The shopping scene is pretty good in Colombo, but this question made me think of places that specifically straddle the line between a traditional shopping experience as well as a place where you can buy souvenirs and things that are very Sri Lankan, so that you can have a memento of your travels from here. If you snag one of the best hotel deals in Colombo and find yourself in the city with some time for shopping, you should check these places out!
Barefoot gallery café is a gorgeous shop, sprawling while still being intimate and full of cute nooks that have different things that you can buy. They’ve got household items, notebooks, clothes, and décor all in this distinctive Barefoot style, so it’s really worth checking them out. They use handloom textiles including handwoven silk and cotton, and you can find notebooks wrapped in these. The clothes are a fusion between traditional Sri Lankan dress and contemporary styles, which make for a really distinct, cool look. They also have jewellery and toys so there’s something for everyone here!
Paradise Road is better if you’re looking specifically for home products. They are famous for having items that are inscribed with the Sinhala and Tamil alphabets, from coasters to bags and mugs. It’s a really distinctive look, as the alphabets are really beautiful, and will be a talking point when you have them in your home! They also have beautiful minimalist plates and bowls, some ranges are entirely monochromatic. Any of these would make special gifts or beautiful pieces for your own home.
There’s also Laksala, which is government run. This is an affordable place to get souvenirs, and it’s a chain store which means there’s quite a few of them around. They have quite a lot of stuff, including jewellery, baskets, clothes and furniture items. The store marries well-crafted works with a really good price point, so it’s good if you want to get a lot of souvenirs at once. These three shops are best if you’re looking for things that are very Sri Lankan to take back home.
If you’re looking for a more mall like experience then there’s Arcade Independence Square, which is housed in a colonial building that used to be an asylum. The woodwork is beautiful, and it’s easy to get lost in the building! It houses a lot of international brands (ranging from Levis, Samsung, Giordano) as well as upscale Sri Lankan brands, a food court as well as a few restaurants that are amazing. There’s also a water feature and lots of seating in the courtyard, and it’s as much a hangout spot as it is a shopping mall. Overall, I’d highly recommend it. It even has a cinema inside if you feel like watching a movie! There’s also the newly opened Colombo City Center which features floors and floors of international brands (including a store for Apple products, and lots of clothing and makeup stores) as well as, like Arcade, upscale Sri Lankan brands. It also has a food court at the top that features food from different countries, and has both fine dining as well as fast food! Overall the shopping experience is very good, as you get grocery stores, furniture stores, clothing and electronics and everything you could want in just one building. Both stores feature mostly international brands, but they also have very good Sri Lankan brands so you can pick out something with the flavour of the island and take it back home with you!
Exploring Colombo 