Sri Lankans love to relax - this is obvious. Every month in Sri Lanka there are at least three public holidays, which means official holidays. And this is in addition to well-deserved Saturday and Sunday. But what is not at all obvious is the presence of an active nightlife, and it is more than saturated here.
In the capital of Sri Lanka, a tourist will never see a poster announcing a party, he will never know that a gay club is hiding behind the doors of an ordinary bar and that on Sunday there are open air dj parties where you can dance even at one in the afternoon ..
Where to go to Colombo for a party
In Colombo, you don't have to wait for the weekend. You can dance and have a good time after midnight here almost every day. The local youth is so sophisticated that by the age of 20 they say with confidence that they have seen everything and it is impossible to surprise with something. Up to five establishments are usually visited in one night.
Nightlife surfing starts around 6pm and ends in the morning. On Sunday, there is even a special club from 6 am to evening, for those who were not enough and want to dance more.
Our compatriot Olga Muravskaya, who lives and works in the capital of Sri Lanka, helped to understand the nightlife of Colombo. She made a rating of places in Colombo, which are a must-see for everyone who wants to get acquainted with the nightlife of the city.
Olga Muravskaya, Manager for Russia and CIS Viluxur Holidays: “In Colombo you can have a good time every day, but you can find out about events only on the pages of institutions on Facebook - it is there that announcements of events are published. I picked up the top five most popular places in the city, which are located almost within walking distance from the center of Colombo.By the way, I want to note that even tourists are not exempt from the dress code in the clubs of the city. They don’t demand anything supernatural here, but in slates and beach shorts, the guards simply won’t let you in.”
Top 5 nightclubs in Colombo:
The Ramada is a five minute walk from railway station Colombo Fort and the city's main promenade. Bandaranaike International Airport is a 45 minute drive.
the site thanks the tour operator Viluxur Holidays for help in organizing the trip
Viluxur Holidays is a group of companies under the common brand Viluxur. The operator works as a host and tour operator in the areas of the Maldives and Sri Lanka. Viluxur Holidays is widely known in the Chinese market as the best host Travel Company in the Maldives and Sri Lanka in the field of luxury. The company is constantly expanding, opening not only new tourism destinations, but also new markets. Viluxur Holidays appeared on the CIS market quite recently - since 2014, but is already noticeably gaining momentum.
As evening approaches, Unawatuna Beach in southern Sri Lanka gradually begins to empty. Tired tanned tourists begin to disperse about their business. Someone goes to the hotel to get ready for an evening walk, someone is looking for a tuk-tuk to go to their habitat, someone goes to meet the sunset on the already explored observation deck near the Buddhist temple.
2. It is noteworthy that not only tourists come to watch the sunset, the locals also do not mind, after a hard day's work, come and admire the sunset.
3. Although, in my opinion, this is the most boring and not interesting sunset that I have seen.
4. Therefore, I had to climb once again to shoot at least something interesting.
6. By the way, not only people climbed the stones to pass the evening. On the top of one of the boulders, a small flock of peacocks was seen, unfortunately, while I got to them, only one of the whole flock remained.
7. Probably, some local residents took an example from them to choose their observation deck.
8. Thousands of light bulbs, hundreds of candles, dozens of kettles illuminate the night village in the south of Sri Lanka.
10. With the sunset, the night Unawatuna is transformed. Vendors crawl out into the street from the nooks of souvenir shops and do not obsessively invite you to come in to see a souvenir, night cafes turn on illumination, the village wakes up after a relaxed beach day, tanned tourists appear on the streets, wandering in the throes of choosing another cafe for dinner.
15. Local surf school teachers are discussing another unprofitable day, as there are no good waves here. For all the time I was on the local beach, I did not see a single surfer, the one that rode with a paddle does not count.
16. Part of the beach turns into one continuous cafe. Eateries that are not noticeable during the day come to life, alcohol and seafood appear on empty shelves. The chefs begin to prepare their best dishes.
20. In place of the sunbeds familiar to everyone during the day, tables are taken out on the sand, many candles and even teapots are lit. Everyone tries in their own way to entice the client.
