Colombo, Sri Lanka

Best places to shop in Colombo

5 markets, malls and shopping districts in Colombo — what to buy, when to go, and the tourist traps to avoid at each one.

Last updated 2026-08-09

1. Pettah Market

The old trading quarter's street markets — each lane specialising in one trade: textiles, electronics, hardware, spices, gold.

Where: Bazaar
Map: Open in Maps
Best time: Monday to Saturday 09:00–18:00
Cost: Budget
Tip: The Old Dutch Hospital nearby is the calm, air-conditioned opposite — restored colonial buildings with boutiques and restaurants.

2. Laksala and Barefoot

Laksala is the state craft emporium — masks, batik, brass, lacquer at fixed prices. Barefoot is the long-established Colombo design house for handwoven textiles.

Where: Market
Map: Open in Maps
Best time: Daily 10:00–19:00
Cost: Mid-range

3. Colombo gem dealers, Sea Street and York Street

Sri Lanka is a major sapphire source and Colombo's licensed dealers sell certified stones.

Where: Luxury
Map: Open in Maps
Best time: Monday to Saturday 09:30–18:00
Cost: Luxury

Watch outThe gem scam here mirrors Jaipur's: a stranger explains you can buy stones and resell them at home at a profit. You cannot. Buy only from an NGJA-licensed dealer, insist on a National Gem and Jewellery Authority certificate, and only buy what you want to own.

4. One Galle Face and Colombo City Centre

The modern malls on the seafront — international brands, supermarkets, cinemas and food halls.

Where: Mall
Map: Open in Maps
Best time: Daily 10:00–22:00
Cost: Mid-range

5. Ceylon tea shops and the Dutch Hospital

Sri Lanka's tea trade sold properly — single-estate Ceylon tea, graded and dated, rather than the supermarket blends.

Where: Street Shopping
Map: Open in Maps
Best time: Daily 10:00–20:00
Cost: Budget–Mid
Tip: Look for the Lion logo, which certifies the tea was grown and packed in Sri Lanka. Loose leaf from a named estate is a different product from the airport tins.