Colombo City Tour by Tuk Tuk

Your small-group Colombo tour kicks off with a brief walk through the heart of the city’s CBD and its old colonial buildings. After a quick history lesson from your local guide, it’ll be time to hop in a tuk tuk and hit the road! It's one of the best ways to see a lot of Colombo in a little bit of time…and all from a local perspective!

Our first stop will be the Colombo harbour. Swing past the President’s House, the Fort Clock Tower, and the Colombo Lighthouse. From there, pass through Chatham Street, which keeps adding new restaurants, pubs, and bars to its scene. This section of Colombo is particularly fascinating as it was closed to the public for more than 30 years due to civil war and security considerations. We’ll stop briefly in front of the former passenger terminal gate in the Colombo harbour before moving on to the heart of the trading district in Colombo — the busy streets of Pettah.

Hop off the tuk tuk and spend 20-30 minutes exploring the busy streets of Pettah, from the Red Mosque to the market stalls. Meander around, sampling local food and drinks, or shopping in the colourful shops of the market.

Back into the tuk tuks. Navigating the narrow streets of Pettah has been likened to a video game; it’s non-stop dodging people, buses, lorries, bullock carts, bikes, other tuk tuks…even dogs!

Next stop, Wolvendaal Church, which at more than 360 years old is the oldest Dutch reformed church in Sri Lanka, one of the most significant reminders of the various colonial occupations throughout Sri Lanka’s history. Walk through the church, filled with old tombstones of Dutch governors and maybe even talk to the keeper of the church to better understand its history and current issues. 

Our tuk tuk tour of Colombo continues along to the Captain’s Garden Hindu Temple, aka the Sri Kaileshwarm Kovil, and the main place of worship for the many Hindus of Colombo. Walk around the temple, marvelling at the colourful paintings and murals, talk to devotees, and witness a special blessing (if you’re lucky!).

Back in the tuk tuks, we’ll set off for Independence Square, where Sri Lanka claimed independence from the British in 1948. The monument and park here are of great significance to Sri Lankans.

Our last stop of the day will be the famous Gangaramaya Temple. One of the main Buddhist temples in Colombo, known for its architecture, paintings, and collection of artefacts from various historical eras and for its contribution to Buddhist education. The temple sits across the road from the man-made, heavily polluted Bera Lake, which we’ll visit and discuss the everyday reality and impact of pollution in Colombo. If time permits, we can take the bridge that leads to the temple on the lake, Seema Malaka.

This tour comes to an end as we head back to the World Trade Center.