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  About Colombo

Colombo is the largest city and the commercial capital of Sri Lanka. It is one of the holiday destinations that you must add to your travel list. It is also known for its eclectic dining scene and its nightlife. It is also a great place to shop for clothes, wedding invitations and indulge in spa treatments. Sri Lanka is also known for its wildlife and elephant sanctuaries. It is the perfect place to go to if you want to club your luxurious, relaxing holiday plans with adventures. You can either volunteer to help out at an Elephant Sanctuary or sign up for a walking tour. Do try the ayurvedic spas in the city to relieve yourself of all the stress. You can book a hotel in Colombo at an affordable price. While it is not exactly the cheapest holiday destination in Asia, it is worth every money spent. The city is also known for its temples and no matter which religion you follow, you will find a temple of your choice of deity/religion here.

Best Time to Visit Colombo

January to March is ideal for taking off to Colombo on a trip since they are the driest months of the year. The best season to visit, however, is winter from November to March. Winters are quite chilly, and it is the best time to go sightseeing, too. The rainfall does not affect any of your sightseeing plans or any other outdoor activities. It is also an ideal time to head to the beaches and indulges in a few water activities. Colombo also has a very vibrant nightlife that is best experienced in winter when there is barely any rainfall. You can book a hotel in Colombo that is either close to the beach or the nightclubs, depending on how you intend to spend your holiday. The temperature ranges from 25 to 30 degree Celsius. January to March is the high tourist season in Colombo, and a lot of attractions will be filled with tourists. Colombo is also filled with festive spirit during these months as they celebrate festivals like Thai Pongal, Independence Day of Sri Lanka, New Year and Duruthu Perahera Festival. Make sure you book your flight tickets to Colombo well in advance if you are on a budget. If you are planning to go to Colombo on your honeymoon, this is the best time to go.

Colombo experiences summer from May to October, and it is considered as an off-season for tourists. Not only is it unbearably hot in the city, but it is also quite humid, so much that you won't feel like stepping out of your hotel at all. The temperature ranges from 28 to 32 degrees and will only make you uncomfortable. However, since it is offseason, you will get great flight deals to Colombo online. It also rains during this season and might lead to a hailstorm sometimes. If you are not an outdoorsy person and prefer indoor activities, this might be the best time for you to head to Colombo. You will also get really good hotels at a reasonable price during this time since it is offseason and the demand is low. You can sip cocktails by the pool in your hotel or indulge in relaxing spa treatments. You can also explore the Pettah market during this time without being hassled by the tourist crowd. It starts raining from May to August, and it rains intermittently in September and October. The temperature ranges around 28 degree Celsius during this time.

Places to Visit in Colombo

Galle Face Green is a popular beach park in Colombo that you can visit. You can also indulge in a lot of water activities at the beach. Pettah Market is another popular destination where you can go on a shopping spree and walk away with high-end luxury items at the lowest prices. Fort-Colombo is an important tourist attraction in the capital of Sri Lanka. It is the political and cultural heritage of the country and is also known for its vibrant nightlife. A major part is shut because of the turbulence caused by the Civil War. You will also find a lot of casinos here. The National Museum of Colombo is the largest one in Sri Lanka. It was founded by the British Governor of Ceylon from 1872 to 1877, William Henry Gregory. You will find artwork that dates back to the British Colonial and Portuguese era, along with a lot of artefacts. The Gangaramaya temple is famous for its blend of culture and architectural styles from Sri Lanka, Thailand, Chinese and India. It was built in the 19th century and is a place of Buddhist worship and learning. Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara is another Buddhist temple that was built in the 5th century, which holds a lot of historical importance. The temple sees a lot of tourists and devotees during the Duruthu Maha Perehera every January and on full moon days of every month. The paintings and sculptures in the temple will tell you tales from Lord Buddha's life and the Jataka Tales.

Beira Lake is another popular landmark in the city where you can head to if you want to relax and soak in the beautiful views. It is also a highly recommended place for couples to head to in Colombo. Colombo Zoo also called the National Zoological Garden of Sri Lanka, houses over 300 different species of animals, birds, marine life and reptiles from all over the world. Casino Marina started in 2013 and is usually filled with elite tourists in the evenings. You can gamble away till wee hours of the night or enjoy the view of the sea from here. World Trade Centre is one of the most famous colonial buildings that you will find in the Old Fort area. St Lucia's Cathedral got its name after the saint martyr, St Lucia, who is believed to have protected everyone with eye problems in Colombo. It was built in 1760, and the Gothic style architecture draws tourists to it every year. Panadura and Crow Island Beaches are quite popular in the city and the best spots to indulge in recreational activities. You will find a lot of beach parks and temples in the city that are worth a visit.

