6 Days in Colombo: First-Timer Plan
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Colombo itself is honestly a 1-2 day city. Six days here means one day in the city, four day trips, and a closing day back in Colombo, not six days of city sightseeing stretched thin.
Day 1: Fort, Pettah, Galle Face Green
Morning
Colombo Fort and the restored Old Dutch Hospital, then Pettah: Sea Street’s gold traders and the 1908-09 Jami-Ul-Alfar (Red) Mosque.
Afternoon
Gangaramaya Temple and the Seema Malaka pavilions (~$1 entry). Lunch at Upali’s by Nawaloka, roughly $6-10/person.
Evening
Sunset street food at Galle Face Green, dinner at Ministry of Crab if splurging (~$40-60/person).
One concrete tip: apply for your free ETA at eta.gov.lk before you land; it takes 24-48 hours.
Day 2: Galle day trip
Morning
Coastal train or Southern Expressway to Galle, 1.5-2 hours each way, walking the UNESCO Dutch Fort’s ramparts.
Afternoon
Old town boutiques and colonial streets; lunch runs roughly $8-15/person.
Evening
Return to Colombo for a low-key dinner.
One concrete tip: take an early train to beat the day-tripper crowds.
Day 3: Kandy day trip
Morning
Early train to Kandy, roughly 2.5-3 hours each way, for the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic (entry around LKR 1,500).
Afternoon
Kandy Lake and the town center before heading back; keep the afternoon light given the travel time.
Evening
Back in Colombo for a quiet dinner, since this is the longest day of the trip.
One concrete tip: consider an overnight in Kandy instead if you’d rather not do the return trip the same day.
Day 4: Bentota day trip
Morning
About 1.5 hours south to Bentota for beach time on calmer water than Colombo’s own coast.
Afternoon
A Bentota River safari if you want more than sand; lunch at a beachside spot, roughly $10-20/person.
Evening
Return to Colombo for dinner.
One concrete tip: pack a swimsuit under your clothes since changing facilities at the day-trip beaches are limited.
Day 5: Negombo day trip
Morning
Negombo, about an hour north, for the fish market and lagoon.
Afternoon
A relaxed lunch of fresh seafood by the lagoon, roughly $8-15/person, before heading back.
Evening
Return to Colombo; this is a lighter day, so use the evening to catch up on rest before the final day.
One concrete tip: Negombo also sits close to the airport, so this day doubles as a useful dry run if your departure is early on Day 6.
Day 6: Food, markets, and departure
Morning
A slower pass through Pettah Market for food, and a search for lamprais at Green Cabin (order ahead), a specifically Dutch-Burgher dish, not a generic curry.
Afternoon
A final swim at Mount Lavinia, about 10km south, the closest genuine beach, or last-minute shopping if you’d rather.
Evening
Departure via Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB), about 30km north near Negombo; budget 40-50 minutes via the E03 expressway.
One concrete tip: verify the current LKR/USD rate before your last cash withdrawal; the rupee moved from around 310/USD in January 2026 to roughly 335/USD by August.
Getting around and where to stay
There’s no Grab in Sri Lanka; use PickMe or Uber and insist on the meter. Kollupitiya or Fort work well as a base throughout.
Read more: for a shorter version of this spine, see the 5-day itinerary ; for the longest version with a slower pace, see the 7-day itinerary .