Galle Face Green Checklist – what to see and what to do

It is a blessing to have a large open space like Galle Face Green, rich in greenery and free from extensive human interference in the midst of a busy city like Colombo. You can take the advantage of it by letting yourself get closer to nature for a while. Take a leisurely stroll along the seafront on an early morning or a late evening, when the effect of the hot sun is minimum. You can also watch the sunrise or sunset from the pier and get down to the beach to let your feet get wetted by the playful sea waves.

If you happen to pass Galle Face Green, you are sure to see at least one or two kites flying in the sky. Many locals bring their kids here to play on the grass and fly their kites. You can buy one for yourself from a local vendor selling kites or if you are good at getting friendly with people, you can even join some locals doing the activity. This is not going to be hard, as Sri Lankans are known to be very friendly and generous people with a welcoming attitude towards foreigners. Even though flying a kite may seem a childish activity, it can let yourself enjoy the freedom and go back to your childhood for a while.

This is one of the few public places in Sri Lanka that you can have a picnic without any restrictions. You can either pack your own picnic basket or buy your food from the local vendors. Galle Face Green is famous for its variety of street food like prawn vadai, naan rotti, and hoppers. You must try these out to get the real Sri Lankan flavor, and you will definitely not regret it. If you are travelling with your family, you can let the kids have fun playing and running about. Just avoid the midday hours when the sun is too hot.

There are some interesting old buildings around Galle Face Green such as the old city hall and the old parliament building. The old city hall is the municipal building from the British era, dating back to 1865. Apart from the trucks and some old equipment on display, the building is mostly empty. The old parliament building neo-baroque style of architecture is far more interesting. It had been the Parliament of Sri Lanka for almost a decade until the new Parliament building complex was established in Sri Jayawardhanapura Kotte in 1983. Since then, the old building has housed the Presidential Secretariat. You can see some bronze statues of several eminent nationals in the front garden of the old parliament building. You can find many of the famous hotels in Colombo around Galle Face Green. These hotels also add character to the whole picture through their beautiful setup like the Kingsbury Hotel that you find close to the exit of Galle Face Green.