About the direction from Colombo
Colombo is on Sri Lanka's western coast, north of the equator. Facing out to sea is not an exact Qibla method: use the calculated bearing, which accounts for Makkah's more northerly latitude.
How to face 295° in Colombo
- Find true north using a phone compass that reports true heading or a map aligned to north.
- Turn clockwise from north by 295°. For reference, due east is 90°, south 180°, west 270°.
- If you use a magnetic compass, adjust for local magnetic declination; NOAA's declination calculator gives the current value for Colombo.
The figure is the great-circle initial bearing, the standard approach described by Movable Type Scripts and the same idea behind Google's Qibla Finder. See how it works for the details.
Common questions
What is the Qibla direction in Colombo?
From the approximate city center of Colombo, the Qibla is 294.8° clockwise from true north, roughly west-northwest.
How far is Colombo from the Kaaba?
About 4,589 km along the great circle, the shortest path over the Earth's surface.
Does the bearing change across Colombo?
Yes. This figure uses the city center, not your exact position. The difference depends on your distance from the center and from Makkah; it can be noticeable in cities close to the Kaaba, especially Jeddah. Use the live finder for your own location.