraffic is the real danger: cross roads carefully and at signals. Women travelling alone may get unwanted attention on crowded buses.\r\n\r\nEmergency: 119 police, 1990 ambulance (Suwa Seriya, free). Tourist Police: 1912.","hw_hub_city_safety_points":"Tuk-tuk scam | \"Special festival today\": walk away\r\nTraffic | The real danger\r\nCrime | Low\r\nEmergency | 119 police, 1990 ambulance","hw_hub_city_safety_tag":"safety","hw_hub_city_safety_more":"All safety guides for Colombo","hw_hub_city_trips_title":"Day trips from Colombo","hw_hub_city_trips_intro":"The beach near the airport, the Dutch fort down the coast and the hill capital, all reachable without a flight.","hw_hub_city_trips":"Negombo | About 1 hour | Bus or car | A beach town by the airport, handy for a first or last night. |  | 1305102\nGalle | 2\u20133 hours | Coastal train | The Dutch fort, by one of the island's great train rides along the sea. |  | 1305103\nKandy | About 3\u20134 hours | Bus, or train once the line reopens | The hill capital and the Temple of the Tooth. |  | 1305105","hw_hub_city_trips_tag":"day-trips","hw_hub_city_trips_more":"All day trips from Colombo","hw_hub_city_season_title":"When to go","hw_hub_city_season_intro":"December to April is driest on the west coast.","hw_hub_city_season_note":"Average highs. Hot and humid all year.","hw_hub_city_season_rows":"January | 31 | 5 | Peak season\r\nFebruary | 31 | 5 | Dry\r\nMarch | 31 | 4 | Dry\r\nApril | 31 | 4 | New Year\r\nMay | 31 | 2 | Monsoon begins\r\nJune | 30 | 2 | Monsoon\r\nJuly | 29 | 2 | Monsoon\r\nAugust | 29 | 2 | Monsoon\r\nSeptember | 29 | 2 | Monsoon\r\nOctober | 29 | 2 | Inter-monsoon rain\r\nNovember | 30 | 3 | Drying\r\nDecember | 30 | 5 | Peak season","hw_hub_city_events_title":"What is on while you are there","hw_hub_city_events_intro":"Vesak lanterns light up the city in May.","hw_hub_city_events_source":"api","hw_hub_city_events_count":"8","hw_hub_city_events_cache":"24","hw_hub_city_events_cta_label":"All events in Colombo","hw_hub_city_events_cta_url":"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/events\/asia\/sri-lanka\/colombo\/","hw_hub_city_events":"Sinhala and Tamil New Year | Mid-April | Nationwide | Family celebrations. |  | \nVesak | May | Colombo | Lanterns for the Buddha's birth. |  | ","hw_hub_city_budget_title":"What your trip will cost","hw_hub_city_budget_intro":"Pick how you travel. Per person per night, in euros.","hw_hub_city_budget_note":"Prices are in rupees locally; these are euro equivalents.","hw_hub_city_budget_rows":"Shoestring | 8 | 5 | 3 | 3\r\nMiddle of the road | 18 | 12 | 6 | 8\r\nComfortable | 35 | 25 | 12 | 15","hw_hub_city_budget_currency":"\u20ac","hw_hub_city_hostels_title":"Where to stay in Colombo","hw_hub_city_hostels_intro":"The top-rated places to stay in Colombo right now, live from Hostelworld.","hw_hub_city_hostels_cta_label":"All hostels in Colombo","hw_hub_city_hostels_cta_url":"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/hostels\/asia\/sri-lanka\/colombo\/","hw_hub_city_hostels_source":"api","hw_hub_city_hostels_count":"12","hw_hub_city_hostels_cache":"12","hw_hub_city_picks":"Best for solo travellers |  |  | \nBest for a party |  |  | \nQuietest |  |  | ","hw_hub_city_hostels":"","hw_hub_city_faq_title":"Colombo travel questions","hw_hub_city_faq_note":"The ones we get asked most.","hw_hub_city_faqs":"Is Colombo worth staying in? | Yes, for a day or two. Pettah's markets, the temples, sunset on Galle Face Green and the best food on the island make it more than a transit stop.\r\nHow far is the airport? | The airport is in Katunayake, about 35 kilometres north. Allow forty-five minutes by car on the expressway, or longer in traffic; bus 187 to Fort is cheaper but slower.\r\nHow do I get around? | Use PickMe or Uber, which work for both cars and tuk-tuks and remove the haggling. Street tuk-tuks should use the meter.\r\nHow do I get to Galle? | By the coastal train from Colombo Fort, two to three hours along the sea, or by express bus on the Southern Expressway, which is faster.\r\nHow many days do you need? | One or two. Most people spend a night at the start or end of a trip.\r\nWhen is the best time to visit? | December to April, when the west coast is driest. The south-west monsoon brings heavy rain from May to September.\r\nWhat should I eat? | Kottu roti, hoppers for dinner, rice and curry for lunch, and isso wade, prawn fritters, at the Galle Face stalls.","hw_hub_city_cta_title":"Say yes to hostels, meet the world","hw_hub_city_cta_body":"Compare Colombo hostels \u2014 live prices, real reviews and free cancellation on most bookings. Then meet the people already there in the app.","hw_hub_city_cta_buttons":"Find hostels in Colombo | https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/hostels\/asia\/sri-lanka\/colombo\/\r\nGet the app | https:\/\/hostelworld.onelink.me\/IdiK\/f5a50nhd","hw_hub_city_newsletter_title":"Get the good stuff monthly","hw_hub_city_newsletter_body":"New city guides, deals and route ideas. No