Colombo, Sri Lanka – Sightseeing in 16 Hours
By the messy optimist
Let me just put this out there. I saw Colombo with a 16-hour transit visa. I know what you’re thinking. That’s preposterous. It is. And it’s NO way to see a city. You would be correct. How can a mere 16 hours (actually a LOT less than that…I spent around eight hours at the airport…so I saw Colombo in under 8 hours) be anywhere close to being to take in the sights and sounds and the culture and lifestyle of a city? Much less a gorgeous city like Colombo?
But…it was the hand I was dealt and rather than waste time sitting at the airport – I chose to get a transit visa (my first time ‘seeing’ a place on a transit visa, btw) and sightsee Colombo. But, fear not – I’ll get back to Sri Lanka and do a genuine full-on tour of this beautiful and breathtaking country. What I’ve seen of Colombo so far I’ve loved. I’ll get back there – hint, hint – someone can invite me – I’ll write good things about you, I promise!
Welcoming Tourists
What struck me immediately about Sri Lanka, like Thailand, is that it’s yet another country that ‘gets’ tourism and gets tourists. They make life so much easier for travelers. They also welcome Indians with open arms – just get there, get an on-arrival visa and boom – you can travel.
So, when I knew I’d have a 16-hour layover – I knew I wanted to tour Colombo for the whole day. And what do you know? As soon as I finished immigration and customs and came out – I ran into multiple travel agencies at the airport itself that offer a 3-hour, 8-hour, 10-hour trips around Colombo. I did not have to go looking for them. They were right there.
That’s what I mean by countries like Sri Lanka that just ‘get’ tourists. In most other countries you have to stay put at the airport and that’s that. I cannot tell you the number of times I’ve spent hours and hours in airports wistfully looking outside the massive glass doors and windows into the city or into the airport runway and wave like an insane person at airport staff bustling about their daily lives. But Sri Lanka makes it easier by providing transit passengers an opportunity to step outside the airport terminal during a long layover and actually see their country.
And thereby reeling you in.
And I’m officially reeled and hooked.
Anyhoo…I submitted myself to one of the travel agents and they showed me beautiful Colombo for a few hours.
I’m still ashamed to call Sri Lanka as one of the countries I’ve visited because there is so much more to it than that one day I spent in the capital (and I will return) – but even that one day was full of adventure and joy and I drowned in the breathtaking beauty of this amazing city. From city landscapes to high-rise buildings to traffic jams and crowds. From bright colored temples and idols of the Buddha and other Hindu gods to the serenity of its beaches – Colombo has it all.
Check out the following. I did all of them in just one day in Colombo and you can too.
Partake of Colombo’s street life and go to Pettah Markets.
Check out the Hindu Sri Ponnambalam Kovil (Temple).
Take in the serenity of Buddha at the Gangaramaya and Seema Malaka Temple.
Go to Independence Square and watch the locals go by their daily lives – from wedding parties who come there to take their pictures to folks practicing yoga – it’s all there.
Walk along the sands of Negombo Beach.
And so much more.
I will definitely return. Please someone invite me.
In the meantime – check out what you can do and see in Colombo, Sri Lanka
https://nerdnomads.com/10-cool-things-to-do-in-colombo
https://www.srilanka.travel/things-to-do-in-colombo
