Enjoy Shopping In Colombo For A Dose Of Retail Therapy

A scenic view of the Colombo skyline in Sri Lanka with its lush greenery and majestic buildings

Colombo, Sri Lanka’s largest city, offers a treasure trove of art, design, cultural trends, food, and nightlife, with influential insiders providing tips for exploring its cool side. Shopping in Colombo is also a luxurious experience. There are markets dedicated to art, handicrafts, apparel, and jewellery, as well as quirky shops and malls for trendy styles worth the time and money. Shopping here offers a variety of options to visitors, making it easy to find the perfect spot to shop. Explore and enjoy the ultimate shopping experience in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

10 Popular Places For Shopping In Colombo

Here is the list of Colombo’s best shopping destinations, each with its unique character and style, to help visitors explore the range of street markets and high-end shopping malls.

1. Odel

Go shopping in Colombo at the Odel Mall and purchase top-notch brands and luxury items

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Odel Mall, a unique establishment in Sri Lanka, houses top-notch brands and offers unique amenities. The mall features fine dining restaurants, a multiplex cinema, and 1- to 3-bedroom apartments. It also has a lushly planted sky garden, providing residents with a green oasis amidst the city’s hustle and bustle. Investors are expected to reap high returns on their investment in this unique opportunity. The mall is set to be a premier shopping destination in Sri Lanka.

Location: No. 5 Alexandra Pl, Colombo 00700
Timings: 10 AM – 8 PM

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2. Arcade Independence Square

The Arcade at Independence Square Colombo is a good tourist hotspot with gardens

Photo: Mr Nigel / Wikimedia Commons

The Arcade Independence Square in Colombo, Sri Lanka, is a shopping complex built as part of the Independence Square Redevelopment program. Despite its colonial heritage and modern amenities, the arcade features a palace-like atmosphere, gardens, and serene surroundings. It features international boutiques, restaurants, and fun corners, catering to both average buyers and big spenders. The arcade features boutiques for women’s garments, skincare, accessories, Apple stores, watch stores, wax museums, electronic centres, sports hubs, jewellery stores, and leisure corners.

Location: Independence Square, Colombo 0700
Timings: 10 AM – 11 PM

3. Ceylon Tea Supermarket

Ceylon Tea Supermarket is one of the best shopping places in Colombo for tea leaves

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Ceylon Tea Supermarket offers a variety of Sri Lankan tea products, including handpicked loose-leaf varieties. The Ceylon Tea Supermarket showcases a tea manufacturing history and tradition with a mini cinema, free tasting tour, and value addition demonstration. Ceylon tea, produced in Sri Lanka’s highlands, is known for its rich flavour and fragrant aroma. It contains antioxidants like myricetin, quercetin, and kaempferol and has health benefits like increased fat-burning, better blood sugar control, and decreased cholesterol levels. Ceylon tea is available in oolong, green, black, and white varieties.

Location: No 326 Ven Baddegama Wimalaswansa Mawatha, Colombo 01000
Timings: 9 AM – 5 PM

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4. Cotton Collection

Browse through the collection at the retail fashion brand Cotton Collection in Sri Lanka

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Cotton Collection is a renowned retail fashion brand in Colombo, offering a wide range of quality and style items, including ready-to-wear, kids’ clothing, accessories, shoes, jewellery, and designer wear. The flagship store in Colombo is known for its youthful feel, modest vibe, and colourful patterns. Cotton Collection has a strong and glam fashion game, offering elegant yet exquisite designs for women, men, and kids. The brand has its first store in Majestic City, Flower Road, and a suburban outlet in Pelawatte. Cotton Collection is known for its comfortable and durable clothing, making it a popular destination for fashion enthusiasts in Colombo.

Location: 143 Srimath Anagarika Dharmapala Mawatha, Colombo 0700
Timings: 10 AM – 8 PM

5. Lakpahana Handcraft Private Limited

Go shopping in Colombo at the Lakpahana Handcraft Private Limited for handicraft items

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Lakpahana Handcraft Private Limited in Colombo offers a wide range of artsy jewellery and handicraft items, including metal items, wooden souvenirs, handloom items, and Batik wears. It offers 15,000 products, including metalwork in silver, woodcarvings, silver jewellery, batiks, brass, lacquer ware, masks, copper, pottery, coconut products, hand-embroidered linen, hand-woven rush and reed products. The store aims to provide customers with unique, hard-to-find items at great value, fostering an attachment to the product and the hands that created it. Lakpahana Handcraft is a must-visit destination for those interested in Sri Lankan traditional art and culture.

