Colombo- A tropical Paradise


Colombo, Sri Lanka's bustling capital, is located on the country's west coast and with a population of between 800,000 and one million (estimates vary) is by far the country's biggest city, as well as its window on the world. Its natural harbour at the mouth of the Kelani River was a magnet for successive traders and conquerors - first Arab merchants, then Portuguese, Dutch and British imperialists.

The city is a sometimes jarring mix of old and new,with a central cluster of high-rise office blocks and hotels overshadowing red-tiled colonial-era buildings and sprawling street markets which overflow with highpiled fruit and vegetables, colourful silks and cottons, and deliciously fragrant spices.

On its crowded streets stand places of worship symbolic of Sri Lanka's multi-ethnic heritage: graceful Buddhist viharas, for instance, stand close to gaudy temples encrusted with Hindu statuary, and Muslim mosques with slender minarets.

Colombo's streets, which buzz with life during the day - when its population is swollen by some 400,000 commuting workers - are virtually empty after nightfall,with little nightlife outside a handful of international-standard hotels.

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