The Anchorage Register: Kotahena

Kotahena looks like just another Colombo neighbourhood until you start reading it properly. Restoration workers at an old Dutch church uncover a water-damaged harbour register that logs no cargo. Instead it records what came ashore here and never left: faiths, families, a flag, a recipe. For curious adults who want real history, not a postcard version, this multi-faith, maritime corner of Colombo rewards close attention with stories almost nobody else has bothered to tell.

Trace Kotahena's hidden layers: a 1749 Dutch church foundation stone, a swami's turban, carved Hindu temples, a Catholic shrine locals swear by, a maritime academy, cathedral plaques, a bakery's Christmas tradition, a corner shop and Colombo's oldest Buddhist temple. For refreshments and washrooms, visit Sri Vaishnavi Vihar on Kotahena Street.

Start: Christian Reformed Church of Sri Lanka. Finish: Dipaduththarama Thai Raja Maha Vihara - Kotahena. 13 challenges included.