Visiting Port City Colombo

What Port City is

Port City was made by pumping sand into the sea. The new land is 269 hectares, about 50 times the size of Galle Face Green, and it was finished in 2019. It is planned as a whole new part of Colombo, with offices, homes, hotels, a marina for yachts and a beach. A Chinese company is building it together with Sri Lanka’s government, and a government body looks after it.

Most of it is still being built, so you will see cranes, fences and empty plots. The planners say it will take until about 2040 to finish. A big yacht marina is due in 2027.

How to get in

Entry is free. You only pay for rides, water sports, food and drink.

The way in is at the Lotus Roundabout, in front of the old Parliament (today the Presidential Secretariat), across the road from the north end of the green. A footpath and Port City’s main road both start there.

Getting in can change. Walk to the Lotus Roundabout and follow the signs. You used to need the Port City app to get in, but it left the app stores in 2026, so ask the guards what they need.

Walking from Galle Face Green: walk north along the sea to the green’s north-west corner, then up to the road and over a short bridge to the roundabout: about 5 minutes. The pavements are lit after dark.

Inside, distances are big. The beach is about 2 km from the way in, about 25 minutes on foot, with almost no shade.

By car or tuk-tuk: the ride from the green is very short, so walking is usually quicker (more on tuk-tuks and ride apps in Colombo). There is a big car park by the beach, but the rules for vehicles keep changing (in 2025, a travel guide said tuk-tuks were not let in). Ask to be dropped at the Lotus Roundabout.

What to do

• The white arch footbridge: the best-known sight, a tall white arch with thin cables over a curved walkway. It is about a 10-minute walk from the way in, and it lights up at dusk.
• The waterfront: a walk by the water with views back to Galle Face, its towers and the Lotus Tower. Parts are still being built.
• The beach: a long, golden, man-made beach on a calm lagoon, opened in July 2023, with cafés and space to sit.
• The outdoor food court: The Food Harbour, opened in January 2026, made from shipping containers, with about a dozen places to eat and drink. It is listed as open from 10 AM to 10 PM.
• The duty-free mall: tourists can shop duty-free with their passport, then collect what they bought at the airport when they fly home (see our airport guide).
• Paid activities: go-karts (from age 13 and 1.4 m tall), quad bikes on the sand, jet skis, kitesurfing, sailing, horse rides, kayaks and pedal boats. Prices are not published, so ask first.

Big ticketed music festivals and New Year fireworks happen here too, and parts of Port City can close for them.

Swimming and safety

The beach faces a calm lagoon, sheltered from the waves by a 3.2 km rock wall out in the sea. Port City built it for swimming, and lifeguards have been seen there. But it is still the sea:

• Swim only in daylight, and near a lifeguard. In June 2025 a young man drowned while snorkelling off the Port City beach.
• Watch children all the time.
• Never swim at Galle Face Green itself. The waves and currents there are strong, and people have drowned.
• Beachwear: swimsuits are fine on the beach, but topless or nude sunbathing is not allowed in Sri Lanka.

When to go and how long

• Late afternoon is best: from about 4:30 PM, when the heat eases. There is almost no shade.
• Sunset: from the beach the sun goes down over the sea all year, and the arch bridge lights come on as the sky gets dark. From late December to early October sunset is after 6 PM, when parts may close, so ask the guards how late you can stay. Today’s sunset time is on our Galle Face Green guide.
• How long: 1 to 2 hours for the waterfront, the bridge and a drink. Half a day if you add the beach, a ride or a swim.
• Weather: December to March are the driest and calmest months. Storms stop beach activities.

Toilets and other practical things

• Toilets and showers: there are paid toilets and showers by the beach (in 2025 a visitor paid 50 rupees for the toilet), and some visitors found them dirty. The cafés, the food court and the mall are other options, and so is One Galle Face mall on your way back.
• Paths: the paths are smooth and wide, good for buggies and scooters. The arch bridge has steps at one end.
• Your passport: bring it if you want to shop at the duty-free mall.
• Photos: take all the photos you like, but not of the guards or security points at the Presidential Secretariat. Drones need approval from the Civil Aviation Authority.
• Alcohol: only in licensed bars and restaurants, and usually not on Poya (full-moon) days. Drinking in public places is not allowed.