24. In such an abundance, everyone will find a restaurant to their liking, so that it would be nice to pass the evening after a busy beach day.
26. At the same time, life does not stop in cafes focused mainly on lunches. The staff tries to entertain themselves with anything, even playing football right in the middle of the room.
Of course, nightlife on Unawatuna is not limited to beach cafes. In the center of the village there are small clubs with local DJs and various bars, but for some reason we never got there.
Thanks to all!
This beach was a favorite place for hippies in the 70s of the last century, and since then, for almost half a century, Hikkaduwa (Sri Lanka) has been popular as a resort and a great place for surfing. Stretching along the coast of the Indian Ocean, a small Sri Lankan town was badly damaged by the tsunami that happened in 2004. It had to be rebuilt almost from scratch, but now the entire infrastructure has been restored, and the population, as before, is focused on serving tourists and almost everyone is employed in this industry.
General information and how to get from Colombo airport
Tsunami Honganji Vihara IN resort town a little more than 100 thousand people now live on the southern coast of the island. And those sad days are reminiscent of the monument at the entrance and the white ribbons that the locals knit on the trees next to it, in memory of the dead.
From the city of Colombo to Hikkaduwa about 100 km, the administrative center of Galle is 17 km. Highway A2 runs parallel to the first coastline through the whole city - the noisy and busy Galle Road, along which the whole life of the resort is built. The Colombo-Mattara railway, which connects the capital with the southernmost point of the island, also passes very close by.
From Colombo Bandaranaike Airport to Hikkaduwa 140 km, you can get there by car, bus, train and combined ways.
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Taxi - fast but expensive
The fastest and most comfortable option, but also the most expensive - 11,500 rupees ($75) if you take a taxi at the airport. This price is fixed for all taxis near the terminal counter. You can bargain with private taxi drivers and the trip will be somewhat cheaper - $55-60.
Ordering a transfer in Sri Lanka via the Internet will cost a little more, but at the airport, customers are met with a sign and taken to the specified location. A minivan for a company of tourists (6-13 people) is cheaper (per 1 person).
Bus and train - longer, but budget
First you need to get to Colombo by bus number 187, the ticket costs 110 rupees, the journey time is about an hour. In Colombo, before reaching the final station Colombo Fort, get off at the bus station near the Petah market - Bus Station stop. There, transfer to any bus going in the direction of Galle, Mattara or Tangalle. They all follow through Hikkaduwa, depart at intervals of 15 minutes. The ticket price is 130-300 rupees and depends on the comfort of the bus. The journey will take 2-3 hours. In Hikkaduwa, get off at the main bus station or at the stop you need in the resort area along the main road.
Combined variant: take bus number 187 from the airport to the end station Colombo Fort and take the train there. The cheapest ticket costs about 85 rupees, in the 2nd class -160 rupees, the journey takes 1.5-2 hours. Trains do not run as often as buses, but there are up to ten runs in any season. All of them stop in the northern part of the resort (railway station Hikkaduwa), and three trains a day and in the south (railway station Thiranagama).
The timetable and current ticket prices can be viewed on the Sri Lankan website. railways www.eservices.railway.gov.lk.
Trains in the daytime can be packed here, people stand in vestibules and hang on handrails. But after 17:00. the evenings are almost empty. Therefore, before choosing this option, you need to weigh the pros and cons of such a decision.
Infrastructure
At the dawn of its glory, this resort in Sri Lanka was considered the most democratic and cheapest. In the last decade, Hikkaduwa has acquired the features of some respectability, many new hotels are being built here, but at the same time, the former possibilities of this place accessible for recreation are preserved. The resort is not yet ideal in everything, but admirers of this coast return here year after year.
Transport around the city and transport links with other cities
The resort stretches along the coast for more than 5 km, but city buses do not go either along the coastline or along the eastern part of the city inland - they simply do not exist. But there is a bus station and bus stops, all intercity buses passing along the highway stop at them, and tourists vacationing in Hikkaduwa can take advantage of this circumstance, moving around the city or between beaches.