Things to do in Colombo

Sign up for a city tour of Colombo and indulge in all the activities that come with your tour package. You can also get a customised tour of places that are of interest to you and activities that you have listed in your itinerary. Sri Lanka is known for its seafood and treating yourself to fresh seafood at Mt Lavinia Beach is highly recommended. While you can always rent a taxi for the entire day to get around the city, you can also enjoy a tuk-tuk ride, which is a popular way for locals to get around the city. Pettah Market, Good Market, Paradise Road are some of the popular places in the city for you to go on a shopping spree. You can also indulge in rejuvenating massage therapies at the spas in Colombo. The city also offers scuba diving at certain locations. If you want to give water sports a try, make sure you try this one. Most beaches also have boating, surfing and other water activities for you to try.

Food and Restaurants in Colombo

Seafood, especially prawns, is popular in Colombo since it is a coastal city. Curry Leaf and Seafood's Cove are some of the popular restaurants for you to binge on seafood or other types of meat. The city also has a lot of Indian restaurants; a lot of them have a vegetarian menu, too. Spice Coast is known for its biryani, Chana's for delicious North Indian cuisine and Shanmugas for its vegetarian menu. While you are trying seafood in the city, make sure you also try the chilli crabs. Paradise Road Gallery Cafe is a lovely cafe that is set in a walled garden and also has rotating exhibitions by local artists. It is considered as one of the most romantic restaurants in Colombo and is popular for its cakes. Rare is a chic and modern restaurant in Colombo with wonderful service. The restaurant uses organic produce to cook their unique, delicious cuisines and also boast of a wine cellar with over 150 labels. The lagoon is one of the best seafood restaurants in Colombo, and the fish curries, lobster Thermidor and raw sashimi are their speciality dishes.

How to reach Colombo (Transportation)

Bandaranaike International Airport, also called Colombo International Airport, is about 32 km north of Colombo. The flight connectivity to Colombo from India is excellent. While there are only a few direct flights to Colombo from India, most of the flights have layovers in Chennai or Bangalore. GoAir, Indigo and Spicejet have the maximum number of flights from India. However, Vistara and Srilankan Airlines have direct flights that help you reach the city in 2-3 hours instead of 6 hours. It is also quite easy to get cheap flight tickets to Colombo from India.

 About Air India

Air India was the first Indian airline that went by the name Tata Airways when it was launched. Jehangir Ratanji Dadabhoy Tata launched it in 1932 in Karachi. The first flight was from Karachi to Mumbai and then to Chennai. The airline became a public limited company after World War II, under the name Air India. In 1948, a Lockheed Constellation L-749A called the Malabar Princess landed in London Heathrow from Bombay, which was the airline's first international flight. Air India got its first Boeing 707-420 and became the first Asian airline to enter the Jet Age. It launched services to New York in 1960. It took delivery of its first Boeing 747-200B in 1971 and named it Emperor Ashoka. It acquired its first Airbus A310-300 in 1986 and Boeing 747-400 in 1993 which was named Konark later. The airline also operated its first non-stop flight between New York and Delhi during this year. In 2007, Air India merged with Indian Airlines under Air India Limited. They acquired their first Boeing 777 that year. Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi is Air India's main hub. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai is the secondary hub. Chennai International Airport, Cochin International Airport, Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata, Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad and Trivandrum International Airport are its focus cities domestically.

Air India made Frankfurt Airport its international hub in 2009 for onward connections to the United States of America from India. Still, they had to shut it down because of high operating costs. In 2010, Air India decided to open a new hub for its international flights in Dubai. The airline's financial growth has been a topic of conversation for decades. For years, there were debates around the privatisation of Air India, but the Government of India refused to go ahead with it. When it did decide to hand over responsibility to private companies, no one came forward. Air India launched its low-cost airline, Air India Express, a couple of years back that majorly flew to countries in the Middle East and Southeast Asia. Despite suffering losses in the market and going through a lot of ups and downs, the airline is functioning since it is the national carrier.

