Your stay — Big John
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Faith & Dietary Nearby
- Church: St. Mary's Church (83 m · ~1 min walk)
- Place of worship: St. Mary's Church (109 m · ~1 min walk)
- Buddhist temple: Pinwathe Temple (342 m · ~4 min walk)
- Place of worship: Temple (405 m · ~5 min walk)
Local Lifestyle & Recreation
Frazer Ground — 540 m · ~7 min walk
National Puppet Museum — 349 m · ~4 min walk
Dehiwala S.D.S Jayasinghe Ground — 970 m · ~12 min walk
5-Minute Radius Essentials
Commercial Bank of Ceylon — 332 m · ~4 min walk
Dhanvanthri Pharmacy — 1.2 km · ~15 min walk
Gamage Stores — 1.3 km · ~16 min walk
Kalmunai Private Bus — 932 m · ~12 min walk
Emergency Contacts
DehiwalaFor emergencies in Dehiwala, Sri Lanka, dial 119 for police, 1990 for ambulance, and 110 for fire services. Save these numbers and note that 1990 is the national ambulance service; for private hospitals, keep local numbers handy.
💡 Save these numbers in your phone. In life-threatening emergencies, call immediately.
Where to Eat
💡 Booking tip: For popular restaurants in Dehiwala, book at least a week ahead — especially for weekend evenings and during festival season.
Your arrival at Big John
🕒 Check-in is from . Arriving earlier? Most hotels store luggage free — just ask at reception.
🧭 First things nearby: cash · Commercial Bank of Ceylon — 332 m · ~4 min walk — pharmacy · Dhanvanthri Pharmacy — 1.2 km · ~15 min walk
🚐 Pre-book an airport transfer →Getting Around
Colombo Fort Station → Dehiwala Railway Station
💡 From the airport, take bus 187 to Pettah, then walk 10 minutes to Fort Station. Get a second-class ticket (window seat on the left for ocean views). Dehiwala station is a 5-minute tuk-tuk ride from the motel (charge about 200 LKR). Avoid the 17:00–19:00 crush when commuters pack the carriages.
Airport Bus Terminal (entrance near arrivals) → Pettah Bus Stand (Colombo)
💡 Get off at Pettah, then switch to bus 100 or 101 heading south along Galle Road. Windsor Motel is just past Dehiwala junction; tell the conductor to drop you at the ‘Windsor’ sign. Total journey around 90 minutes for under 350 LKR.
Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) → Windsor Motel, Dehiwala
💡 Use the PickMe app rather than hailing at the rank; prepaid counters at the airport charge 30% more. The motel’s on Galle Road, so ask the driver for the exact frontage — it’s easy to miss at night.
Pettah Bus Stand (Colombo) → Windsor Motel, Dehiwala
💡 Catch the red-and-white 101 bus heading towards Moratuwa. They run packed during peak hours — stand near the door for a quick exit. The motel is opposite the ‘Dehiwala Zoo’ bus stop, just past the overhead bridge. Pay the conductor in small notes; they rarely take large bills.
About Dehiwala
Wikipedia ↗
Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia (Sinhala: දෙහිවල-ගල්කිස්ස, romanized: Dehivala-Galkissa; Tamil: தெஹிவளை-கல்கிசை, romanized: Tehivaḷai-Kalkicai), population 245,974 (2012), is a large municipality in Sri Lanka, covering 2,109 ha (5,210 acres). It lies south of the Colombo Municipal Council area and is separat...
Frequently Asked Questions
What time is check-in at Big John?
Check-in at Big John is from null. Check-out is by null.
Top Attractions in Dehiwala
💡 Try a fresh king coconut (thambili) from one of the vendors—costs about 60 LKR. Haggle gently at the vegetable stalls. Bring small change.
💡 Combined visit with the zoo since they're nearby. Wear covered shoulders and knees. Leave a small donation (50–100 LKR) in the offering box by the main shrine.
💡 Start at the Dehiwala junction end and walk towards Mount Lavinia. Bring water and sunscreen. Go before 7am or after 5pm to avoid the heat.
💡 It's a 15-minute walk from the zoo—head east on Galle Road. Remove shoes before entering. Offer a flower from the basket at the entrance. Best visited during morning puja around 7am.
💡 Go on a weekday morning right at 8:30am opening to see the animals most active. Entry for adults is about 500 LKR (roughly £1.30). Skip the elephant show—it's short and crowded.