Colombo
Colombo
iNFORMAT
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Colombo
iNFORMAT
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Bazaar SOUVENiRS
(Map p60; off Olcott Mawatha, Col 11) A large col-
lection of stalls just west of Fort station, sell-
ing items aimed at tourists. Cheap prices for
Lion beer T-shirts.Buddhist Book Centre BOOKS
(Map p64; %268 9786; 380 Bauddhaloka Mawatha,
Col 7) Filled with books on Buddhism; about
a third of the stock is in English.8 Information
DANGERS & ANNOYANCES
Crime Violence towards foreigners is un-
common, although you should take the usual
safeguards. Solo women should be careful
when taking taxis and three-wheelers at night;
if, as sometimes happens, your taxi turns up
with two men inside, call another.
Scams & Touts Colombo has its share of touts
and con artists. You may be approached by
someone who, after striking up a conversation,
asks for a donation for a school for the blind or
some such cause – these people are invariably
con artists. Street offers for guides and ‘spe-
cial’ tours should also be shunned.EMERGENCY
Fire & Ambulance (%242 2222, 110)
Medi-Calls Ambulance (%534 3343, 255
6605; http://www.medicallsonline.com) Private
ambulance company.
Police (%243 3333, 119)
Tourist Police (Map p 64 ; %242 1052, 1912;
80 galle Rd, Col 3; h24hr)INTERNET ACCESS
Many cafes and most hotels in Colombo offer
wi-fi.MEDIA
The daily English-language newspapers, the
Daily Mirror, the Daily News and the Island all
have local news and entertainment listings.
g ood websites:
Ceylon Today (www.ceylontoday.lk) News,
sports and entertainment.
Daily Mirror (www.dailymirror.lk) Best of the
newspaper websites.
Gossip Lanka (www.english.gossiplankanews.
com) gossip and entertainment news.
Yamu (www.yamu.lk) good source for events,
dining out, sights and more.MEDICAL SERVICES
Avoid government hospitals, such as Colombo
g eneral.
Nawaloka Hospital (Map p 64 ; %557 7111;
http://www.nawaloka.com; 23 Deshamanya HK Dhar-
madasa Mawatha, Col 2) This private hospital
has a good reputation and English-speaking
doctors.MONEY
There are banks and ATMs all over the city.
Exchange services are in the arrivals hall at
Bandaranaike international Airport, in Fort and
along galle Rd.POST
Sri Lanka Post (Map p 60 ; %011 232 6203;
DR Wijewardana Mawatha, Col 1; h7am-6pm)
has branches around the city.
The major international express shipping
services all have locations in Colombo.TOURIST INFORMATION
Sri Lanka Tourist Board (S lTB; Map p 64 ;
%243 7059; http://www.srilanka.travel; 80 galle Rd,
Col 3; h9am-4.45pm Mon-Fri, to 12.30pm
Sat) The country’s national tourism office has
lavish brochures and maps, and can answer
questions.8 Getting There & Away
Note that the roads in and around Colombo are
very congested.AIR
Although Bandaranaike international Airport
(p 312 ##) is at Katunayake, 30km north of the
city, it is called Colombo (CMB) in airline sched-
ules. Arriving by air – especially late at night – it
is easiest to spend your first night in Negombo
or the city. You can then easily move on by road,
rail or bus.BUS
Colombo’s bus stations are chaotic, but have
frequent buses going in all directions. The city
has three main bus terminals, all just east ofKALA POLA ART MARKET
Every Sunday morning the broad ave-
nue Ananda Coomaraswamy Mawatha,
south of Viharamahadevi Park, comes
alive with colour as local artists display
their works at the Kala Pola Art Mar-
ket (Map p64; Ananda Coomaraswamy
Mawatha, Col 7; hSunday 8am-noon).
This weekly explosion of colour is an
outgrowth of the original market, a
huge annual event still held the third
Sunday of January when up to 500
artists display their work. The market is
a kaleidoscope of creativity from across
the nation and you might just find a
bargain-priced treasure.