Galle Face Hotel Colombo City Tour

That sounds like an amazing way to experience Colombo! 

A private tour does make it easier to explore the city at your own pace, especially when you have a knowledgeable guide who can give you insights into the culture and history of the area. With 18 top sights to visit, you’ll get a well-rounded view of Colombo, from its bustling streets to peaceful spots.

The Pettah Market or Manning Market is an open market in the suburb of Pettah in Colombo. Here, one can find a wide range of goods, from electronics to fashion accessories, and market vendors sell anything from fresh vegetables and fruits to meat and seafood.

Being one of Colombo's busiest places, the area may seem a little chaotic at first glance but if you know what to get on which street then you will walk out with some cool stuff at surprisingly low prices. It is a popular shopping area for both locals and foreign travelers as they take back a wide range of cheap stuff. Many new shops keep popping up every other day. Apart from these, at the end of Pettah lies Sea Street, which is Sri Lanka's gold market and attracts buyers of gold jewelry from all around Sri Lanka.

Gangaramaya is one of the oldest Buddhist temples in Colombo, started by the famous scholar monk Hikkaduwe Sri Sumangala Nayaka Thera in the late 19th Century.

After the Venerable Sri Sumangala, his chief pupil Devundera Sri Jinaratana Nayake Thera took on the administration of the temple. It was he who laid the foundation to convert the little temple to an institute of international reckoning.

Sri Lanka: The Gem Island

Sri Lanka, formerly Ceylon, remains one of the single most important sources of fine gemstones. Especially notable are blue sapphire, pink sapphire or ruby, and yellow sapphire; alexandrite and cat's-eye chrysoberyl; and almandine and hessonite garnet. Spinel, tourmaline, zircon, moonstone, and quartz are also relatively common; they share their country of origin with several rarer gemstones as well. Most of the gem-quality material is found in alluvial deposits throughout the island, which are mined by primitive methods. In many instances, the Sri Lankan origin of the gemstone can be determined by characteristic inclusions, several of which are also discussed in this article.

The first secret is in the art of plucking. To ensure the excellence of the final product, skilled hands aided by trained eyes pluck only unopened buds accompanied by two leaves sprouting from the springs of each tea bush.

These chosen leaves are then brought in baskets to the factory and placed on troughs to dry and wither, just as wine is deposited in casks to mature until perfection. Air is circulated to decrease their moisture content to optimum levels to enhance their aromatic appeal and flavor.

Once the withering process is finally through and done, the withered leaves enter the third stage. It’s called rolling. They are fed to rolling machines to break their stubborn cell structures of resistance, to open their hearts, and to seduce them to release the natural essence contained within.

Next, they must go through fermentation, the process of oxidation; exposed to air which will brown them to a perfect tan. Then after being blown cold, they must be blown hot. They must go through the furnace of fire, pass through a chamber of hot air, and emerge with the mettle of their flavor tried, tested, and proven. It’s this that will set them apart.

The tea is still not ready for your cup.

The tea is now placed on a vibrating mesh and sorted according to size and grade before they are weighed and packed separately to be presented to the world as the pride of Ceylon Tea: the enchantment that will fill your cup.