Air India has also gone through a lot of modifications with its brand logo and mascot. The Maharajah is the main mascot of the airline and was created by Bobby Kooka, the commercial director of Air India then and Umesh Rao, who was an artist with J Walter Thompson Limited in 1946. The mascot was given a makeover in 2015, and the airline decided to go with a younger version of Maharajah. Since India's colour scheme is red and white, the airline's logo also incorporates the same in its logo. The name of the airline is written in Hindi and English in red. The first logo of the airline was a centaur shooting an arrow in a circle which represented the wheel of Konark. However, the airline decided to give its logo a makeover in 2007, which was a flying swan with the wheel of Konark in it.

Fleet Size of Air India

Air India had started its operations with a de Havilland Puss Moth aircraft back in 1932. It inducted its first Boeing 707-420 later on and named it Gauri Shankar. It became the first Asian airline to add a jet aircraft in its fleet. Since it is the oldest airline in the country, it has both Boeing and Airbus aircraft in its fleet. It inducted its first Boeing 747-400 in 1993 and named it Konark. The airline inducted its first Airbus A320-200 aircraft in 1989 which now covers both domestic and international short hauls. The airline has a total of 70 Airbus aircraft including one A320 Classic, 4 A320ceo, 19 A319 aircraft, 20 A321, 5 A320ceo (Single Configuration), 27 A320neo and 3 A319 (Single Configuration). It has a total of 172 narrow-body aircraft and 49 wide-body aircraft. Air India uses one of the five Boeing 747-400s as VIP flights. Air India grounded its last Airbus A320 classic fleet in 2019, and the last flight flew from Delhi to Mumbai.

Air India had also sold five of its Boeing 777-200LR aircraft to Etihad Airways in 2013 to make up for its financial losses. The airline also had plans to introduce long flights to Seattle, Los Angeles and San Francisco but had to cancel, owing to weak demand and high fuel prices.

Baggage Allowance

Air India has certain baggage allowance rules and regulations that every passenger must follow. As per Air India's baggage allowance rules, you cannot carry cabin luggage that exceeds 8 kg, and your check-in luggage cannot exceed 20 kg. If you are flying internationally and if you are a premium club member, you will be allowed up to 40 kg of baggage. Even if you are ready to pay extra, your hand baggage cannot exceed 10 kg. First Class passengers are allowed a maximum of 40 kg baggage while Business Class passengers can only carry 35 kg. If you are travelling by the Economy Class, your baggage cannot exceed 25 kg. However, if you have an infant travelling with you, an extra 10 kg baggage allowance is offered by the airline. Make sure you inform the airline staff well in advance if your luggage is going to exceed the allowed weight. The airline has also made web check-in quite convenient for its passengers. You can either log in to the website and get it done, or you can get in touch with the call centre. The executives will help you get your web check-in done. It is best to get your web check-in done in advance, so you get to pick the right seat instead of settling for something chosen by the staff at the airport.

In-flight Services

Air India's First Class is royalty and luxury personified. The seats recline up to 180-degree, and the interiors are a sight for sore eyes. In addition to the ultra-comfortable seating, Air India's in-flight services are extremely efficient, and the best part is that the first-class cabin only seats 12 passengers. You can order your favourite cocktails and cuisines that are a treat to your taste buds. You can also do all of your duty-free shopping onboard. The first-class and business class cabins are also equipped with the Thales i3000 in-flight entertainment system. You can access five channels in Hindi and English. You can also browse through Air India's in-flight magazine called Shubh Yatra. First Class and Business Class passengers can also access the Maharaja Lounge. Business-class passengers are treated to plush seats and lip-smacking entrees that are accompanied with wine. You also get an exclusive check-in and lounge facility. Don't fret if you are not travelling by the premium class. Economy class passengers have complimentary refreshments and meals on all of their flights. You will also get complimentary liquor or wine on the international flights. The airline staff makes sure that passengers have a great time during their journey.

Popular Routes and Top Cities for Air India

Air India connects to various domestic and international routes daily. Since it is one of the oldest and the first airlines, it connects to more cities domestically and internationally. It connects to approximately 102 destinations like Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad and so on. It also flies to international destinations that cover the Middle East and Southeast Asia. Air India has frequent flights running to other destinations and makes sure you have had a great journey as well. Do make sure that you get your web check-in done well in advance.

Why Travel by Air India?

