The South Asian city with a creative underbelly

Times

2 days ago

The best cities in the world often seem to have a gritty, hard-to-penetrate exterior that keeps uncurious travellers at bay — and Colombo is no exception. On the surface, the Sri Lankan capital is ruled by overzealous tuk-tuks, grumbling Ashok Leyland buses and oil-slick black crows cawing from fragrant frangipani trees. But dig a little deeper and curious souls will find an island metropolis buzzing with excitement, creativity and passionate residents. From the uneven pavements of Colombo 7 — uprooted by sprawling ficus tree roots — where art spaces hide, to the unmarked buildings, close to Beira Lake, housing rooftop bars serving world-class cocktails, there's plenty to seek out. And visitors should make time to do just that. Deserving of a few days on every Sri Lankan itinerary, the city offers a more authentic look at local life, away from the south coast, which caters heavily to tourists.
In his book Cut Pieces, Ashok Ferrey describes Colombo as the fastest-changing capital city in the world — he's not wrong. Evident around the photogenic Old Fort area, with its colonial-era dark pink buildings, and the ever-growing sprawl of Port City and Slave Island, where shiny new buildings seemingly emerge each day, it seems the only constant in Colombo these days is the continuous quotidian whoop-whoop of the Asian koel bird.
• Morning: Museum hopping• Eat at: Ranbath Organic• Afternoon: Number 11 • Drink at: Eskobar• Evening: Paradise Road• Eat at: Table by Nyne
• Morning: Kelaniya Temple• Eat at: The 'Stache• Afternoon: Pettah and Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque• Drink at: Uncle's • Evening: Bar crawl• Eat at: Gini
● Dive into Sri Lanka's fascinating history at the Colombo National Museum (£4), where gigantic bronze Bodhisattva sandals from the 9th century are a highlight. Nearby, and occupying a characterful old house in Colombo 7, Sapumal Foundation (free, @SapumalFoundation) holds around 300 works by famed Sri Lankan artists. The quiet setting allows visitors to appreciate Lionel Wendt's intimate black-and-white photography and Harry Pieris's moody oils without the crowds. Then hop in a tuk-tuk (expect to pay around a £1) to the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Sri Lanka (MMCA) just 10 minutes away, to view thought-provoking local art by the new generation (free; mmca-srilanka.org).
● Swerve the afternoon heat by dropping in at Number 11, the impressive home of one of Sri Lanka's most revered architects, Geoffrey Bawa. As the godfather of tropical modernism, Bawa's architectural style celebrates nature with airy, open-plan interiors, all of which can be witnessed firsthand during one of the informative daily 45-minute tours that take place at 2pm and 3.30pm during weekdays and at 4pm on Saturdays (£13; geoffreybawa.com/number-11).
● Prominent Sri Lankan brand Paradise Road has a brand new flagship store, spanning three floors at 138 Galle Road. It's famed for its black and white ceramics, including some very cool Tamil and Sinhalese alphabet mugs, and the site also features an exhibition space and concept clothing store filled with monochromatic pieces by Sri Lankan designers.
● Most visitors to the city head to Gangaramaya Temple, but it's not the prettiest and worth eschewing in favour of Kelaniya Temple, 11km northeast of Colombo. With intricate images of the reclining Buddha, and gasp-inducing paintings by renowned temple artist Walimuni Solias Mendis (which took more than 20 years to complete), it's a fantastical place rarely mentioned in guidebooks. Be sure to dress respectfully (free).
● Painted in bold crimson and white stripes, Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque in the Pettah neighbourhood of Colombo, is marked out as a must-visit on account of its photogenic appeal. Take in the grand exterior from Main Street and 2nd Cross Street, or head inside to get a closer, more serene look (free). On the way out, pop into Bombay Sweetmeat Mart for a Barbie-pink falooda (a refreshing milkshake-style drink made with rose syrup, milk and ice cream) and a homemade samosa (from 50p).
● Get acquainted with the local side of the city on the self-titled 'dodgy bar tour' with Dilshan Sirisena and Adam Kenny of Soulful Sri Lanka. This two-and-a-half-hour walking tour, which begins close to Pettah, takes in a handful of Colombo's most low-key and most-loved watering holes, where arrack (the country's famed tipple made from the fermented sap of the coconut flower) is the star of the show (£55pp; soulfulsrilanka.com).
• Read our full guide to Sri Lanka
This locally loved café serves an array of delicately spiced curries and locally grown rice, served on lotus leaves alongside coconut husk cutlery (there's no plastic used here). The daily changing buffet features must-try dishes such as beetroot curry, spicy pol sambol (a grated coconut relish) and lunu miris (chili paste). Don't miss the Lavariya (caramelised coconut wrapped in a string hopper) too (mains from £1.80; @ranbathorganic).
Always bustling with locals and rightly so, all-day brunch spot The 'Stache has an exceptionally eclectic menu. Listing addictive kaya toast (local toasted bread topped with a pandan, coconut and brown sugar spread), roast paan sandwiches (the pol sambol and cream cheese version is superb), and Siam Ceylon (a twist on the Sri Lankan staple milk rice), there's something for everyone (mains from £1.80; @the.stache_brunch).
