The tuk-tuks start honking before you've even cleared customs.
Colombo hits you fast: heat, spice, sea air. Now British Airways will fly you there non-stop from London Gatwick from £487 return, no layover eating into your holiday.
✈️ The Deal
- From: London (Gatwick), United Kingdom
- To: Colombo, Sri Lanka
- Airline: British Airways
- Stops: Non-stop
- Price: £487–£499 return
- When: November - December 2026
Example dates:
04/11/2026 - 19/11/2026
06/11/2026 - 26/11/2026
09/11/2026 - 26/11/2026
18/11/2026 - 17/12/2026
02/12/2026 - 17/12/2026
Check dates on Trip.com
💰 How Far Does Your Money Go?
A plate of rice and curry from a Colombo street stall costs £2. A king coconut, hacked open on the spot, goes for around £0.40, less than a bottle of water back home. Sit down for a proper seafood dinner for two, with drinks, and you're still looking at under £15, a fraction of a night out in London.
☀️ The Weather
Colombo runs hot and humid year-round, and November to December is no exception. Expect around 30°C by day, dropping to a still-warm 22-23°C at night. Showers roll through most afternoons, short and heavy, but the sun is back within the hour, and the sea stays a bathwater 28°C the whole time.
🏨 Where to Stay
Colombo covers everything from beachfront budget stays to colonial grandeur.
Marine Bay Colombo — 9.1/10 · From £25/night Direct beach access and sea-facing rooms, the best value on the coast.
Galle Face Hotel — 8.5/10 · From £60/night Colonial icon from 1864, right on the Indian Ocean with a saltwater pool.
Cinnamon Grand Colombo — 8.5/10 · From £83/night City-centre 5-star with 14 restaurants and two pools, a proper splurge night.
🎯 What to Do
Colombo moves between chaos and calm within a few streets.
Watch sunset at Galle Face Green — Locals fly kites and grab street snacks along this seafront strip every evening.
Visit Gangaramaya Temple — A Buddhist complex blending Sri Lankan, Thai, Indian and Chinese architecture in one compound.
Eat your way through Pettah Market — Narrow lanes packed with spice stalls, fresh fruit and fried snacks, best explored on foot.
Ride the coastal train south — Carriages run right along the shoreline, doors open, waves close enough to touch.
🗺️ Where to Go From Here
Colombo is the front door to Sri Lanka, not the destination itself.
Galle — UNESCO-listed Dutch fort town on the south coast, about 2.5 hours by train.
Kandy — Hill capital home to the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, roughly 3 hours inland.
Sigiriya — Ancient rock fortress rising 200 metres above the jungle, around 3.5 hours away.
Bentota — Beach town with watersports and river safaris, under 2 hours down the coast.
Non-stop to Sri Lanka for under £500 doesn't come around often. Grab the dates before they're gone.
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