Top Colombo Hotels

Colombo - don''t drive!! take taxi''s! Must visit - Sigiriya and surrounding cultural triangle. Pinnawela Elephant orphanage. Shopping - some good stores for cheap good export quality clothes - Odel, Arena, House of Fashion Advice- leave early on tours, distance is not great but driving is hectic hence give enough time for the road. Don''t eat from dodgy road side outlets; take plenty of water, drink plenty of king coconut!!! Sri Lankan Papaya and pineapple is the best in the world!!!!

It is easy to go up and down Galle Road by public bus, instead of dealing with the insouciance of the three-wheeler drivers parked outside the hotel, who will overcharge for very short rides and often won''t accept reasonable offers. Just ask a friendly local at the bus stop opposite the hotel on Galle Road, if the bus goes down to wherever your destination is and hop on. A chap holding a bunch of tickets will come up to you and get your fare. Be ready with small change. The fare for a trip to where the Barefoot boutique is costs about Rs.5-8.

take a tuk tuk ride! In the city - Eat Lamprais! Don''t overkill on rice and curry, you will end up with indigestion due to the excessive use of chilli powder. Take gaviscon/digene :-) Don''t change currency at the hotel, rate is very low. Plenty of nice restuarant with great atmosphere to go to. Visit Galleria Paradise Road. Gay scene at Kolu''s! super! Shoppping - Odel, Arena, House of Fashion, Paradise Road

Sri Lanka is just gorgeous. Stunning beaches and clear blue warm water. Galle Fort is interesting for a day or so. We also did a safari in one of the National Parks, which was fantastic. Had a wonderful dinner in the Sun House in Galle. Food at the Amans is also good, though you need order well ahead of being hungry.

Just a short visit to Sri Lanka of 7 nights and although usually an independent traveller preferring to use local transport, we booked a very good holiday with Mr. Lindley who has a Tourist Office right near the Ist Class Booking Office at Colombo Fort Railway Station. For a modest fee two of us had our own use of a mini bus and driver with bed and breakfast at hotels in the Central Highlands. Sri Lanka is very cheap to travel in as is eating out. A good place to visit with friendly people.

From Colombo I took a tour of the highlands of Sri Lanka, before attempting the potentially difficult and emotional visit to the coastline devastated by the tsunami. Despite the obvious devastation, I found a warm welcome everywhere I went and a keen interest in wanting to invite tourists to the whole country. Sri Lanka is open for business, and wants to return to normality, and that means a return to the tourism industry. Travellers, please do not disappoint them.

House of Fashions is a couple blocks away from Havelock Place. It''s an outlet store for some of the garment manufacturers in Sri Lanka. We got brand-name items (Tommy Hilfigir, Nike, etc) for $2-$3 each.

I highly recommend JNW Lanka Tours, run by Mr. Wazeer. They are very reliable, very flexible, and have a good fleet of vans and excellent chauffers. Their package tour rates are competitive and I would choose them over any other tour company in Colombo because of their professionalism. One can also design one''s own itinerary and Mr. Wazeer will fine-tune it for you. Visit their website www.jnwtours.com

Galerie Cafe and Paradise Road definitely impressed me. The former is probably one of the best and certainly the chic-est restaurants in Colombo. The latter is an excellent shop full of stylish Sri Lankan made items and a great place to buy gifts as well as housewares. A good cafe too. Odel''s is a great place to pick up some clothes especially if you''ve just all of yours in a tsunami. There are some western priced items but loads of attractive but very inexpensive buys to supplement your travelling wardrobe. Arena is also worth checking out for some smart well made fakes but also good original pieces too.

Beach Wadiya Seafood Restaurant - 2 Station Avenue Colombo 6. Very good sea food special place at the beach, romantic place. The staff is slow especially when you order the check.