This shouldn't be very hard given that we're literally an island and that Colombo borders the beach… but given all the buildings, roads, and pollution, where can you just sit down, chill, and grab a good sunset? If you've ever wondered of an easily accessible place (ie, somewhere that isn't a private apartment or an office situated along Marine Drive or Galleface), we've got a little list of nice spots here for you.
Whight & Co.
Whight & Co. serves up consistently good coffee and slow service. The upstairs also has really wide windows and a nice balcony which overlooks the sea. You can spot a train rumble by at regular intervals too.
Barracuda / The Station
If you want some Hot Butter Cuttlefish and a place to kick back and relax, try one of these two beachside joints in Wellawatta. The ambience is authentically Sri Lankan and is one of the closest you'd get to a Negombo beachside joint experience in Colombo.
Sky Lounge
For fancy drinks and a high-end ambience, Kingsbury's Sky Lounge offers a great view of the old Parliament, the Galleface round-about, and the ongoing construction zone as a bonus with the sunset.
ON14
ON14's lofty position as Colombo's tallest rooftop bar was usurped by Cloud Red (26th floor as opposed to 14th), but its view is still one of the best in the city. The bar offers unhindered sights of the horizon, charming aerial views of the shoreline, and a vantage look at the coastal railcars trundling along.
Cloud Red
The ambience is easily the key draw of Cloud Red. You've got a 360° view of Colombo's undulating skyline; watching construction, traffic, and trees flit about below you. The perfect time to arrive is around 5:30. You can catch sunset near the pool, then watch as the sun dips and Colombo gets gradually sparklier as headlights and lamps are switched on.
Colombo City Hotel
There's a balcony seating area as well, and you're basically overlooking the World Trade Centre, the Dutch Hospital, and the sea in between the buildings. It's like, the perfect spot for a bunch of friends to gather and drink up, and the drinks menu was relatively cheap too. Evenings here are glorious.
and last but not least…
Galleface
Possibly the most crowded place in Colombo, come Friday nights or the weekend, Galleface is pretty much a family institution. It's also the place for umbrella couples, creepy dudes, overly-attached gypsies who insists on predicting your fortune or reading your palm, and great street food. Nana Kadeys, basically.
We hope you find this useful, and let us know if we've missed any and what your favourite spots are.
Happy sunset photo-catching!
