24 hours in Colombo

History, culture and fabulous food combine in the Sri Lankan capital.

8am FUEL YOUR FORAY

Buffet breakfasts are a fine tradition in Asia, and the spread at Hilton Colombo (hilton.

com) – with its array of Sri Lankan, Asian and European dishes – definitely hits the mark. Keep it local to get a taste for king coconut, curd and treacle, and egg hoppers.

10am HOME VISIT

Devotees of the late architect Geoffrey Bawa, known as the father of ‘tropical modernism’, can tour his private Colombo villa, Number 11 (geoffreybawa.com) by appointment. Part of the home is also devoted to boutique accommodation.

12.30pm EAT AMONG ART

To round out your Bawa experience, visit his former office, now one of the best casual eating spots in town. The art-filled

Gallery Café (paradiseroad.lk) has indoor and courtyard dining. At the entry pavilion, there’s the Paradise Road shop where you can pick up stylish, locally made designs.

2pm BUY UP BIG AT BAREFOOT

An easy walk from the Gallery Café, you’ll find Barefoot Ceylon (barefootceylon.com) for art, books, spa products and gorgeous gifts. Established by the artist, author and former journalist Barbara Sansoni, who worked on the fit-out of many of Bawa’s hotels, the shop is spread over several levels. After blitzing its tempting wares, enjoy a refreshing king coconut or beer at the lovely outdoor cafe.

4pm TUK TUK IN

Aussies Mick Morehead and Tim Graham have packed a whole lot of food adventure into three wheels. They’ve scoured the city for the best street eats, converted a fleet of tuk tuks (you can take down the top, plug in your iPod and chill your tipple) and hired a team of ace drivers. From the best hoppers to the bustling back streets of Pettah Market, Tuk Tuk Safari (tuktuksafarisrilanka. com) offers one heck of a ride – a must to get a sense of what Colombo has to offer.

9pm STAR-POWERED ATTRACTION

The legendary Galle Face Hotel

(gallefacehotel.com) on the Indian Ocean has played host to Vivien Leigh, Sir Laurence Olivier, Mahatma Gandhi and Che Guevara. The former Dutch villa opened its doors as a hotel in 1864 and has become Colombo’s most prestigious address – it’s the place to sip a cocktail by the water’s edge.