Air India is the national airline and has been in the airline industry since 1932. The airline makes sure that you have had a comfortable journey and seldom leaves any room for complaints. It has maintained its legacy of making sure that every passenger gets a royal treatment. It is also one of the very few airlines in the country that offers first-class flights to its passengers. You can check Air India's flight schedule and your flight status on their website. Even if you cannot access the website for some reason, you will certainly get updates and messages from the airline regarding the same. It also makes web check-in quite easy for its passengers. The staff is well-equipped to solve any grievances or requests put forth by passengers. You can book an Air India flight from the website. You can also get in touch with your travel agent and get them to book the ticket for you. It would be best if you experienced the royal treatment and luxury of being Air India's first-class passenger at least once in your life. The airline has come a long way and continues to give its passengers the best services and experience. The airline also makes sure that the flights run on time.

  About Colombo Airport

Colombo-Bandaranaike International Airport, popularly known as Bandaranaike International Airport is the international hub that serves Sri Lanka. The airport is situated at Negombo and has been named after SWRD Bandaranaike, the former Prime Minister of Sri Lanka.

About Airport Terminals

Colombo-Bandaranaike International Airport stretches about 32.5 km at Katunayake. The airport accommodates three passenger terminals with Terminal 1 being reserved for international airlines and flight activity. Terminal 2 also caters to international activities while Terminal 3 is set for domestic airline functions. Terminal 1 is the oldest and largest terminal in the Colombo-Bandaranaike International Airport with 12 gates. It opened back in 1967. Departure and arrival are also located in the same terminal and separated horizontally. Currently, all the international operations take place from this terminal. The terminal is connected to one concourse which has all the 12 gates. The terminal also has two lounges with Srilankan Airlines' famous Serendib Lounge being installed. Along with this, the Palm Spirit lounge is also located in proximity. Terminal 1 also has a dedicated cafeteria, day-rooms, showers, duty-free shops and a smoking lounge.

Terminal 2 has been constructed and opened much recently. It has eight gates and accommodates departure and arrival areas which are separated vertically. As per expansion plans, the airport plans to build an extension to Terminal 2 which will be built in stages and phases. The new terminal is set to have eight boarding gates along with 14 passenger boarding bridges. The proposed development plan also has bridge accommodations for Airbus A380. Terminal 3 came into existence in 2012 and has since been used for domestic operations. The departure and arrival zones are strategically separated in a horizontal manner. There is a dedicated Cargo Terminal that takes care of all cargo airline activities. The arrival and departure are separated in the same way as terminal 1, horizontally.

About Airport Authority

Colombo-Bandaranaike International Airport is owned by the Government of Sri Lanka while it is operated by Airport and Aviation Services Limited (AASL). AASL is a government body that has statutory powers to administer, manage and work on the development of the airport. The statutory body is also known to be a big contributor to Sri Lanka's economy as the civil aviation industry has witnessed tremendous financial revenues from the airport. Other airports that also fall under the AASL umbrella are Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport, Ratmalana Airport, Batticaloa Airport and Jaffna International Airport.

The airport has been going through some tremendous expansion plans and developments with a view to accommodating more airlines and flights. A split-level passenger terminal building is being constructed which would be separating both the departures as well as the arrivals vertically. Further on the same, there are constructions for a passenger boarding bridges that would directly connect to the new Airbus A380. Adding to the infrastructure would be a remote apron along with nine parking bays to facilitate air traffic movement. Stage II of the expansion seeks to acquiesce 600 hectares of land for construction of a new runway that can accommodate newer airplanes as well as aircraft maintenance and repair centre.

Top airlines flying from Colombo-Bandaranaike International Airport

Colombo-Bandaranaike International Airport accommodates various airlines as it is recognized to be one of the best tourist destinations. With its proximity to India, the airport sees a good amount of flights flying to Colombo-Bandaranaike International Airport from the Indian cities. Some of the biggest Indian airlines operate from Colombo-Bandaranaike International Airport are Air India, GoAir, IndiGo, SpiceJet and Vistara. These airlines have dedicated direct flights to Sri Lanka. Indian cities such as Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, Madurai, Thiruvananthapuram, Hyderabad, Delhi, Kolkata, Kochi, to name a few, have provisions of direct flight connections to Colombo-Bandaranaike International Airport.

