Colombo With Kids
Kites on Galle Face Green, a temple full of treasures and the start of the best train ride in Asia.
Nicole Damiano, ASTA Verified Travel Advisor with FG Luxury Travel
Is Colombo good for kids?
Yes, as a short stop. It is friendly and easy, and Galle Face Green, the temples and the tuk tuks are a great first taste of Sri Lanka.
How many days?
One or two nights. Save the rest of your time for the hill country, the safari parks and the beaches.
What is the one thing we cannot miss?
Galle Face Green at sunset, with a kite and street food.
Do we need a visa?
Most visitors need an ETA, applied for online before arrival. Check the current rules for your passport.
When should we go?
December to April for Colombo and the west and south coasts.
The Soft Landing Before Sri Lanka
Colombo is where almost every Sri Lanka trip starts or ends. Most families give it a night or two to get over the flight, eat well and see a little of the city before heading to the hill country, the beaches or the safari parks.
It sits right on the Indian Ocean. Galle Face Green runs along the water in the middle of town, and in the evening it fills up with families flying kites and eating street food. That is the first thing I tell people to do.
Getting Around
Tuk tuks are the way to get around Colombo, and most run on the meter or a ride app now. For the rest of the country a private driver is the easiest choice with kids. The coastal train is worth doing at least once.
Neighborhoods worth basing in
Galle Face and Fort
The big hotels on the sea, close to Galle Face Green and the old colonial center. The easiest place for a short stay.
Colombo 7, Cinnamon Gardens
Tree lined streets, the National Museum and Viharamahadevi Park. Quieter and very green.
Mount Lavinia
The beach suburb south of the city, with the old Mount Lavinia Hotel on its own headland. A good last night before an early flight.
The Galle Face Hotel
Open since 1864, right on the sea at the end of the green. The colonial veranda at sunset is something kids remember.
A seafront hotel
The newer towers along the ocean have big pools, kids clubs and good breakfasts after a long flight.
A boutique villa hotel
Small villa hotels in Colombo 7 give you a garden, a pool and a lot of calm for less.
The Three I Build Every Colombo Trip Around
Gangaramaya Temple
A Buddhist temple that feels like a treasure chest, packed with statues, vintage cars, clocks and gifts from all over the world. Walk across to the Seema Malaka meditation hall floating on Beira Lake after.
Galle Face Green
The long lawn along the sea. Go at sunset, buy a kite, and eat isso vadai, the crispy prawn fritters, from the carts. It is the city’s favorite evening.
Pettah Market
The old market district, loud, busy and split into streets for fruit, spices, fabric and everything else. Pair it with the Red Mosque, striped like candy, and a visit to the Dutch Museum nearby.
Family Time, Built In: Colombo With Kids
Colombo is a gentle introduction to Sri Lanka. Kites and street food at Galle Face, swans and paddle boats at the park, and the first ride in a tuk tuk, which is usually the highlight.
The first tuk tuk ride
Paddle boats on Beira Lake
King coconut from a cart
The coastal train to Mount Lavinia
PARK & DOWNTIME PICK
Viharamahadevi Park in Colombo 7. Big shade trees, a playground, fountains and the golden Buddha statue at one end. Easy to pair with the National Museum next door.
Five Things To Eat In Colombo
Hoppers
Kottu roti
Rice and curry
Isso vadai
King coconutNicole’s Perspective
The night or two I always build in
When I plan Sri Lanka for families, I almost always put a night in Colombo at the start. After that flight nobody wants to drive four hours into the hills. One easy night by the sea fixes that.
Get to Galle Face Green for sunset, eat hoppers for breakfast, see the Gangaramaya Temple, and then take the train or a driver out to the rest of the island. Sri Lanka is small and every part of it is different.
The Day Trip: Galle Fort
About two hours south on the expressway is Galle Fort, a walled Dutch town on the sea. Walk the ramparts at sunset, watch the cliff jumpers by the lighthouse and look for the old church and the clock tower. The streets inside are full of cafes and small shops. Many families stay on the south coast after.
Things I Would Tell A Friend Before They Booked
How Many Days
One or two nights is right for Colombo with kids. Most families spend a week to two weeks on the island.
Galle Face Green at sunset, a good dinner and an early night before you head out.
Add Gangaramaya, Pettah and the park, then dinner by the sea.
Colombo pairs with Kandy, the tea country, the safari parks and the south coast beaches. Doha and the Maldives are easy add ons too.
Colombo With Kids, Answered
Is Colombo good for kids?
Yes, as a short stop. It is friendly and easy, and Galle Face Green, the temples and the tuk tuks are a great first taste of Sri Lanka.
How many days?
One or two nights. Save the rest of your time for the hill country, the safari parks and the beaches.
What is the one thing we cannot miss?
Galle Face Green at sunset, with a kite and street food.
Do we need a visa?
Most visitors need an ETA, applied for online before arrival. Check the current rules for your passport.
When should we go?
December to April for Colombo and the west and south coasts.
Ready To Put Colombo On The Calendar
Send me your dates and your kids’ ages and I will plan the whole island around them, starting with the right night in Colombo.
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