Although you might not know the name, Katunayake is likely to be your first stop on the isle of Sri Lanka. That's because it is the home of Bandaranaike International Airport near Colombo, which handles most international flights arriving in the country. Laden with stopover hotels and railway stations, Katunayake is an excellent hub for travellers eager to make their way to the capital or further afield in the Western Province. 

Katunayake tour guides can offer a warm welcome at the airport’s Arrivals Hall to get you out and exploring the beaches and peaks in no time. Just to the south are all the draws of Colombo city itself - in the form of museums with the robes of centuries-old Sri Lankan kings, of the happening Galle Face Green Promenade and its sizzling food stalls, and of the Buddha-ringed Seema Malakaya. Further south is the sandy strip of Mount Lavinia, home to resorts and bubbling bars where backpackers meet. However, you might want to ask your tour guide to take you further out to the mighty rock of Sigiriya for exploring 1,500-year-old palaces, or across to surf-splashed Arugam Bay.