Beira Lake
A man made lake in the centre of Colombo, ringed by offices and hotels, which still carries its Portuguese name. Once more than twice its present size, it was linked to canals that carried goods across the city in colonial times.
- Where
- Colombo, Western Province, Sri Lanka
- Grade
- Local gem
- Worth
- 10 points collected on site
- Coordinates
- 6.9294, 79.8542
Get the Beira Lake stamp
Open LOQAH when you are at Beira Lake. It checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp is yours: confirmed on site in gold and struck with the date. It goes into your Western Province volume with your photos and a note.
Near Beira Lake
Lotus Tower 0.5 km
A 351.5 metre communications tower shaped like a lotus bud, the tallest self-supported structure in South Asia. Beyond its broadcasting work it holds an observation deck and leisure spaces, with views over Beira Lake, the port and the whole city.
Pettah 0.9 km
The busy trading quarter behind Colombo's port, just east of Fort. Its narrow streets are packed with wholesale shops and the open air stalls of its famous market, each lane given over to its own trade, from spices and cloth to electronics.
Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque 1.0 km
One of the oldest mosques in Colombo, on Second Cross Street in the middle of Pettah's bazaar. Its walls of red and white striped brickwork, topped with domes and minarets, make it look like a candy cane building and earn it the name Red Mosque.
Galle Face Green 1.2 km
A five hectare strip of lawn running 500 metres along the sea in the heart of Colombo. Governor Sir Henry Ward laid out the promenade in 1859, and it once hosted horse races, golf and cricket; today families come at sunset for kites, sea air and street food.
Old Parliament Building 1.2 km
A colonnaded colonial building in Colombo Fort, facing the sea across Galle Face. It housed the island's legislature for 53 years until the new parliament opened at Sri Jayawardenepura in 1983, and is now the Presidential Secretariat.
Seema Malaka 1.3 km
A small temple standing on platforms in Beira Lake, a few hundred metres from Gangaramaya, to which it belongs. It is used for meditation and rest rather than worship, and its present form, with rows of seated Buddhas around open pavilions, was designed by the architect Geoffrey Bawa.
Gangaramaya Temple 1.5 km
One of Colombo's most important Buddhist temples, finished in the late 19th century beside Beira Lake. It mixes old temple architecture with modern buildings, and its halls are crowded with statues, relics and gifts left by devotees over the years.
Wolvendaal Church 1.5 km
A thick walled Dutch church on a rise in Pettah, one of the most important buildings left from Dutch rule in Sri Lanka. It is among the oldest Protestant churches still in use on the island, and its floor is set with the tombstones of Dutch governors and their families.
More hidden gems in Western Province
Questions
Where is Beira Lake?
Beira Lake is in Colombo, Western Province, Sri Lanka. The nearest other LOQAH stamps are Lotus Tower (0.5 km), Pettah (0.9 km), Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque (1.0 km).
How do I get the Beira Lake stamp?
Open LOQAH when you are at Beira Lake and get its stamp. The app checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp goes into your Western Province volume, confirmed on site, with the date.
I have been to Beira Lake before. Can I still have the stamp?
Yes. Add it from Earlier trips in your Western Province volume, with the date if you know it, or import your Google Timeline and LOQAH matches the places you were.
Collect your first stamp.
LOQAH is free on iPhone and Android, in India and 20 more countries, with more countries on the way. Stand at a place, collect its stamp, and keep every trip in a passport that grows.