Sunset is between 5:49 PM and 6:31 PM

Galle Face Green Sunsets, kites and street food by the sea in Colombo

Galle Face Green is a big, free park by the sea in Colombo, Sri Lanka. This guide has all you need for a happy visit.

Plan my visit Travel guides

What would you like to do?

Galle Face Green in one minute

Everything you need to know

Where: By the sea in the middle of Colombo, next to Galle Road. Not in the city of Galle! How to get there
Price: Free. No ticket needed.
Open: Usually open day and night (there are no official hours). Busiest from about 4 PM to 10 PM.
Best time: About an hour before sunset. Sunset is between 5:49 PM and 6:31 PM, depending on the month.
Food: Street food stalls and carts, mostly in the evening from about 4 or 5 PM.
Swimming: Please don’t swim. The waves and currents are strong.

Galle Face Green visitor guide

Sunset to street food

A perfect evening at Galle Face

It is free and easy. The times below follow today’s sunset.

1 hour before sunset

Walk by the sea

Arrive while it is still light. Watch the kites, feel the sea breeze, or buy a kite of your own.
Sunset

Watch the sun go down

Find a spot by the sea wall. The sky keeps changing colour for about 20 minutes after the sun has set.
30 minutes after sunset

Street food time

The stalls are busy now. Try isso wade and a king coconut, and ask the price before you order.
1½ hours after sunset

Head back

Book PickMe or Uber, or agree a tuk-tuk price first. The green stays busy until about 10 PM.

What to eat Make it a full day in Colombo

Photos

Galle Face in photos

Real photos of the sunsets, the kites and the food. Tap one to see more like it.

Photos: Sergei Gussev (CC BY 2.0), Rehman Abubakr (CC BY-SA 4.0), Scott Edmunds (CC BY 2.0), amanderson2 (CC BY 2.0), Mayooresan (CC BY-SA 3.0).

See all 60 photos

Nearby

Big places next to the green

A short walk or tuk-tuk ride from Galle Face Green, each with its own guide.

Galle Face Hotel

A grand hotel from 1864 at the south end of the green, with high tea, sea views and a bagpiper at sunset.

About 2 min walk from the south end of the green

Photo: Rehman A. and Azeez A., CC BY-SA 4.0

One Galle Face mall

A big, cool mall across the road from the green, with a food court, a cinema, a supermarket and parking.

3 to 5 min walk from the green

Photo: Dennis Sylvester Hurd, CC BY 4.0

Port City Colombo

New land in the sea next door: a white arch bridge, a calm beach and places to eat. Free to walk in.

About 5 min walk from the north end of the green

Photo: SinsiDILINI123, CC BY-SA 4.0

A bright yellow and white temple courtyard with stone lions, golden Buddha statues and a red carpet

Gangaramaya Temple

A busy temple full of treasures, and a calm temple on the lake designed by Geoffrey Bawa. One ticket for both.

20 min walk or a short tuk-tuk ride from the green

Photo: vivali, CC BY 3.0

Lotus Tower

The tallest tower in South Asia, with an open-air viewing deck and a digital art space. Best just before sunset.

10 to 20 min by tuk-tuk from the green

Photo: Saaremees, CC BY-SA 4.0

All places near Galle Face

Travel guides

After Galle Face: more of Sri Lanka

Simple guides to the things visitors to Colombo ask about most.

A SriLankan Airlines plane parked on the apron at Bandaranaike International Airport near Colombo

Colombo basics

Colombo Airport to the city

The taxi counter, PickMe, Uber or bus 187: how to get from Colombo Airport to the city, with 2026 prices, plus SIM cards, money and the online visa (ETA).

7 min read

Photo: Zarniwoop und Zarquon, CC BY-SA 4.0