Sri Lanka has been on the list for years. Temples, beaches, tea plantations, £2 meals. This is British Airways flying non-stop from London Gatwick to Colombo, and the cheapest seats start at £549 return.
✈️ The deal
- From: London Gatwick
- To: Colombo, Sri Lanka
- Airline: British Airways
- Stops: Non-stop
- Price: £549–£599 return
- When: October–November 2026
Example dates:
26/10/2026 – 14/11/2026
04/11/2026 – 17/11/2026
04/11/2026 – 24/11/2026
11/11/2026 – 26/11/2026
13/11/2026 – 24/11/2026
💰 How far does your money go?
Sri Lanka is still one of the most affordable countries in Asia. A meal at a local restaurant costs around £2. A bottle of Lion Lager, the local beer, is £1.50 in most bars. A full day eating, drinking and getting around by tuk-tuk rarely costs more than £20. Your £549 flight pays for itself before you even hit the beach.
☀️ The weather
November in Colombo brings daytime highs of around 30°C, dropping to 24°C at night. Humidity is high, with showers that tend to come in the morning or evening. By late November, the skies clear and beach conditions improve significantly. The sea stays at around 29°C throughout. If you are heading upcountry or to the east coast, conditions are drier.
🏨 Where to stay
Colombo has options at every price point.
Marino Beach Colombo - 8.2/10 · From £28/night Seafront location, outdoor pool, and a price that makes you feel like you are cheating.
Cinnamon Red Colombo - 9.1/10 · From £65/night Rooftop pool, central location, modern rooms. One of the best value mid-range stays in the city.
Taj Samudra - 8.9/10 · From £75/night Ocean views, seven restaurants, tennis courts. Five-star service for £75 feels like cheating twice.
🎯 What to do
Colombo rewards slow exploration.
Gangaramaya Temple - A Buddhist temple that blends Sri Lankan, Thai, Indian and Chinese architecture into something unlike anything else. Expect the unexpected.
Galle Face Green - A colonial-era promenade on the Indian Ocean. Go at sunset, buy isso vadai (spicy prawn fritters) from a street vendor and watch the city exhale.
Pettah Market - The real Colombo. Tuk-tuks, spices, noise, colour. Arrive with no particular plan and wander.
Lotus Tower - At 350 metres, the tallest structure in South Asia. The observation deck gives you the whole city at once.
🗺️ Where to go from here
Colombo is a launchpad. The rest of the island is within reach.
Galle - 2 hours south by road or rail. A Dutch-built fort on the southern tip of the island, now a UNESCO World Heritage site with boutique hotels and excellent food.
Kandy - 3 hours inland. Sri Lanka's cultural capital and home to the Temple of the Tooth Relic, one of the most sacred sites in the Buddhist world.
Hikkaduwa - 2 hours south. Beach town with good surf, snorkelling reefs and a turtle conservation centre worth an afternoon.
Sigiriya - 5 hours from Colombo. An ancient rock fortress rising 200 metres from the jungle floor, built in the 5th century and a UNESCO World Heritage site. The climb is worth every step.
Negombo - 30 minutes north. A beach town right by the international airport. Good for the first or last night of the trip.
Non-stop from London Gatwick. British Airways. £549 return. The only thing left is to book it.
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