Get a different perspective of the city from secret-ish jazz bar Eskobar overlooking Beira Lake in Colombo 2. Bold orange velvet and a South American theme form the backdrop to a list of innovative cocktails. Top tipples include Sour del Sol, a smoky whiskey-based blend with hints of maple syrup and local lemon, and the tangy Tamarindo, a signature sip with a pisco base (cocktails from £8; @eskobar.cmb).
Tucked away in a cul-de-sac close to Beira Lake, Table by Nyne's tiny outdoor space is the ideal place to retreat to when the buzz of the city gets too much. Everything impresses here, from the service to the surroundings and, of course, the food and top-class cocktails. Fusing European cooking styles with local ingredients, expect delights such as grilled barramundi with pumpkin gnocchi and buffalo curd sorbet(mains from £7.50; tablebynyne.com).
Old school cinema-inspired murals, on-tap toddy and beautifully crafted cocktails ensure Uncle's is always lively come the weekend. Alongside small bites like mutton rolls and chilli-topped cheese toast, the cocktail to order is Rampe — a blend of Sri Lankan gin, pineapple, pandan and coconut water. Its washed-out, pale-green appearance and creamy flavour can be likened to bakewell pudding in refreshing liquid form (cocktails from £5.50; @uncles_colombo).
Leading the charge on Colombo's food and drinks scene with a showstopping menu overflowing with local produce, family-owned Gini impresses with live fire cooking, a beautiful garden setting, and exquisite dishes. Unmissable bites include an extremely moreish curry aïoli and fermented, chili-topped, deep-fried prawn sausage, Negombo white fish crudo with nori and the house favourite, charred cabbage served with mushroom crema and local cheese. Cocktails are equally spectacular (mains from £8.80; ginicolombo.com).
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• Fantastic beaches in Sri Lanka
For ocean vistas and serene suites One of the few city hotels with impressive (uninterrupted) Indian Ocean views, Shangri-La Colombo stands out for its top-class spa and comfortable, sea-facing bedrooms. Watching over the ever-changing Port City area of the city, the highlight of stays, however, is the pretty swimming pool area decked out with bright yellow sun shades and surrounded by greenery. The Tiki Bar — which comes adorned with wooden Sri Lankan folk masks — on the fourth floor offers more than 50 house-made arrack infusions using local fruits and spices such as ambarella, wood apple and cinnamon.Details B&B doubles from £127; shangri-la.com
The prettiest boutique hotel in town A magical air swirls around Maniumpathy's eight individually designed bedrooms, each flawless in execution and laden with dark-wood antiques, deep-soak bathtubs and chintzy floral fabrics. Located in a colonial-era residence passed down through generations, this private, peaceful and incredibly intimate idyll feels like a true home away from home, only better. Located in the upscale neighbourhood of Cinnamon Gardens, it's worth venturing out for a cup of Uda Watte tea at t-Lounge by Dilmah just around the corner.Details B&B doubles from £204; maniumpathy.com
A haven for architecture lovers A true Mecca for Geoffrey Bawa fans, it's possible to stay in one of two suites in the architect's old Colombo home, Number 11. Surrounded by Bawa's favourite frangipani trees, bright-white painted concrete flooring leads guests into the tranquil abode where original art by some of Bawa's best pals lines the walls. The home has been left exactly as it was when the architect was alive, antiques, books and all, ensuring waking up in this special sanctuary is a true once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Details B&B doubles from £317; geoffreybawa.com
• More great hotels in Sri Lanka
SriLankan Airlines flies direct from London Heathrow in about 11 hours (from £634 return; srilankan.com); Bandaranaike International Airport is about 45 minutes from the city centre. Taxis from the airport cost around £12 and can be booked via Uber or through the Sri Lankan app, PickMe. While Colombo is a pretty walkable city, tuk-tuks are affordable and convenient and can also be booked through Uber and PickMe. Remember to change the app's payment setting to cash, as taxis and tuk-tuks rarely accept card payments.
Note: tipping is highly encouraged in Colombo since the wages for drivers, tour guides and hospitality staff can be low — ten per cent is a good amount to adhere to, or more if you can afford it.
Sri Lanka is an outstandingly beautiful country that deserves as much time as can be spared. The vibrant northern regions (which were once out of bounds due to the country's civil war), as well as important pilgrimage routes where ancient temples mingle with dense monkey-filled jungle, provide plenty to keep curious souls captivated. While it's pretty easy to navigate the country alone, hiring a local guide ensures a deep and fascinating immersion into local customs, culture and history. Soulful Sri Lanka (soulfulsrilanka.com) curate bespoke tours that incorporate Colombo into longer trips off the beaten path. Lydia Swinscoe was a guest of Shangri-La Colombo (shangri-la.com) and the Geoffrey Bawa Trust (geoffreybawa.com)