Panoramic Colombo
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Port
Colombo, Sri Lanka
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Activity Level
Easy
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Excursion Type
All
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Wheelchair Accessible
No
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Starting At
$49.95
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Minimum Age
Information Not Currently Available
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Duration
Approximately 2 Hours
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Meals Included
Meals not included
Depart the pier on a panoramic drive to explore the unique and interesting city of Colombo.
Watch for Colombo Fort in the heart of the city. The Portuguese built and extended their fortress here during more than a century of conquest and resistance. It was taken over by the Dutch and finally demolished by the British after they completed their conquest of Ceylon in the mid-19th century. Today, the area is the city's financial and commercial heart and houses Colombo's main international hotels, as well as Sri Lanka's seat of government.
Drive past the colorful bazaars of Pettah to the Old Parliament building and Galle Face -- a promenade that stretches for a quarter mile along the coastline of the financial and business district of Colombo. The promenade was initially laid out in 1859 by Sir Henry Ward, the Governor of then-British Ceylon. Interestingly, it was also used for horse racing and as a golf course, although the original Galle Face Green extended over a much larger area than is seen today.
Your scenic journey ends with a view of the Town Hall, Gangarama Temple, Independence Square, Cinnamon Gardens, Bandaranayke Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH), the University of Colombo, and the Royal College, which may be the largest school in Asia with 7,500 students, and Independence Square.
As you make your way back to the pier, see the incredible Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque -- the landmark by which sailors approaching the port recognized Colombo.