Colombo
ColomboEntertainment
ColomboENTERTA
iN
MENTslouching and looking cool. There’s a long
list of frilly drinks and basic food to chase
away the munchies.
Cloud Cafe COCKTA il BAR
(Map p64; %464 5333; 32 Alfred House Ave, Col
3; h6pm-midnight) The rooftop bar atop the
hip Colombo Courtyard hotel is popular
most nights for its breezy, sweeping views.
Cute little chairs cradle your rump while you
enjoy fine cocktails and upscale bar snacks.
There’s live jazz on Friday night and classic
movies on other nights.
7° North COCKTA il BAR
(Map p64; Cinnamon lakeside Hotel, 115 Sir Chit-
tampalam A gardiner Mawatha, Col 2; h5pm-1am)
The one compelling reason to visit this oth-
erwise forgettable hotel is this sprawling
posh bar that overlooks Beira Lake from a
large deck. Enjoy high-end cocktails under
the stars.
Castle Hotel BAR
(Map p64; Masjid Jamiah Rd, Col 2; h10am-late)
Right off gritty Union Pl, this timeless boozer
offers up cheap drafts of Lion in once-posh
surrounds that have borne witness to gener-
ations of drinkers, from politicians to railway
workers. It’s a genial place, good for catching
up on current Colombo events while munch-
ing on the very good French fries.
Galle Face Hotel BAR
(Map p64; %254 1010; 2 Kollupitiya Rd, Col 3;
h11am-midnight) The venerable hotel has
the iconic Veranda bar area with its trade-
mark chequered tiles and lawn tables under
palms. Popular with G&T-seeking tourists,
everyone gets slack-jawed at sunset. Service
can be mediocre.
Taphouse by RnR PUB
(Map p60; %077 377 3844; Old Dutch Hospital, Col
1; h11am-11pm) Cheap beer is the highlight at
this upscale pub in the Old Dutch Hospital.
It can get mobbed on Friday night as hun-
dreds mill about the courtyard, mugs of cold
beer in hand while air kisses are blown and
intercepted.
Silk ClUB
(Map p64; %077 151 2933; 41 Maitland Cres, Col
7; h9pm-5am Wed-Sat) Near other nightspots
like 41 Sugar, this club is among the city’s
most popular.
Rhythm & Blues liVE MUSiC
(R&B; Map p68; %536 3859; 19/1 Daisy Villa Ave,
Col 4; h6pm-very late) This place has live mu-
sic nightly. It can get rowdy at the pool ta-
bles. Despite the Daisy Villa Ave address, it’s
on RA de Mel Mawatha.B52 ClUB
(Map p60; %232 0320; grand Oriental Hotel, 2
York St, Col 1; h9pm-4am Thu-Sun) Somewhat
cramped, this club draws a mixed crowd of
locals, sailors and lost visitors who take to
the dance floor to thump the night away till
nearly dawn.3 Entertainment
Colombo’s after-dark entertainment is still
nascent but is starting to blossom.Nelum Pokuna Mahinda
Rajapaksa Theatre VENUE
(Map p64; http://www.lotuspond.lk; Ananda Coomara
swamy Mawatha, Col 7) This glossy venue, built
largely with Chinese aid, is located in a
high-profile spot south of Viharamahadevi
Park. Its stunning design is based on the
Nelum Pokuna, the 12th-century lotus pond
in Polonnaruwa. Look for important pro-
ductions here.
(When it first opened in 2011, named sim-
ply the ‘Performing Arts Theatre’, it was a
popular sport among locals to see how long
it would take Mahinda Rajapaksa to add his
name to the building.)Lionel Wendt Centre CU lTURAl CENTRE
(Map p64; %269 5794; http://www.lionelwendt.org; 18
guildford Cres, Col 7; hgallery & office 9am-1pm
& 2-5pm Mon-Fri, 10am-noon & 2-5pm Sat & Sun)
Among other cultural events, this gallery
occasionally hosts live theatre and other
events at night.Elphinstone Theatre THEATRE
(Map p64; %243 3635; Maradana Rd, Col 10) This
restored 80-year-old theatre maintains a
busy program that includes music, drama
and films.CASINOS
Gaming is legal in Colombo, but only for
holders of foreign passports. Most of the
clientele is from the region and the casi-
nos – despite adopting names familiar
to Vegas high rollers – are very modest
affairs with no connection to their
famous namesakes. although some
big-ticket operators have been vying to
change this.