Colombo for Couples: Days Out for Two

Most couples see Colombo at dusk, from a lawn or a dinner table. The daytime city is better company than its reputation suggests, as long as you spend the hot middle hours indoors and save the open air for early and late.

Morning: Geoffrey Bawa’s house

Number 11, on Bagatelle Road in Colombo 3, was the home and studio of the architect Geoffrey Bawa, and it is shown only on pre-booked guided tours of about 45 minutes. Times differ by day: 10:00, 14:00 and 15:30 on weekdays, 11:00 and 16:00 on Saturday, 11:00 on Sunday. Foreign adults pay LKR 5,000 each. Book through the Geoffrey Bawa Trust , and take the 10:00 weekday slot so the rest of the day is free.

Midday: Barefoot, and jazz on Sundays

The Barefoot Gallery and Bookshop, at 704 Galle Road in Colombo 3, is an easy hour of browsing together out of the sun. Entry is free, and it opens 10:00 to 19:00 Monday to Saturday and 11:00 to 18:00 on Sunday. On Sundays there is live jazz from 11:30 to 15:00.

The verdict: Sunday jazz at Barefoot is the best free couple’s afternoon in Colombo. If you can, plan the trip so you are in the city on a Sunday.

Late afternoon: the seafront train

The coastal line from Colombo Fort south to Mount Lavinia runs right along the ocean surf line for most of the way, and it is the most beautiful cheap ride in the city. Unreserved tickets cost LKR 100 to 500, bought at the counter, and the timetable is on Sri Lanka Railways . At Mount Lavinia, walk the sand for an hour before the light goes. Swim only if the flags allow it; from May to September the southwest monsoon brings strong rip currents here.

After dark: the Lotus Tower

The Lotus Tower’s deck, about 244 metres up, stays open until 22:00 on weekdays and 23:00 at weekends, which makes it a good late stop once the heat has broken. The tower’s LED light shows play across the outside in the evening, so the walk up to it is half the point. Foreign adults pay about $20; check the tower’s site for current tickets.

Something slower: a pedal boat for two

The swan pedal boats on Beira Lake, from the Navam Mawatha jetty, are a low-effort half hour on the water for about LKR 500 a boat, open 08:00 to 18:00. It is a gentle, slightly silly thing to do together, which is the point.

Tips

  • If you would rather have someone else plan the day, you can compare Colombo private tours .
  • Look at Colombo 3 hotels on Agoda ; Number 11, Barefoot and the Galle Road strip are all within a short tuk-tuk ride of each other there.
  • Book a PickMe tuk-tuk between stops; it is cheaper than a street hail and the fare is metered.

Read more: a romantic evening in Colombo for sunset drinks, courtyard dinners and an overnight by the sea.