filler.","hw_hub_city_newsletter_shortcode":"","hw_hub_city_hub_term":"colombo","hw_hub_city_city_slug":"colombo","hw_hub_city_country_slug":"sri-lanka","hw_hub_city_parent_hub":"asia\/sri-lanka","hw_hub_city_currency":"EUR","hw_hub_city_scope_rows":"1","hw_hub_country_states_title":"","hw_hub_country_states_intro":"","hw_hub_country_state_regions":"","hw_hub_country_states":"","hw_hub_state_hero_eyebrow":"","hw_hub_state_hero_h1":"","hw_hub_state_hero_intro":"","hw_hub_state_hero_image":"","hw_hub_state_hero_overlay":"","hw_hub_state_hero_cta":"","hw_hub_state_live_stats":"","hw_hub_state_stats":"","hw_hub_state_intro_title":"","hw_hub_state_intro_body":"","hw_hub_state_facts":"","hw_hub_state_areas_title":"","hw_hub_state_areas_intro":"","hw_hub_state_areas_zoom":"","hw_hub_state_hostels_pins":"","hw_hub_state_areas":"","hw_hub_state_itin_title":"","hw_hub_state_itin_intro":"","hw_hub_state_itin":"","hw_hub_state_do_title":"","hw_hub_state_do_body":"","hw_hub_state_do_points":"","hw_hub_state_do_tag":"","hw_hub_state_do_more":"","hw_hub_state_free_title":"","hw_hub_state_free_body":"","hw_hub_state_free_points":"","hw_hub_state_free_tag":"","hw_hub_state_free_more":"","hw_hub_state_food_title":"","hw_hub_state_food_body":"","hw_hub_state_food_points":"","hw_hub_state_food_tag":"","hw_hub_state_food_more":"","hw_hub_state_nightlife_title":"","hw_hub_state_nightlife_body":"","hw_hub_state_nightlife_points":"","hw_hub_state_nightlife_tag":"","hw_hub_state_nightlife_more":"","hw_hub_state_transport_title":"","hw_hub_state_transport_body":"","hw_hub_state_transport_points":"","hw_hub_state_transport_tag":"","hw_hub_state_transport_more":"","hw_hub_state_money_title":"","hw_hub_state_money_body":"","hw_hub_state_money_points":"","hw_hub_state_money_tag":"","hw_hub_state_money_more":"","hw_hub_state_safety_title":"","hw_hub_state_safety_body":"","hw_hub_state_safety_points":"","hw_hub_state_safety_tag":"","hw_hub_state_safety_more":"","hw_hub_state_layout":"","hw_hub_state_cities_title":"","hw_hub_state_cities_intro":"","hw_hub_state_cities_live":"","hw_hub_state_cities":"","hw_hub_state_cities_tag":"","hw_hub_state_cities_more":"","hw_hub_state_season_title":"","hw_hub_state_season_intro":"","hw_hub_state_season_note":"","hw_hub_state_season_rows":"","hw_hub_state_events_title":"","hw_hub_state_events_intro":"","hw_hub_state_events_source":"","hw_hub_state_events_count":"","hw_hub_state_events_cache":"","hw_hub_state_events_cta_label":"","hw_hub_state_events_cta_url":"","hw_hub_state_events":"","hw_hub_state_budget_title":"","hw_hub_state_budget_intro":"","hw_hub_state_budget_note":"","hw_hub_state_budget_rows":"","hw_hub_state_budget_currency":"","hw_hub_state_hostels_title":"","hw_hub_state_hostels_intro":"","hw_hub_state_hostels_cta_label":"","hw_hub_state_hostels_cta_url":"","hw_hub_state_hostels_source":"","hw_hub_state_hostels_count":"","hw_hub_state_hostels_cache":"","hw_hub_state_picks":"","hw_hub_state_hostels":"","hw_hub_state_faq_title":"","hw_hub_state_faq_note":"","hw_hub_state_faqs":"","hw_hub_state_cta_title":"","hw_hub_state_cta_body":"","hw_hub_state_cta_buttons":"","hw_hub_state_newsletter_title":"","hw_hub_state_newsletter_body":"","hw_hub_state_newsletter_shortcode":"","hw_hub_state_hub_term":"","hw_hub_state_country_slug":"","hw_hub_state_parent_hub":"","hw_hub_state_currency":"","hw_hub_state_scope_rows":""},"class_list":["post-1305070","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","wpbf-post"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Things to Do In Colombo - Hostelworld Travel Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Things to do in Colombo: Galle Face Green at sunset, Pettah&#039;s markets, temples and street food, plus day trips, where to stay and what it costs.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/asia\/sri-lanka\/colombo\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Things to Do In Colombo - Hostelworld Travel Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Things to do in Colombo: Galle Face Green at sunset, Pettah&#039;s markets, temples and street food, plus day trips, where to stay and what it costs.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/asia\/sri-lanka\/colombo\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Hostelworld Travel Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Hostelworld\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-10-02T10:10:09+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@hostelworld\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.hostelworld.com\\\/blog\\\/asia\\\/sri-lanka\\\/colombo\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.hostelworld.com\\\/blog\\\/asia\\\/sri-lanka\\\/colombo\\\/\",\"name\":\"Things to Do In Colombo - Hostelworld Travel Blog\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.hostelworld.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2026-10-01T15:32:52+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-10-02T10:10:09+00:00\",\"description\":\"Things to do in Colombo: Galle Face Green at sunset, Pettah's markets, temples and street food, plus day trips, where to stay and what it costs.