Watch the sunset over the sea
The green faces west, over the Indian Ocean. On clear evenings you can watch the sun sink towards the sea while the sky turns orange, pink and purple.
Visitor guide
Galle Face Green visitor guide
Galle Face Green is a big, free park by the sea in the middle of Colombo, Sri Lanka. Come in the evening to fly a kite, try the street food and watch the sun go down over the Indian Ocean.
Sunset is between 5:49 PM and 6:31 PM
Quick facts
- Where
- By the sea in the middle of Colombo, between Galle Road and the Indian Ocean. 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
- The hour before sunset, when it is cooler and the sky turns orange.
- Food
- Street food stalls and carts, mostly from about 4 or 5 PM.
- Swimming
- Please don’t swim. The waves are strong, and there are no lifeguards that we know of.
- Run by
- The Sri Lanka Ports Authority, through a company it owns. This website is an independent guide.
- Size
- About 5 hectares (12 acres) of lawn, along nearly 1 km of seafront.
Galle Face Green from end to end
A long strip of grass by the sea, with the Galle Face Hotel at the south end and the old Parliament at the north end.
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Galle Face Hotel
South end
A grand hotel from 1864. Anyone can have a drink by the sea and hear the bagpiper at sunset.
About the hotel -
The seaside walk
All along
A path by the sea from the 1850s. An old stone pillar on it says it was made for “the Ladies and Children of Colombo”.
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The big lawn
All along
Open grass for kites, games and picnics. Kite sellers walk around in the evening.
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Food stalls
All along
Stalls by the seaside walk, and carts by the road from about 4 PM.
What to eat -
The big flag
On the green
Sri Lanka’s huge national flag. The armed forces lower it in a short ceremony at about 6 PM.
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One Galle Face mall
Across the road
A big, cool mall with food, a cinema and toilets, across the main road from the north half of the green.
About the mall -
The old Parliament
North end
A grand stone building from 1930, today the President’s office. Look at it from outside.
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Port City
Next door
New land built in the sea, with a big white arch bridge and a calm beach.
About Port City
Things to do at Galle Face Green
It is simple and free: sea, sky, kites and food.
Fly a kite
Sellers on the green have kites in every colour and shape. The sea breeze does the rest. Kids (and grown-ups) love it.
Try the street food
In the evening the stalls light up. Try isso wade (crispy lentil cakes with prawns), spicy fruit and a cool king coconut.
See the street food guide
Walk by the sea
Stroll along the seaside walk with the sea breeze in your face. Look for the old stone pillar halfway along: its words say the walk was made for “the Ladies and Children of Colombo”.
Around 6 PM each day, members of the armed forces lower the big national flag on the green in a short ceremony. It is worth a look.
When to go
Best time of day
Come between about 4 PM and 7 PM. It is cooler, the food stalls open, and you see the sunset. In the middle of the day it is very hot (about 30 to 32 °C) and there is little shade on the grass.
Best days
Weekdays are calmer. Weekends and public holidays are busy, noisy and fun, with lots of families.
Best months
January to March is the driest time, and from December the sea is usually calm. October, November and May are the wettest months, and afternoon or evening storms can happen. Bring a small umbrella, just in case.
Sunset times by month
Sunset is between 5:49 PM and 6:31 PM
| Month | Sunset on the 1st | Sunset on the 15th |
|---|---|---|
| January | 6:06 PM | 6:13 PM |
| February | 6:19 PM | 6:22 PM |
| March | 6:23 PM | 6:22 PM |
| April | 6:20 PM | 6:19 PM |
| May | 6:19 PM | 6:20 PM |
| June | 6:23 PM | 6:27 PM |
| July | 6:30 PM | 6:31 PM |
| August | 6:30 PM | 6:26 PM |
| September | 6:18 PM | 6:11 PM |
| October | 6:02 PM | 5:56 PM |
| November | 5:50 PM | 5:49 PM |
| December | 5:52 PM | 5:57 PM |
Times are Sri Lanka time (UTC+5:30). Sri Lanka has no daylight saving, so the times are the same every year, give or take a minute. The sky stays bright for about 20 minutes after sunset.
