Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka, is a frenetic city with good hotels, restaurants and shopping. The streets are filled with every form of transportation imaginable—buses, cars, trucks, tuk-tuks, oxcarts and pedestrians—and no one seems to follow any particular traffic rules.
The chaos is probably most evident along Galle Road, the main north-south artery in the city. At the north end of the road is the area known as the Fort, once a colonial stronghold but now the site of many government buildings.
Just south of the Fort is Galle Face Green, a seaside expanse where the turf is not green but brown. Galle Face Green is a popular place for informal cricket games and weekend strolls. Military helicopters often land there to deliver ministers to emergency sessions of parliament.
At the south end of the green is the venerable Galle Face Hotel. Although it is not as well-kept as other hotels, it is one of the oldest on the island. Watching the sunset from the Galle Face veranda with a drink is the most relaxing thing to do in Colombo.
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