Universal in its appeal and something we all like to indulge in (some more than others!), shopping can be enjoyed pretty much wherever you choose to have a holiday. That said, each destination offers a different experience when it comes to shopping excursions, and if you are planning to head to sunny Sri Lanka, there is much to look forward to, especially in its commercial capital, Colombo.

For clothes shopping the city has plenty of options and many of the main streets and roads have some clothes boutique or other. Odel is known for its high-end fashion and designer brands, while Mondy, Kelly Felder and GFlock are great places to buy dresses and office wear. Colombo even has Charles & Keith, Body Shop, Nike and Mango outlets for those in search of international brands. For more budget-friendly fashion places like the mega House of Fashion store, No Limit and Glitz are well worth stopping by at. Ideally look to stay at a hotel in Colombo, Sri Lanka that is on or offers easy access to what is known as “Galle Road” so you can access many of these retail hubs without much hassle.

The city also has two noteworthy malls that you should look to visit. Majestic City has a plethora of shops offering clothing, electronics, shoes, mobile phones and even a store selling a variety of specialised teas, ideal to take back home as souvenirs. Then there is Crescat Boulevard mall close to Cinnamon Grand Colombo, offering high end fashion, books and more. Both malls have food courts, while Majestic City also has a special kid’s zone and a multiplex cinema.

When it comes to shopping in Colombo, no experience is complete without heading to the area known as Pettah. It offers shopping with a more local “flavour” amidst a colourful and chaotic cacophony of sights and sounds (and smells!). Traversing the streets that criss-cross the area can be somewhat confusing at first, but getting “lost” is part of the fun, and you never know what treasures are to be found behind each corner. Sarees, fresh produce, confectioneries, electronics, toys, bags, shoes and more all vie for your attention along with shop and stall owners who can be engaged with, for some good old fashioned bargaining!

Roland Lefevre is a travel writer who specializes in creating features on leisure as well as business travel destinations across the globe. Google+