5 BEST Tours in Colombo: Which One to Choose

Curious about the best tours in Colombo? We love this city and below are all of our favorite tours we’ve taken over the years.

There are many tours to choose from in this city, but they’re not all created equally and there are lots you’ll want to avoid. We want to make sure you have the best possible time in Colombo which is why we put together this blog of the tours that are actually worth it.

I’ll cover the best experiences and provide insider tips so that by the end of this blog you’ll be ready to book the perfect tour for you!

1. Private Customizable Colombo Sightseeing Tour by Tuk-Tuk 

We loved this private tuk-tuk tour because you only go to the locations you’re interested in. What’s even better is that you have a local guide to accompany you the entire time! It’s the perfect way to experience the city and with a killer price to match, I encourage everyone to take it.

We are quality over quantity travelers, so when we booked this tour we knew that we wanted to spend more time at fewer places. We hit five spots in total, and if you ask me I think that’s perfect for 4 hours, especially with some small bonus stops in between each.

Our driver and guide picked us up from our hotel around 9:30 am and after some introductions, we were off! Over the course of the tour, we went to Gangaramaya Temple, Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque, the Old Parliament Building, Pettah Floating Market, and the Colombo Lotus Tower. A seriously full day!

While it was all worth visiting, I would say Gangaramaya Temple and Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque were my two favorites. Besides being the most important temple in Colombo, Gangaramaya Temple is absolutely stunning and has all sorts of incredible Buddhist artifacts. Meanwhile, Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque is perhaps the most interesting mosque I’ve ever seen and its unique paint job is thanks to pomegranates! It’s a long story, but ask your guide about it when you visit.

2. Private All-Inclusive Kandy Tour from Colombo

I’m a huge fan of Kandy and love this mountain town a lot which is why I think this tour to Kandy from Colombo is a great way to see the best it has to offer. And with a local guide at your side, you’ll see why it’s one of the most popular destinations in all of Sri Lanka!

Since hotel pick up is offered, I suggest making the most of your day with an early start around  6 am. Catching the sunrise as you drive to Kandy is beautiful and you don’t want to miss it! If you like to plan your days, feel free to let your guide know how you want the day to go. However, we told our guide to take us to his favorite locations in the order he thought best and we couldn’t have had a better outcome.   

We saw a lot (and I mean a lot) of amazing stuff during our day in Kandy. Easily the coolest part was the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic which actually has one of the Buddha’s teeth in it. We explored this gorgeous temple with our guide as he explained the significance and even brought us to see elephants in the temple! 

If you love viewpoints, you’ll love this tour since stops like Kandy Viewpoint, Bahirawakanda Samadhi Buddha Statue, and Kandy Lake are all stunning. It’s such a pretty area!

Related Read: If you decide to spend more time in Kandy, check out our full guide on what to see and do in Kandy!

3. Best of Southern Sri Lanka – Private Day Trip from Colombo 

South Sri Lanka is beautiful and this full-day tour highlights the best it has to offer. I’m a big fan of each stop and since it’s customizable, you can choose to spend more or less time at any of the locations you visit. If you want to experience Sri Lanka’s unique southern culture, this is the perfect tour to do so.

The first stop is Galle Fort, an old Portuguese fortress I love for its beautiful architecture and quaint charm. You’ll walk around here for a bit before exploring the lighthouse and admiring the stunning views of the coast. But a visit to Galle is only as good as the guide you go with and lucky for you, this tour has the best in the business. Trust me when I say that there is a lot to learn!

As an animal lover, I think the stop at the sea turtle conservation project is such a cool thing to see. Sri Lanka takes pride in its wildlife conservation and it was a blast to see it in action up close – baby sea turtles alone are worth booking the tour! 

And if you’ve never been stilt fishing (I know I hadn’t) this tour has you out in the ocean with locals trying to catch fish with bamboo spears, talk about adventure! There are tons of other unique stops waiting for you on this epic tour of southern Sri Lanka.

4. Small-Group Cooking Class and Market Tour

It’s a well-kept secret that Sri Lankan food is some of the best in Asia and I love this cooking tour because you get to take the best recipes back home with you. Get ready to wow your friends and family when you make them some seriously tasty dishes you learned how to make on this tour!

We took the lunchtime cooking class, but I can’t wait to go back and do the dinner time one because each has unique meals. Foodies will get a lot out of the first part of this tour (I know I did!) when you go to a local market with your guide and learn all about the ingredients used in Sri Lankan food. Plus, markets are just so much fun to explore! This is a great tour to book if you love culture and history as much as you do food.

After a lovely drive out to our host’s house, we were greeted by nature and a kitchen ready for us to get cooking. What makes Sri Lankan food unique is that the techniques used to make it aren’t readily accessible online or in books. That means the only way to learn how to do it is hands-on! Coconut roti, coconut sambal, and my favorite, chicken curry, were all on the menu that day – and it was delicious!

5. Private Colombo Food Tour by Tuk-Tuk 

I absolutely love Sri Lankan food and this food tour takes you to all of the best-kept street food secret spots in Colombo. If you’re a foodie who wants to experience authentic Sri Lankan flavors, don’t hesitate to book this tour immediately!

