🇱🇰 Colombo 03, Sri Lanka
Backpack Lanka
📍 247D, R.A. De Mel Mawatha, Colombo 03
Your stay — Backpack Lanka
Live forecast for your dates · what's on · air quality & pollen📅 Pick your check-in & check-out above to unlock your day-by-day forecast, what's on during your stay, and live air quality & pollen for Colombo 03.
Faith & Dietary Nearby
- Church: Methodist Church Kollupitiya (93 m · ~1 min walk)
- Mosque: Jumma Mosque Kollupitiya (340 m · ~4 min walk)
- Church: Ceylon Pentecostal Mission - Colpetty (490 m · ~6 min walk)
- Place of worship: Chabad House (867 m · ~11 min walk)
Local Lifestyle & Recreation
Kollupitiya Supermarket — 180 m · ~2 min walk
Vihara Maha Devi Park — 1.8 km · ~22 min walk
National Museum of Colombo — 1.7 km · ~21 min walk
Bishop's College Auditorium — 939 m · ~12 min walk
Jumbo Kiddies Park — 1.7 km · ~22 min walk
5-Minute Radius Essentials
Nearest — 77 m · ~1 min walk
Shakthi Medicals — 68 m · ~1 min walk
P G Martin — 599 m · ~7 min walk
Kollupitiya — 170 m · ~2 min walk
Emergency Contacts
Colombo 03For general emergencies in Colombo 03 (including Kollupitiya), dial 119 for police and 110 for ambulance or fire services. The Tourist Police hotline is 011-2421452. Keep your phone charged and have your accommodation address ready.
💡 Save these numbers in your phone. In life-threatening emergencies, call immediately.
Where to Eat
💡 Booking tip: For popular restaurants in Colombo 03, book at least a week ahead — especially for weekend evenings and during festival season.
Your arrival at Backpack Lanka
🕒 Check-in is from . Arriving earlier? Most hotels store luggage free — just ask at reception.
🧭 First things nearby: cash · Nearest — 77 m · ~1 min walk — pharmacy · Shakthi Medicals — 68 m · ~1 min walk
🚐 Pre-book an airport transfer →Getting Around
Colombo Fort Railway Station → Kollupitiya Railway Station (closest to hotel)
💡 Buy a second-class ticket for 20 LKR to avoid crush. Walk five mins from station to hotel; it's a direct, fast hop—but check the timetable as some skip this stop.
Airport railway station (free shuttle from terminal) → Colombo Fort Railway Station (then tuk-tuk to Juliana)
💡 Only departs 8 times a day—check timetable online. Good for avoiding traffic, but the station is a 15-min shuttle from the terminal. Have small change.
Airport - Main bus stop outside arrivals → Pettah Bus Station (then walk to Colombo Fort station)
💡 Cheapest option but you'll need a tuk-tuk from Fort to Cinnamon Village (around 500 LKR). Get off at Bastian Mawatha stop if you're heading to Kollupitiya instead.
Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) → Samudra Hotel, Colombo 03
💡 Get off at York Street bus stop near Colombo Fort. From there, take a tuk-tuk (around 300–400 LKR) directly to Samudra Hotel. Buses have luggage racks but can be crowded during peak hours.
Airport bus stop (outside arrivals) → Colombo Fort Railway Station (walk 10 mins or tuk-tuk to Juliana)
💡 Cheapest option. Get off at Fort Station, then take a three-wheeler (approx 400 LKR) to Juliana on Galle Road. Avoid peak 7–9am.
Juliana Hotel stop (Galle Road, opposite hotel) → Pettah Market or Fort area
💡 Buses are crowded and loud but cheap. Get on at the stop just south of the hotel; ask the conductor for 'Fort' or show your destination. Keep bag in front.
Colombo Fort bus station → Samudra Hotel (stop: Narahenpita or Dickman’s Road junction)
💡 These buses run along Galle Road, which is the main artery. Tell the conductor 'Samudra Hotel, Colombo 03' and they’ll let you know when to get off. The hotel is a 2-minute walk from the main road — look for the yellow building.
Cinnamon Village Eco Tourism Hotel & Lodge → Colombo 03 local areas (e.g., Galle Face, Viharamahadevi Park)
💡 Negotiate (or use Uber/PickMe app for a fair price). A short ride to Galle Face costs about 250-300 LKR; agree the fare before you get in—rates double for foreigners otherwise.
Colombo Fort railway station or bus stand → Samudra Hotel, Colombo 03
💡 Negotiate the fare before you get in. For a short trip like this, 300–400 LKR is fair. Use a metered tuk-tuk if you can find one, or just flag one down — they are everywhere in Colombo.
Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) → Samudra Hotel, Colombo 03
💡 Pre-book through the hotel or a reputable app like PickMe or Uber for a fixed price. Avoid drivers offering rides inside the arrivals hall — they often quote double.
Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) → Juliana Hotel, Colombo 03
💡 Pre-book via the hotel or PickMe app for a fixed fare. Avoid touts; rates double if you walk outside the arrival hall without booking.
Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) → Cinnamon Village Eco Tourism Hotel & Lodge, Colombo 03
💡 Pre-arrange with the hotel to get a fixed rate, avoiding haggling. The drive uses the expressway, but traffic after 4pm can add 15-20 mins.
About Colombo 03
Wikipedia ↗
Colombo ( kə-LUM-boh; Sinhala: කොළඹ, romanised: Koḷam̆ba, IPA: [ˈkoləᵐbə]; Tamil: கொழும்பு, romanised: Koḻumpu, IPA: [koɻumbɯ]) is Sri Lanka's executive and judicial capital, as well as the country's most populous city. It is also the financial centre of the island and a tourist destination. The Col...
Frequently Asked Questions
What time is check-in at Backpack Lanka?
Check-in at Backpack Lanka is from null. Check-out is by null.
Top Attractions in Colombo 03
💡 Visit early morning (6-7am) to see locals doing tai chi and avoid the midday heat. Street vendors near the entrance sell fresh king coconut for around 50 LKR.
💡 Enter from the Town Hall side, not the main gate, to skip the crowd. Best light for photos is before 8am.
💡 Go early morning before 8am to avoid the heat and crowds. There's a small children's playground tucked behind the bandstand that's usually quiet.
💡 Come just before sunset to watch locals fly kites, then grab a sambal-dusted 'isso wade' (prawn fritter) from one of the roadside vendors for about 50 LKR. Avoid walking alone here after 10pm.
💡 Ask at the front desk for the key to the heritage reading room upstairs – it has old photographs of Colombo from the 1920s.
💡 The top-floor magazine section sells old copies of international magazines for a few rupees each. Ask at the front desk. No membership required for browsing.
💡 Try the isso vade (prawn fritters) from the stalls near the road—cheap and authentic. The museum side is less crowded in the evening.
💡 Go just before sunset. The bats leave the trees around 5.45pm and it's a proper wildlife show, not something most tourists notice.