Where the sun goes down: from about October to March it sets over the sea. From about late March to late September, seen from the middle of the green, it goes down a little to the right, behind the flat new land of Port City. From the Port City beach it sets over the sea all year.
Street food at Galle Face
Food is sold mostly in the evening, from about 4 or 5 PM. You find it at stalls along the seaside walk, in shops on the road side, and at carts by the road.
- Try isso wade: a crispy lentil cake with prawns on top.
- Cool down with a king coconut, opened in front of you.
- Ask the price before you order, and carry small notes.
- Choose food that is cooked hot in front of you.
Map: Galle Face Green and what is nearby
Galle Face Green is the long green strip by the sea. The numbers match the list.
- Galle Face Hotel About 2 min walk (0.15 km) from the south end of the green
- One Galle Face mall 3 to 5 min walk (0.3 km) from the green: cross the road at the traffic lights
- Port City Colombo About 5 min walk (0.4 km) from the north end of the green, to the Lotus Roundabout in front of the old Parliament
- Old Parliament Building About 6 min walk (0.4 km) from the north end of the green
- Dutch Hospital About 10 min walk (0.7 km) from the north end of the green
- Seema Malaka About 18 min walk (1.5 km) from the south end of the green
- Gangaramaya Temple About 20 min walk (1.7 km) from the south end of the green, or about 200 to 250 rupees by meter tuk-tuk
- Pettah Market About 21 min walk (1.6 km) from the north end of the green
- Red Mosque (Jami Ul-Alfar) About 25 min walk (1.9 km) from the north end of the green
- Lotus Tower About 250 to 400 rupees by meter tuk-tuk (a 35-minute walk, 2.8 km)
See all things to do nearby Open Galle Face Green in Google Maps
Getting there
- From the airport
- About 35 km by road: 45 to 75 minutes by car. Take PickMe, Uber or an airport taxi, or bus 187 to Colombo Fort. Airport guide
- From Colombo Fort station
- A 20 to 25 minute walk, or a short tuk-tuk ride.
- By tuk-tuk
- Use the PickMe or Uber app, or use a tuk-tuk with a meter: 110 rupees for the first km and 90 rupees for each km after that.
- By car
- Roadside parking by the green is run by Colombo Municipal Council: cars 70 rupees an hour, tuk-tuks 40, motorbikes 20. The first 10 minutes are free, and parking is free on Poya (full moon) days.
Stay safe and happy
Please don’t swim at Galle Face. The waves and currents are very strong, and there are no lifeguards that we know of. Sadly, people drowned here in November 2025 and June 2026.
- Ask the price first. In July 2026 officials caught some sellers here charging too much. To report overcharging, call 1977.
- Hold your bag close in crowds, and carry it on the side away from the road.
- Say no to “friendly” strangers who offer to take you to a festival, a special sale or a gem shop.
- Use PickMe or Uber, or agree the tuk-tuk price before you get in.
- Travelling alone at night? Some women report unwanted attention. After dark, stay in busy, well-lit places and use PickMe or Uber.
- No alcohol or smoking in public places, and no drones without permission.
- Don’t take photos of guards or security points at the government buildings at the north end.
- Bring water, a hat and sun cream. There is little shade.
- Use the bins. About 40 people clean the green every night, and on one busy December day they collected 12 tonnes of rubbish!
Useful phone numbers
| Police emergency | 119 |
|---|---|
| Ambulance (free, from a Sri Lankan phone) | 1990 |
| Ambulance (from any phone) | +94 11 269 1111 |
| Tourist Police, Colombo | +94 11 242 1052 |
| Tourism hotline (from a Sri Lankan phone) | 1912 |
| Overcharging complaints (Consumer Affairs Authority) | 1977 |
Short numbers (like 1990 or 1977) may only work from a Sri Lankan phone or SIM card.
The story of Galle Face Green
Nobody is sure where the name comes from. One idea is a Dutch fort gate that faced towards the city of Galle. Another is an old Sinhala name, “Gal Bokka”.
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1820s to 1893
A racecourse for horses
For about 70 years, the green was used for horse races.
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1850s
The seaside walk is built
Governor Sir Henry Ward made the walk along the sea “in the interest of the Ladies and Children of Colombo”. Most sources say it was finished in 1859.
