Colombo to Nashville Flights

  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 Nashville

Nashville is a popular getaway for everyone who loves heading to the East Coast and Midwest in the US. It is the perfect place for travellers who are also food enthusiasts. It is also a great spot for people to throw bachelor and bachelorette parties. You can enjoy country music, head over to the nightclubs to party and numerous cafes. The city attracts a lot of tourists every year and for all the right reasons. There are also high chances that you might run into your favourite celebrity in Nashville. Whether you are at a grocery store or a popular restaurant if you are lucky you might even meet your idol here and be assured that they will pose for a picture with you. The city also has some of the best restaurants that serve everything from hot chicken to barbecue. Combine it with a glass of beer or wine, and you will have a full meal for sure. You will never be left empty-handed with no chores to do in Nashville as the city makes sure that none of the tourists is bored. The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum and Tennessee State Museum are two important landmarks in the city that are worth visiting.

Best Time to Visit Nashville

Nashville is one city that you can visit throughout the year. However, April to October is considered to be the best time to visit the city since the city experiences spring and summer. July is the hottest month while the weather turns quite pleasant in October. The weather conditions in Nashville, however, are unpredictable, and there will be high humidity with increased chances of thunderstorms. Make sure you book your hotels in Nashville several weeks in advance since the prices surge at this time of the year. Book your flight tickets to Nashville in advance to avoid the surge prices. You will also find a lot of tourists heading to Nashville in early spring and summer. The temperature ranges from 8 to 32 degree Celsius. You can attend events like Rock' n' Roll Nashville Marathon and Nashville Comedy Festival in April, Country Music Festival and Bluegrass Nights at the Ryman in June, AmericanaFest and Music City Food and Wine Festival in September.

November to March is the winter season in Nashville, and the temperature ranges from -3 to 16 degree Celsius. Nashville witnesses snowfall from December to February. Make sure you pack your warm clothes. You can attend events like the CMA Awards in November, A Country Christmas at Gaylord Opryland and Music City Bowl in December and Jack Daniel's Music City Midnight: New Year's Eve in Nashville in January. It is not the most popular tourist season, and you might get exciting flight deals to Nashville during this time. The hotel prices also drop during this time, so if you were to head to Nashville in winter, you might get a great deal on accommodation. You can book a hotel in Nashville at the last moment or even plan an impromptu trip to the city and not worry about where to stay.

Places to Visit in Nashville

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum is one of the most popular attractions in Orlando. You will also learn a lot about the history of country music. Ryman Auditorium is yet another tourist spot that you must visit. It first opened in 1892 as the Union Gospel Tabernacle for Samuel Porter Jones, who was a revivalist. It is now a popular venue for live music concerts and seats over 2362 people. Wildhorse Saloon is a popular attraction that offers free line dancing lessons and also hosts live music events and parties. Nashville Parthenon was built in 1897 and is a replica of the 42 feet Athenian replica. It is also an art museum that showcases the works by 19th and 20th-century artists. While you enjoy the vibrant music scene in the city, you can also head to the Arrington Vineyards. It was established in 2003 and became officially open for business from 2007. It is owned by country music artist Kix Brooks, industrialist John Russel and winemaker Kip Summers. They also have a wine club with exclusive membership. Frist Center for the Visual Arts showcases new artworks quite frequently, and you must head over to the centre if you are an art lover.

Belle Meade Plantation is an architectural and historical landmark in Nashville. It was founded by John Harding in 1807 and is spread across 34 acres of land. Tennessee State Capitol is another important tourist attraction in Nashville. It was built in 1859 and inspired by Greek ionic temple architecture. You will find a lot of monuments on the Capitol grounds and opt for a historical tour of the place. If you are visiting cathedrals, you might also want to visit the Cathedral of the Incarnation. This was the third cathedral that was built in the city and has undergone several renovations, but it remains to be one of the most charming places in the city. You can also visit the Tennessee State Museum and Cumberland Park, and both are great places for you to head to with your kids to make the trip a tad more educational.

Things to do in Nashville

Nashville is known for its country music, and if you love the genre, you will love visiting Nashville. You can sign up for a guided tour of the city with a local to cover all the best spots in the city. You can also explore the city on your own. However, if you are visiting the city with your family, it is best to hire a local guide who will not only show you the best spots in Nashville but also tell you all the interesting facts and stories about the place. Head over to Broadway, a vital part of the city with pubs and lounges that also have live music. You can also go bar hopping here since all the clubs are quite close to each other. You can take a tour of the Grand Ole Opry where the country's top performers like Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban and Brad Paisley have also performed. The Belle Meade Plantation is one of the best places in Nashville where you can take a ton of pictures. The mansion is also home to several animals like horses, bison, etc. Sign up for a Jack Daniel's Distillery tour that starts from Nashville, and you will also get to go for the free tastings here. To add more romance to your trip, try the General Jackson Showboat lunch or dinner cruise.

Foods and Restaurants in Nashville

Fried chicken and barbecued pork dominated the dining scene in Nashville earlier, but the city has welcomed all kinds of foods with open arms. You will be happy to hear that the restaurants in the city serve delicious food while making sure that your cholesterol doesn't shoot up. The food here is quite healthy so you will only have to make certain alterations to your diet if you are on one. You will find a lot of Mediterranean, Indian, Italian, Mexican and Cajun cuisines in the city. It is best to sign up for a food tour to get to the best restaurants in the city. Prince's Hot Chicken Shack Bolton's Spicy Chicken & Fish, Hattie B's are some of the popular restaurants where you can try Nashville's hot chicken. You can also sample some delicacies at Black Rabbit and a lot of other Southern food and burger joints in the neighbourhood. Dining at Butcher & Bee and The Treehouse Restaurant is highly recommended. Nashville has an impressive line-up of breweries and distilleries that you must visit. You can also go bar hopping along the Broadway. The Cupcake Collection and Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams are the best places for desserts. You can head over to Five Points Pizza for a delicious Italian meal. Rodizio Grill is also pretty popular for its steak and Brazilian cuisine. If you are in the mood to try some Mexican food, head over to Bartaco.

How to reach Nashville

Nashville International Airport is the nearest on to the city and was built in 1987. The flight connectivity to Nashville from India is quite good. American Airlines and British Airways have frequent flights to Nashville from India with layovers at New York, Chicago, Dallas and London. It is not very easy to get cheap flight tickets to Nashville, and the journey can be a tad strenuous since it is over 20 hours. However, if you book well in advance, you might get exciting flight deals to Nashville online. To celebrate the musical culture of Nashville, the airport hosts live music events for passengers, and there couldn't be a better welcome to the city than this. You will also find premium lounges, restaurants, cafes, shopping areas and children's play areas at the airport. The taxi and car rental service from the airport are convenient and easily accessible, too. You can either pre-book your ride to the hotel from the airport or find one at the airport itself.

  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.