Brief History

Galle Face Green is a strip of beach along the Indian ocean in central Colombo stretching to approximately half a Kilometre. During the invasion of the Dutch, this strip was utilised as a strategic line for Cannon fire against the Portuguese. It was originally developed by the Dutch as a strategic line of cannon fire against the invading Portuguese, and stretched over a much larger area than what it is today. In 1859, Governor; Sir Henry George Ward constructed a promenade alongside the seashore to allow women and children to saunter and play within.

Recent Developments

At present, Galle Face Green is currently maintained by the Urban Development Authority (UDA) of Sri Lanka. The beach is a spectacle to view during sunset along this beautiful coast. At most times, this promenade is crowded by the locals who consider the beach a place to relax. The countless street food joints provide a wide array of food and is famous for the prawn fried Wada, crabs, Pineapple and mango pickled, fish BBQs, bread, fried meat and so much more to enrich your taste buds. 

As for the current developments, the Port city at the end of the strip is an extension of the land to the sea by the Government to host a business city with several luxurious amenities to facilitate foreign Investments and business entities in Sri Lanka. Especially during the windy seasons, this place is a go to location for kite lovers and has also hosted several events as well. On the opposite side of the coast, one would find the luxurious hotels such as Taj Samudra and Shangri-La facing the promenade. Anyone who visits this place will never be disappointed and will be a refreshing way to end a long day.

Things to do

The lovely coast is famous for its sunset and so much to do as well.

  • Foot/body baths ( The sea can be rough at times)
  • Watching the spectacle sunset
  • Listening to the gushing waves over the Cape Bridge
  • The Spicy street food culinary 
  • Kite flying
  • Picnic with family
  • Games such as football or volleyball etc

 

Time to Visit

The place is open to its visitors free of charge 24/7, hence one can visit it at anytime of the year. If you are a morning person and love the fresh morning breeze, going for a jog in by 6am will be the ideal choice with the least crowd. 

If you are winding up for the day and wish to spend some tranquil time listening to the sea, the evenings from 5pm would be ideal to sit at the ledge of the beach with your feet dangling with the wide ocean ahead at the orange sunset horizon.

During festive seasons and holidays, the place can get crowded with the local dwellers around, so if you are not in a mood to see large gatherings, then you should avoid such days if not everyday is a good day.

If you are a kite enthusiast, visiting during July to September  would give you the opportunity to witness a range of different types of kites of various sizes and also “go fly a kite yourself…” to experience the ultimate adventure and time pass.

To know more about places to visit in Colombo, Click Here to check out our post.

How to reach

From the Airport, Galle Face Green is just 36Km away and would take an hour to reach. The location is accessible by private cab, public transport busses or Auto rickshaw. 

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