Juliana Roberts
Colombo is a city sitting along the western coast of Sri Lanka. It is the country's chic contemporary hub. Colombo is well serviced by excellent beaches where one can relax and dine under sunny skies.
Mt Lavinia located about 12kms from the city centre of Colombo; it is home to the most popular beach in the city. The Mt Lavinia beach is part of a headland that stretches out to the Indian Ocean. Mt Lavinia has long been famous since Colonial times and is loved for its huge sandy embankment. Head over to this beach in the early hours of the day and you will be greeted by sights of joggers running along the sandy bed. By evening the beach is a hive of activity; it is frequented by kite sellers and kite flyers eagerly staring up into the heavens at their fast rising contraptions. Then there are the beach volleyball and beach rugby fans having a marvellous game right on the beach. Mt Lavinia is famous for its gorgeous sunsets and this draws the lovers walking hand in hand in utter bliss as kids and families happily tread the waves at the edge of the beach. Another popular aspect of the beach are the many restaurants located along the beach.
The Waskaduwa beach belonging to the Kalutara district is a mere 45 minutes from the city centre. The best beach hotels in Sri Lanka are located on this golden stretch of beach. These hotels offer five star luxuries within a bustling tourist resort like the Citrus Waskaduwa. You will find loads of souvenir shops and batik shops located along the main roads leading to the beaches of Waskaduwa; where a full day of sunbathing, relaxing and indulging in water sports are on the cards. Waskaduwa is well known for its seafood restaurants and some, such as the 'Lemon Sun' located in a Kalutara beach resort are 'all day' restaurants, serving the best in international cuisine. If you are in Colombo do consider taking the short drive to Waskaduwa for an amazing beach experience and choice of the country's finest beach resorts.
Wellawatta meaning beach garden is another suburb of Colombo city placed along the beach. There too you will find many clubs where a family can spend a relaxing day out; best of all the locations marked by the clubs offer lifeguard facilities for enjoying the beach in safety.
The Galle Face Beach is located within the city centre; it is a framed by the famous stretch of lawn known as the Galle Face Green. This was a race course and garden during colonial times. Today Galle Face Green is frequented by kite sellers and kite flyers as well as those out for a picnic to enjoy the very breezy atmosphere of the place; jog, cycle or hang around to frequent the food kiosks. Galle Face beach is reached by climbing down a flight of stairs from the green above; although not as popular as the green the beach is frequented by visitors to Colombo from central regions of the country, it the best place to watch ships roll into the nearby Colombo Harbour.
