With long stretches of beach, abundant green places, constant warmth and some of the best cuisine in the world, Colombo has long been a popular destination for travellers. Unfortunately, tourism from the west has had negative effects on local livelihoods, with digital nomads flocking to expat-owned surf schools and yoga retreats. “Unfortunately, this often happens without valid visas or without paying taxes, just as locals are not paid accurately or involved in the businesses,” says Devika Saloman, a graphic designer and illustrator who is also the founder of Sambol Foundation, which works to protect women, children and marginalised groups from GBV. With white, richer tourists entering the country and creating their own self-serving communities that retracts from local life, tourism just reflects Colombo long struggle to break free from colonial hierarchies.“For me, these are the same patterns as back then with the English, the Portuguese or the Dutch, just made more Instagram-friendly.”

Despite the ongoing problems with tourism, Devika describes shift in how locals are inhabiting interesting places previously monopolised by economic migrants. “This makes me extremely happy and touches me deeply. In the past, there were hardly any PoC people there.”

For her, Colombo is a lively city where recommended restaurants and shops aren’t solely food in certain neighbourhoods but peppered across the of the capital. “The distances between districts within the city are all about an hour. You can always find hidden gems in every district, but this also means that you have to be organised if you only have a short time in the city.”

Below she recommends her top spots to visit to support independent local businesses during your stay.