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ypically, the weather in Colombo is warm and sunny, with a chance of rain at certain times of the year. Average temperature (in degree Celsius) April to October: 33.5°C November to April: 25°C Population: 600,000 Sightseeing Explore a new area. Be inspired by another culture. The Gateway Hotel wants to help you get as much as possible out of every travel experience. Here are some local attractions and intriguing destinations we think you'll like. 01 Museums Attractions near the hotel include the National Museum of Colombo, the Natural History Museum and the Dutch Period Museum. It is also worth visiting the Galle Face Green Promenade and the local zoo, which hosts an elephant show every day. 02 Day tour to Wilpattu National Park Close to Anuradhapura is unique in its topography having several inland 'Villus' (lakes) that attract thousands of water birds. It is the domain of the elusive leopard. Bear and herds of deer and sambhur are common. 03 Day tour to Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage Is very popular and visited daily by many Sri Lankan and foreign tourists. The main attraction is clearly to observe the bathing elephants from the tall river bank as it allows visitors to observe the herd interacting socially, bathing and playing. This 24 acre elephant orphanage is also a breeding place for elephants. Twenty elephants have been born since 1984, and the orphanage has the largest herd of captive elephants in the world. 04 Day tour to Kandy "The name Kandy comes from the Sinhala name Kanda Udarata which means The Country over the mountains. It is also called Maha Nuwara which also means The Great City". It was from Kandy Sri Wikrama Rajasinhe the last King of Sri Lanka was taken captive by the British forces in 1815. Food With an extensive number of indigenous cuisines and local spices, Sri Lanka offers a varied palette of flavours. Over time, Sri Lankan cuisine has also gone on to accommodate Indian, Chinese, Malay, Arabian and European ingredients and techniques, alongside the regional. Rice and curry, however, still comprises the main meal in almost every Sri Lankan household, and is often complemented by salads, sambols, papadam and a variety of chutneys. Culture At Sri Lanka, traditions are integral to the way of life of many people. While this reflects in their arts, religions such as Buddhism and Hinduism also strongly influence their cultures. A myriad of customs, remnants of the colonial rule also linger by way of cuisines and architecture. Colombo Hotels The Colombo Rundown In the compact island nation of Sri Lanka, it all radiates from Colombo. All, of course, being glorious Brahmanic Tamil monuments, protohistoric Iron Age excavations, sacred Buddhist sites, unspoilt coasts, deep montane forests and singular endemic wildlife. Indisputably, per square mile, few places on Earth offer more. The glimmers of ancient worlds and pockets of lush, super biodiversity that shape the mien of the former Dominion of Ceylon have a vibrant pulse point. More than a quarter of Sri Lanka’s 20 million plus populace lives in metro Colombo. The commercial capital and urban nucleus wields untold economic and political influence over the rest of the country and is the de factogateway of record for visitors. As introductions go, Colombo exerts an uncommon impression. The city distills the most notable and, admittedly, less desirable aspects of Sri Lanka into a rich cultural collage, fraught with sprightly action. To get a sense of heady Colombo, look around. Architecture, in part, tells the story of the city, from passé monuments of the colonial past to ornate Hindu temples, markets to mosques. Tangibly modern yet elusively exotic, Colombo is awash in the kind of contradictions that reward nervy forays out your front door. Colombo’s Top 10 10. Wolvendaal Church is a tidy reminder of just how 5. Independence Memorial Hall and pervasive a maritime power the Dutch East India Company Museum commemorates Sri Lanka’s breakout from was, just a few hundred years ago. the yoke of British rule in 1948. 9. The University of Colombo’s alumni hall of fame is a 4. Colombo Dutch Museum is a terrific repository veritable who’s who of Sri Lankan society, past and present. of colonial-era records and relics. The historic campus affords one of the great city strolls. 8. R. Premadasa Stadium is a vital nexus of world cricket. 3. National Art Gallery is conveniently located next In March 2011, Sri Lanka won by 5 wickets to move past to the National Museum and houses the most New Zealand to the ICC World Cup championship match in important collection of native works of art in Sri Page 1 of 4 front of a capacity crowd of 35,000. The Sinhalese Sports Lanka. Club is another important cricket ground in Colombo. 7. Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara is a major temple of 2. Galle Face Green is the chief leisure and Buddhist worship a short distance outside of Colombo, full of congregation point in Colombo. The half kilometre- remarkable bodhisattva iconography. long, five hectare-wide area borders Beira Lake, the central business district and Indian Ocean. 6. Viharamahadevi Park is Colombo’s Hyde Park and a 1. National Museum of Colombo is the best superb, scenic spot for a contemplative walk. museum and premier cultural archive in Sri Lanka. Colombo History Sri Kailawasanathar Swami Devasthanam – The oldest Hindu temple in the city, containing shrines for Shiva and Ganesh. Independence Hall – Built to commemorate Sri Lanka’s independence in 1948. Sapumal Foundation – Formally the home of artist Harry Pieris, it now houses Sri Lankan art. Fort – An ancient fort that now houses the World Trade Centre and other organizations. Colombo National Museum – Houses elements of one of the oldest Asian civilizations in Sri Lanka. Colombo Art & Culture Celebration of Buddha’s Birth – Yearly festival in May that features a week of celebrations, including lantern competitions. WOMAD – Annual festival in March called the World of Music, Arts and Dance. It pulls drummers and percussionists from all around the world to celebrate the island’s association with drums. Lionel Wendt Art Gallery – Charity gallery featuring the work of local artists. Namel Malini Punchi Theatre – Features shows produced by local art talent. National Museum – Contains art, carvings and statues from throughout Sri Lanka’s past, including a collection of antique demon masks. Colombo Shopping Pettah – Colombo’s bazaar district, which is lined with stalls offering jewellery, handbags, household items and more. Laksala Emporium – A great place to find handmade crafts like wooden masks and batik. Crascat Boulevard – A large-scale mall with grocery store, salons, food court, coffee shops and spas. House of Fashion – Three-level outlet mall with designer clothing as affordable prices. Barefoot – Shop of designer Barbara Sansoni that sells bedspreads, notebooks, albums and other household goods. Colombo Gay & Lesbian Companions on a Journey – A local LGBT group that organize social get-togethers for the local community. Andrees Tours – A gay- and lesbian-friendly tour company that organizes trips around Sri Lanka. Lush – A mixed gay and lesbian club that is popular with locals. Colombo Gay Pride Week – Held in June every year in the Mount Lavinia area. The Gallery Cafe – Former office of famous homosexual Sri Lankan architect Geoffrey Bawa. Colombo Outdoor Galle Face Green – A long, narrow park south of the fort and next to the coast, lined with palm trees. A Baur and Co. – Specializes in bird-watching tours. National Zoological Gardens – Founded in 1936, it houses a variety of birds and animals, such as amphibians and butterflies. Mount Lavinia Beach – Resort area where you may be able to swim in the water. Viharamahadevi Park – Named after the mother of King Dutugemunu, it has beautiful trees that bloom in March, April and May. Colombo Sport Play 18 holes of golf at the Water’s Edge Golf and Country Club or the Royal Colombo Golf Club. Spend the day diving, mountain biking, canoeing or kayaking. Love to run? Go jogging around the city with the Hash House Harriers. If you like to watch cricket, then watch the Sinhalese Sports Club play. Watch the Colombo Swimming Club practice and compete. Colombo Local The demographics on Colombo tell the story. The city proper contains less than 700,000 people, with 5 million more spread out over a roughly-defined metropolitan area. Colombo is a big city, in other words, with inherent enclaves of interest to explore well beyond the 37 km2 that delineate the core. An intimate knowledge of the central city districts, however, is helpful. Cinnamon Gardens is the upscale embassy district of the city, home to government officials, wealthy business executives and expats, not to mention a host of wonderful attractions. The former cinnamon plantation is the elegant home of Independence Hall, the Prime Minister's Office, National Gallery, National Museum, Town Hall and expansive University of Colombo campus. Fort designates the busy central business district of Colombo and is where a slew of household-name landmarks unfurl. From the Colombo Stock Exchange to the World Trade Centre of Colombo, Galle Face Green promenade to the General Post Office, Bank of Ceylon headquarters to the President’s House, Fort is a peerless mixture of architecture from every era of the city. Slave Island is directly south of Fort and is a popular leisure, entertainment and tourist area of Colombo. The home of Beira Lake is full of hotels, restaurants and shops and, as such, lures big weekend and holiday crowds. Kollupitiya was, for a time, the district of choice for some of the most prominent and influential members of Sri Lankan society.