Right off the bat, I love that you get picked up from your hotel in a stylish tuk-tuk to be taken through the city to eat at various locations, it’s such a fun way to get around! And there are plenty of places to eat so come hungry. If you don’t like spicy food or have dietary restrictions, let your driver know at the beginning so they can help you order.

If you’re like me and love spice, then Sri Lankan food will blow your tastebuds away – in a good way! India gets a lot of recognition for flavorful food, but I honestly think Sri Lankan food is better. Eating crab curry with fluffy appam bread off of a banana leaf with my hands was such a fun experience. And don’t forget to try a samosa, a street food legend!

And besides mouth-watering flavors at every stop, this tour is a great way to learn about Sri Lankan culture and hang out with locals. Our guide had us talking, laughing, and trading stories with other local patrons at each stop and it was so enriching. Everyone is so friendly!

Without a doubt, this is the best food tour in Colombo.

Related Read: After you’ve explored the city, check out our list of the best day trips from Colombo!

Where to Stay in Colombo

Shangri-La Colombo – $$$

There is no such thing as a bad view at the Shangri-La Colombo, you’ll either be facing the Indian Ocean, Beira Lake, or get a sweeping city view! Its onsite restaurant is one of the top in the city, and you’ll also find a rooftop pool facing the ocean and a spa. The hotel is upscale and modern, with rooms that exceed expectations in comfort, style, and amenities. 

This luxury stay is located in the Colombo 2 neighborhood, which is the business and entertainment district. You can book the Shangri-La Colombo on Booking.com.

Marino Beach Colombo – $$

You don’t have to spend a fortune to get a high-quality stay! The Marino Beach Colombo is one of the highly-rated mid-range options and prices cap off at $155 USD per night for a sea view room. You can also find rooms for around $75 USD per night. The hotel is upscale, from the rooftop pool that overlooks the ocean to the three gourmet restaurants. 

I can’t forget to rave about the rooms ranging from twin rooms to king suites, which are all very modern. Marino Beach Hotel is located in the Colombo 4 neighborhood, which is where a lot of the top city sights are located. You can check availability and reserve this stay on Booking.com.

Drop Inn Hostels – $

Even for a budget stay, the Drop Inn Hostel is an excellent option! This hostel offers private rooms with attached bathrooms for around $40 USD or a dorm stay for around $10 USD per person. I love that the dorms only go up to 8 people, so it’s still a pretty relaxed stay.

The decor of this hostel is bohemian and quite trendy. All the rooms have air conditioning and you can use the kitchen, patio, and balcony areas. It is located in Colombo 5, which is a very central area! Book your room on Booking.com or on Hostelworld.com.

Getting Around Sri Lanka

To visit all of the best places in Sri Lanka, you’re going to need a mode of transport. You have a few choices when it comes to getting around Sri Lanka:

Rent a Tuk-tuk

Easily the most popular (and most fun) way to travel around Sri Lanka. We actually rented a tuk-tuk on our trip and absolutely loved it! Tuk-tuks are easy to drive, cheap to rent, and the freedom that comes with your own wheels is unmatched.

If you do decide to rent a tuk-tuk in Sri Lanka, be sure to go with a reputable company that provides quality tuk-tuks, such as Tuktuk Rental (who we rented from.) These guys not only offer an amazing service, but their tuk-tuks are actually rented from local families, providing income for the local community.

Thinking about booking with Tuktuk Rental? Click THIS link here to get 5% OFF your tuk-tuk rental!

For more info, read our blog: The Truth about Renting a Tuk-tuk in Sri Lanka.

Hire a Driver

If you’re only planning on going to a couple of destinations, then a private driver is not a bad idea. In the comfort of an air-conditioned vehicle, your driver can take you to your next destination. All you have to do is sit back and relax!

You can hire highly-rated drivers in advance to pick you up right from the airport when you arrive in Sri Lanka. This driver will take you to your hotel in Mirissa, Galle, Bentota, or Unawatuna. Whereas this driver will take you to Kandy.

Of course, every time you want to change destinations you will have to arrange for another driver (unless you book this driver who will drive you around for an entire week). Car transfer can easily be organized through your hotel.

Take Public Transport

This is a choice I only recommend for those on a very tight budget and with plenty of time. Public transport is everywhere in Sri Lanka in the form of public buses and trains. It is also very cheap, costing less than a couple of dollars per journey.

However, it isn’t the most comfortable way to travel. The buses don’t have air conditioning and neither do many train services. They can also be slow-moving, stopping every couple of minutes to pick up more passengers.

With that said, public transport is popular with budget backpackers, and it is mostly safe. This is one way to travel for those who want to get around as the locals do!

Thanks for reading!

I’m so excited for you to explore Colombo! These tours helped us discover Colombo with local guides and chefs as we toured and tasted our way around the city. Hopefully, you found the perfect tour for your time here!

If this blog was helpful, make sure to check out all our blogs about Sri Lanka for more travel inspiration, tips, and advice. Here are a few related blogs I think you might find helpful:

25 Unforgettable Things to do in Sri Lanka – The Ultimate Bucket-List!

12 Things to Know Before Visiting Sigiriya Rock

5 BEST Colombo City Tours +Our Top Choice