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1864
The Galle Face Hotel opens
The grand hotel at the south end of the green started as an old Dutch house. It is still open today.
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1875
People save the green
There was a plan to build a railway line across the green. People complained, and the plan was dropped.
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1879
Sporting firsts
The first official rugby match in Sri Lanka (then called Ceylon) was played here, and so was the first Royal–Thomian, a cricket match between two old schools that is still played every year.
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2022
The Aragalaya protests
For about four months, thousands of people gathered here for protests known as the Aragalaya.
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2023
A new beach next door
Port City, new land built in the sea at the north end, opened its public beach.
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Events through the year
- 4 February: Independence Day
- The national parade is sometimes held on the green (it was here in 2023 and 2024, and at Independence Square in 2025 and 2026).
- 13 and 14 April: Sinhala and Tamil New Year
- A big national holiday. Families celebrate with special food and traditional games.
- May: Vesak
- Colombo glows with lanterns. The best displays are around Gangaramaya Temple and Beira Lake. In 2027 it is planned for 19 and 20 May.
- August: Colombo International Kite Festival
- Giant kites from around the world fill the sky over the green. It was held here on 24 August 2025 and 9 August 2026.
- December: Christmas and New Year
- In 2025 there was a Christmas carnival on the green. At New Year, fireworks lit up the sky over Galle Face, Port City and the Lotus Tower.
Dates for big events are announced late, so check the news before you go.
Questions people ask
Is Galle Face Green free?
Yes. Galle Face Green is a public park and it is free to enter. You only pay for food, drinks, kites or parking.
Is Galle Face Green in Galle?
No. Galle Face Green is in Colombo, the biggest city in Sri Lanka. Galle is a different city about 120 km to the south, famous for its old fort. You can visit it on a day trip from Colombo.
How to visit Galle from ColomboWhat time does Galle Face Green open and close?
There are no official opening hours. It is an open public space, usually described as open 24 hours. It is busiest from about 4 PM to 10 PM. Parts can close for big events.
What time is sunset at Galle Face Green?
Between about 5:49 PM (in November) and 6:31 PM (in July). Come about an hour before sunset for the best light.
Can you swim at Galle Face Green?
Please don’t. The waves and currents are strong, there are no lifeguards that we know of, and people have drowned here, including an 11-year-old in June 2026.
Is Galle Face Green safe at night?
The park managers say trained security staff patrol the green. It is busy until about 10 PM and quieter after that. Keep children and bags close, and use PickMe or Uber to get back to your hotel.
Are there toilets at Galle Face Green?
Yes, there are public toilets on the green. One Galle Face mall, across the road from the north half of the green, also has toilets for shoppers.
Who runs Galle Face Green?
It is run by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority, through a company it owns (SLPMCS) that looks after it day to day. GalleFace.org is an independent guide, not the park’s website.
Can I fly a drone at Galle Face Green?
Only with permission. All drone flights in Sri Lanka need approval from the Civil Aviation Authority, and government buildings are close by.
Where our facts come from
Facts checked on 17 October 2026. Prices and times can change, so check the official source before you go. Main sources:
- Sri Lanka Ports Authority management company (SLPMCS) (checked Oct 2026)
- Daily Mirror: “Galle Face Green: challenges in maintaining Colombo’s oceanfront promenade” (Jan 2026)
- Cabinet decision on events at Galle Face Green (Nov 2024)
- Newswire: Consumer Affairs Authority raid on Galle Face vendors (Jul 2026)
- OnLanka: one dead after drowning at Galle Face (Nov 2025)
- NewsFirst: drowning at Galle Face beach (Jun 2026)
- Sri Lanka Tourism: weather and seasons (checked Oct 2026)
- GOV.UK foreign travel advice: Sri Lanka (updated Sep 2026, checked Oct 2026)
- Wikipedia: Galle Face Green (history) (May 2026)
- Sunset times: NOAA solar equations, checked against timeanddate.com (Oct 2026)
Updated · Found a mistake? Email us
Make a day of it
Galle Face is the perfect end to a day in Colombo. Try our simple one-day plan, or see what is a short walk away.