Location: 14 Philip Gunewardena Mawatha, Colombo 0700
Timings: 10 AM – 6 PM

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6. Good Market Reid Avenue

Good Market Reid Avenue is one of the best places for street shopping in Colombo

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The Good Market in Colombo is a weekly market that focuses on quality local and organic produce, as well as other local products. It takes place at the Race Course Grounds and Lakpahana, a traditional handicraft store. The market offers a variety of stalls selling organic produce, ayurvedic products, garden supplies, books, and fair trade handicrafts. The market is a lively festival with health food stalls, live music, magicians, and massage therapists. Visitors can also find rare products like granola and wax-coated cheeses.

Location: 14 Reid Ave, Colombo 00700
Timings: 8 AM – 8 PM

7. Cottage Craft

Pick up Buddhism souvenirs and arts and crafts at the Cottage Craft in Colombo

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Cottage Craft in Colombo is a popular shopping destination for creative and aesthetic objects, including demon masks, hats, murals, leather products, and musical instruments. The island’s rich heritage and unique style of arts and crafts are influenced by Buddhism. Souvenirs include gold and silver jewellery, wooden masks, lace-work, lacquerware, pottery, handlooms, batiks, woodcarvings, and more. Buddhist temple paintings express ancient Sri Lankan art, and Indian influence is also evident. Souvenir shops in major tourist destinations offer a wide array of souvenirs and gifts.

Location: 40 Stratford Ave, Colombo
Timings: 10 AM – 6 PM

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8. Noritake Lanka Porcelain Showroom

Pick up home decor, souvenirs and gift items at the Noritake Lanka Porcelain Showroom

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The Legend showroom in Colombo, Sri Lanka, is the oldest retail outlet selling Noritake porcelain since 1999. It offers a wide range of products, including exportware and factory seconds, and is a favourite among celebrities and the rich. The showroom also ships goods worldwide, and its expert packing team ensures the quality of items. The Noritake Lanka Porcelain Showroom in Matale offers exotic bone china at reasonable prices, making it a must-visit for home decor, souvenirs, and gifting.

Location: Noritake Lanka Porcelain (The Grand Legend), 399 R.A. De Mel Mawatha, Colombo 00300
Timings: 9 AM – 5 PM

9. The Gem Museum

The Gem Museum is one of the famous shopping places in Colombo where you can purchase gems

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The Gem Museum in central Colombo is a 4th-generation family-owned gem and jewellery store with a small museum. It showcases Sri Lanka’s gemstones, including topaz, blue sapphires, rubies, moonstones, tourmaline, quartz, and alexandrite. Established in the 1920s, the museum offers high-quality service and a mine demonstration. Visitors can browse the showroom, view the museum displays, and learn about gem mining. The Gem Museum is part of an island-wide network of showroom museums, offering a stop-off on Colombo and Kandy tours.

Location: No.43, Ananda Coomaraswamy Mw, (Green Path) Colombo 07
Timings: 9 AM – 7:30 PM

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10. Colombo City Centre

Shopping in Colombo is incomplete without visiting the Colombo City Centre in Sri Lanka

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The Mall at Colombo City Centre is a premier lifestyle destination in Sri Lanka, featuring over 50 high-end brands, restaurants, and entertainment experiences spread across 200,000 square feet. The mall offers a diverse culinary selection, including Sri Lankan, Italian, Indian, and fast food. It also features a scope cinema, bowling alley, and a state-of-the-art smart parking system. The 47-storey mixed-use development, located on the shoreline of Beira Lake, includes 192 luxurious apartments, an upscale hotel, and Sri Lanka’s largest shopping area.

Location: 137 Sir James Pieris Mawatha, Colombo 00200
Timings: 10 AM – 10 PM

Shopping in Colombo is an adventurous, fun, and charismatic journey, combining excitement with pit stops and unique, creative places. Colombo offers a diverse retail landscape reflecting Sri Lanka’s cultural tapestry, with markets like Pettah, high-end complexes like Crescat Boulevard, and boutiques like Barefoot and Rithihi. It offers authentic handicrafts, gemstones, textiles, and modern fashion, showcasing the country’s artistic heritage. With TripXL, you will have a comfortable and hassle-free travel experience.

Cover Photo: Gussev / Wikimedia Commons

Frequently Asked Questions

Typical mall hours are 10 AM to 8 PM, though some may vary. Individual store timings might differ.
Many malls in Colombo offer free Wi-Fi for visitors. Look for signage or inquire with mall management.
While some stores accept cards, it's wise to carry cash, especially in smaller shops and street markets.
Boutiques in malls and upscale stores on Chowringhee Lane showcase the works of talented Indian designers.
Sri Lankan Rupee (SLR) is used in Colombo. Consider exchanging currency beforehand or using ATMs.

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