Popular park for joggers, yogi’s and picnics
- F. R. Senanayake Road, Colombo 07
- Open daily 8am-6pm
Oldest park in town
The park with its landscaped gardens, ancient trees, lotus ponds, fountains was built during the British rule of Sri Lanka as Victoria Park. Queens Victoria’s statue is still there but it was later renamed as Viharamahadevi in honour of a famous Sinhalese queen. Legend has it that the princess father, the King of Tissa put her in a basket when she was just a baby and sent her out to sea as an offering to save his country from floods. She was not expected to live. But the basket was blown ashore and she ended up marrying another king.
The 15-foot-tall brass Buddha statue at the entrance is the largest in the country, matching the grandness of Viharamahadevi Park, the oldest in Colombo.
Have a stroll
The best time to visit is between March and May when the flowers are in full bloom. Come for sunset when you can see the sky covered in giant fruit bats who take haven in the trees during the day. The park is great for a stroll with plenty of ice cream sellers around. You might also get to see the elephants from the temple near the Beira Lake who are often brought to the park.