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Get to know the real Colombo, from its iconic sights and must-see locales to its off-the-beaten-path secrets and local favourites. Our Colombo tour and city discovery starts with a visit to the lighthouse, which offers panoramic views of the Indian Ocean, and is a city landmark.
A short drive brings us to the Oriental Hotel, the oldest hotel in Colombo, from where we’ll hop in a tuk-tuk for a fun ride, local style, to the fruit and vegetable market. We’ll experience the vibrant activities of street life in Pettah, and then head to the Hindu Temple at Slave Island, named during British Colonial times.
At the centre of Slave Island is the Baira Lake, a large lake and recreational area where we’ll stop for a visit to the Gangarama Temple, accessible by wooden platform. This temple dates back over 2,000 years, and contains many statues and antiquities. The temple has been constructed and destroyed a number of times in the last 2,000 years, and it is believed that Buddha preached here. Images of the reclining and the preaching Buddha, frescoes depicting stories from his life, and a hollow paddy heap shaped pagoda are the main features of the temple.
Next on our Colombo tour, we’ll travel like locals and catch a local bus across the city to Navala, a suburb of Colombo, where we’ll board a motorboat for a tour on the backwaters. It's here that we’ll catch a glimpse of various flora and fauna, as well as fishermen with their traditional outrigger boats.
This Colombo tour will surely open your eyes to many facets of local life and some of the best, classic sights the city has to offer.
