Colombo

Colombo is the country's commercial heart and most cosmopolitan city — a layered mix of colonial arcades, Buddhist and Hindu temples, sea-facing promenades and a fast-rising skyline of rooftop bars and design hotels. The restored Dutch Hospital precinct, the frenetic Pettah bazaar and the Galle Face Green seafront capture its range in a single day. Most trips begin or end here, and the city rewards a night rather than a rushed airport transfer, with world-class Sri Lankan cooking, contemporary galleries and the architectural legacy of Geoffrey Bawa all part of the draw. The new Port City reclamation and the lotus-shaped tower mark a skyline changing faster than almost anywhere in South Asia.