Similarly, various international airlines are also linked to Sri Lanka. In fact, some of the international airlines that operate from Colombo-Bandaranaike International Airport are Air Arabia, AirAsia, Air China, Cathay Pacific, China Eastern Airlines, Cinnamon Air, Edelweiss Air, Emirates, Etihad Airways, flydubai, Gulf Air, Korean Air, Kuwait Airways, LOT Polish Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Malindo Air, Oman Air, Qatar Airways, Salam Air, Saudia, Silkair, Singapore Airlines, Srilankan Airlines, Thai Airways, Turkish Airlines and SCAT Airlines. A majority of the flight activities come from the Middle East and Southeast Asian countries. A handful of cargo carriers also fly in and out of the airport. These include Cathay Pacific Cargo, Turkish Airlines Cargo, SriLankan Cargo and Etihad Cargo.

Facilities at Colombo-Bandaranaike International Airport

ATM, banks and currency exchange - The airport has a bunch of local banks and ATM services available. If you need to make the currency exchange for travelling within Sri Lanka or if you need some cash in hand for your destination outside the country, it can be arranged at the airport's premise.

Communication services - If you are in need of a local SIM service for your trip, you can get hold of the same at the airport itself. There are booths at the arrivals where they have telecommunication services. With necessary identification documents, you can get hold of the SIM.

Free WiFI - There are free WiFi services available at the airport. You will need to go to the website of Colombo-Bandaranaike International Airport to avail the same. Or you can visit the information desk to learn more about how to work around it.

Medical services - To ensure that medical emergencies at the airport are resolved quickly, the airport has also installed designated medical rooms and services. You can find them as well as pharmacies also at the airport. In case you are unable to find them, you can visit the nearest information desk and get more details. The airport paramedic services are known to be of good quality.

Baggage - With respect to baggage services, the airport offers a slew of facilities that would be beneficial. You can get hold of services ranging from wrapping plastic on the luggage, trolleys, storage facilities for the luggage, delivering luggage to the specified destination and more.

Pet assistance - There is room for pet services at the airport too. In case you are travelling with pets, there are professional staff who can take care of your pets as well as their needs. They would require authorized papers and documents from the Department of Animal Production and Health.

Porter service - You can avail porter services at the airport. Basically, you will have to inform your airlines well in advance to book a porter service. The airport staff will escort you through the terminals and take care of your luggage. This would include a security check of the bags, wrapping services, etc.

Airport lounge - There are three lounges at the airport, namely, Lotus, Araliya and Executive. The lounges have been designed in a way to enhance tranquillity and excellent hospitality. You can relax in the lounge, and at the same time, you can avail their services too. These include rich culinary delights, good resting space and complimentary showers and spa.

Restaurants and cafe - Colombo-Bandaranaike International Airport has many restaurants and cafes available. The departures and arrivals have good food establishments located perfectly to cater to passengers. Along with restaurants, the airport also as dedicated food courts that is in proximity to the lounge area.

Smoking zone - Smoking in public space is prohibited in Sri Lanka. Hence, the airport has also reserved a space for a smoking lounge. You can make purchases for cigarette boxes at nearby shops within the airport premise.

Transit Hotel - The airport's transit hotel is named Serendiva and offers world-class contemporary decor, aesthetic construction, modern amenities and top-notch hospitality. The interiors are known to bring about the rich culture of Sri Lanka. It is situated on the main pier of the Colombo-Bandaranaike International Airport's arrival/departure zone. The hotel is also surrounded by duty-free shops, lounges, immigration counters, cafes and more.

How to reach Colombo-Bandaranaike International Airport

The airport offers exemplary transport services and is well-connected to the main city. Although you would be required to travel a little depending on your itinerary and which part of the country you'll be visiting. But you will be able to reach the Colombo-Bandaranaike International Airport from different parts of the country. There are public buses, transport services and taxicabs available.

Buses

Express public buses are available within the city that can reach you to Colombo-Bandaranaike International Airport. It would only take about 25 mins to reach Colombo-Bandaranaike International Airport from Colombo (Pettah) bus stand. From here, you can traverse through all parts of the country without any hassle. You will need to get used to the crowd because the buses are always packed.

Taxicab services

The city is well-connected by taxicab services that can be availed to reach the Colombo-Bandaranaike International Airport. In fact, the airport also sees counters and lanes with taxi services outside the airport's arrival section. The arrival porch allows a fleet of 600 vehicles with fixed rates. With the taxicab, you can reach any part of the country, but it might get expensive depending on the distance from Colombo-Bandaranaike International Airport.