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.hostelworld.com\\\/blog\\\/asia\\\/sri-lanka\\\/colombo\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.hostelworld.com\\\/blog\\\/asia\\\/sri-lanka\\\/colombo\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.hostelworld.com\\\/blog\\\/asia\\\/sri-lanka\\\/colombo\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Travel Blog\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.hostelworld.com\\\/blog\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Asia\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.hostelworld.com\\\/blog\\\/asia\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Sri Lanka\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.hostelworld.com\\\/blog\\\/asia\\\/sri-lanka\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":4,\"name\":\"Colombo\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.hostelworld.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.hostelworld.com\\\/blog\\\/\",\"name\":\"Hostelworld Travel Blog\",\"description\":\"Cheap Travel and Backpacking Tips\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.hostelworld.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.hostelworld.com\\\/blog\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.hostelworld.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Hostelworld\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.hostelworld.com\\\/blog\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.hostelworld.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"\",\"contentUrl\":\"\",\"caption\":\"Hostelworld\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.hostelworld.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/Hostelworld\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/hostelworld\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/hostelworld\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pinterest.co.uk\\\/hostelworld\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/hostelworld\"]}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Things to Do In Colombo - Hostelworld Travel Blog","description":"Things to do in Colombo: Galle Face Green at sunset, Pettah's markets, temples and street food, plus day trips, where to stay and what it costs.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/asia\/sri-lanka\/colombo\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Things to Do In Colombo - Hostelworld Travel Blog","og_description":"Things to do in Colombo: Galle Face Green at sunset, Pettah's markets, temples and street food, plus day trips, where to stay and what it costs.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/asia\/sri-lanka\/colombo\/","og_site_name":"Hostelworld Travel Blog","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Hostelworld","article_modified_time":"2026-10-02T10:10:09+00:00","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_site":"@hostelworld","schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/asia\/sri-lanka\/colombo\/","url":"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/asia\/sri-lanka\/colombo\/","name":"Things to Do In Colombo - Hostelworld Travel Blog","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/#website"},"datePublished":"2026-10-01T15:32:52+00:00","dateModified":"2026-10-02T10:10:09+00:00","description":"Things to do in Colombo: Galle Face Green at sunset, Pettah's markets, temples and street food, plus day trips, where to stay and what it costs.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/asia\/sri-lanka\/colombo\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/asia\/sri-lanka\/colombo\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/asia\/sri-lanka\/colombo\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Travel Blog","item":"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Asia","item":"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/asia\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Sri Lanka","item":"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/asia\/sri-lanka\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"Colombo"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/","name":"Hostelworld Travel Blog","description":"Cheap Travel and Backpacking Tips","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/#organization","name":"Hostelworld","url":"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"","contentUrl":"","caption":"Hostelworld"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Hostelworld","https:\/\/x.com\/hostelworld","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/hostelworld","https:\/\/www.pinterest.co.uk\/hostelworld\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/hostelworld"]}]}},"lang":"en","translations":{"en":1305070},"brizy_media":[],"pll_sync_post":{},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1305070","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/200"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1305070"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1305070\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1305121,"href":"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1305070\/revisions\/1305121"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1302972"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1305070"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}