Sri Lanka's capital upto recent times, Colombo, is a fascinating city, not only for a comfortable blend of east and west, but also for a cosy mixture of the past and present. It is still the commercial centre of the country. Situated 34 km. from the International Airport, Colombo has been a flourishing seaport for centuries. Today the bustle of the harbour mingles with the activity of its busy commercial, banking and shopping areas. The original trading settlers - the Portuguese, Dutch and the British have all left in their wake churches and monuments, names and religions, costumes and food and smatterings of their languages which have been absorbed into the speech of the Sri Lankans. Colombo, with its population of over half a million is divided into fifteen zones. Colombo has 600,000 population and it has warm and sunny typical weather.

While in Colombo attractions worth seeing are:- Buddhists temples, Hindu temples, Mosques, Christian churches, Parliament building, Parks, Zoo, Museums and Art Galleries. A half day tour covering 40 km. and including visits to a Buddhist Temple, Hindu Temple, the Zoo and the residential areas will cost around US $ 18 for a car with a chauffeur guide. 

Cosmopolitan Colombo is the modern commercial city and the spirited maritime capital of Sri Lanka. The co-existence of the old and the new, such as, from the oldest department stores of Cargills to the prestigious World Trade Center, the remnants of the colonial legacies to the enthralling shopping complexes, traditional sarongs to the flashy western fashions or a bullock cart to a speedy sports car, make Colombo one of the diverse exhibits in the country. It has a history as early as the eighth century A.D when the Arab traders used it as a port for the shipping of cinnamon.

Most of the hotels are gathered around the seaside Galle Face Green, where horse racing and colonial army parades were held. But now it is used for public events, and on weekends cricket or football games are common occurrences. More popularly, it is a place to go to fly a kite. During the seasons, competitions are held and colourful kites are sold. Cheap food and the best shopping can be found in the Fort and Pettah districts.

Beira lake margins Slave Island, [few kilometres away from the Galle Face Green] which was once the hometown of the slaves, decided by the caste system. The lake holds two minute islands of particular interest. One is the Amusement park and the other is the Simalaka, a Buddhist hall built onto the lake

Stretching along with the roads of Colombo seven is Viharamahadevi park ; named after a legend of a Sinhalese queen. It demarcates the largest cinnamon plantation in the region once. There are a variety of rare and valuable trees growinglavishly on the lushes of green turf. Lotus ponds, orchid houses, fountains, children's park, open air theaters and a zoo for baby animals make the park one of the most organized places in town.

In the outer skirts of Colombo Seven lies The Independence Memorial Hall. It is constructed of pillars of medieval Kandiyan style.Bas-relief bronze panels depict scenes from the country's history and there is a separate gallery of paintings and sculptures in the basement.Riding down the roads would take one to The Bandaranayaka Memorial International Conference Hall, best know by its acronym,BMICH. It is a gigantic octagonal building and one of the finest convention halls in South Asia.

Heading towards the harbour, one is sure to encounter armed uniformed sentries guarding the tall iron gates of the president's house where many distinguished guests are hosted. The statue of the British governor Edward Barns stands amidst the foliage when peering through the gates for a glimpse. 

The roads that stretch to the east of Colombo would take one to the administrative capital of Sri Lanka Sri Jayawardanapura Kotte. The parliamentary complex is a simple oriental structure with architectural beauty, which is surrounded by the waters of the Diyawanna Oya.