Other ways to move around the city and sightseeing in Hikkaduwa and the surrounding area:
- Taxi, tuk-tuk (there is no such thing as a counter here, everything is on a contractual basis)
- Bicycle (20 rupees/hour or two hundred per day for old models, and 300-350 rupees for a good new one)
- Motobike (700 rupees and more per day)
There are rental offices in Hikkaduwa everywhere, but they open almost at noon, so if you want to go somewhere from the hotel in the morning, then you need to rent transport in the evening.
And many enjoy walking around the city and along the wonderful endless beaches, which sometimes seem deserted. After all, along the way you can meet and see so many unexpected and interesting things!
Beaches in Hikkaduwa
The beach line here is long, but there are, in principle, only two beaches with an official name: Hikkaduwa Beach (Hikkaduwa Beach) stretches for about 1.5 km in the northern part of the town and long, about 4 kilometers Narigama Beach (Narigama), if you move south .
Almost every 200-300 meters of the coastline are distinguished by their characteristics and have their own recognizable sights, which are noted by tourists who have been here. What are the most convenient places on the beach of Hikkaduwa for swimming in the peak season - January and February, and what can be seen here unusual?
Hikkaduwa Beach
To begin with, the sand throughout the many kilometers of coastline is clean, light, the color of coffee with milk and soft. Palm trees almost everywhere separate cafes, hotels and guesthouses from the coast, and grow on the territory of hotels too. Palm trees, like surfing - distinguishing feature and the visiting card of Sri Lanka and Hikkaduwa, and photos of tourists vacationing on these beaches, abound with them, to the fullest.
Hotel Blue Note It has warm and clear water and a gentle shore, no stones and sharp shells. You can see small newborn turtles that flock and individually run into the ocean.
A little further there is a coral reef, here you can swim and watch the colorful fish that swim in flocks below. Through a mask or just in swimming goggles, it is interesting to look at these colors at a shallow depth, or you can simply swim with them without a mask. The activity delights both children and adults. Small children from shallow water feed these flocks with bread crumbs and also enjoy swimming among the fish. There are several such tiny pools formed by a natural line of reefs.
Turtle Beach
A unique place next to the Hikka Tranz hotel, where you will see huge sea turtles almost at the very shore. There is no full-fledged swimming here, there is a large reef nearby, but playing on the beach of Hikkaduwa with turtles in the water, you will slosh around enough. They sail here every day in the morning and sail out to sea in the evening. Turtles are stroked, fed with algae and grass, daredevils dive under them in the hope of capturing unique shots with their cameras.
But beginners need to be careful - these cute tortillas have impressive jaws.
And you can swim on the beach of this hotel, which is also the public beach of Hikkaduwa Sri Lanka. The Coral Rock by Bansei is only a line of palm trees from the shore. Although the water here seems calm, there is a danger of reef currents, and it often happens that lifeguards bring unwary swimmers to the shore.
In the central part of Hikkaduwa Beach, all restaurants and cafes are open during the day, a lot of noise and music. Further south, the beach becomes wider, the coast opens up to all winds.
Colombo, the capital and commercial center of Sri Lanka, cannot be classified as the best places for relaxation, but the nightlife here is the liveliest on the island. This city has a great selection of fine bars and nightlife, including rooftop clubs, which you won't find in small coastal resorts. Moreover, in the resort areas of Sri Lanka, there is practically no nightlife, and tourists rarely leave the hotel in the evening.
In this article, we will present you the most famous clubs, discos and disco bars in Sri Lanka.
sky lounge
Located above the Kingsbury Hotel and open from dusk to dawn, the rooftop bar offers entertainment, delicious food and stunning views of the Indian Ocean. Guests can enjoy two happy hours: from 17:30 to 18:30 and from 23:30 to 00:30.Breeze Bar
This bar, which is located in the Cinnamon Grand Hotel, is a little different from the other bars on this list, as it is located by the hotel's pool. For Cinnamon Grand Hotel guests, the Breeze Bar, with its relaxing atmosphere and soothing live music, is the perfect place to start a long night in Colombo.QBaa
For those of you who love listening to live music while sipping a cocktail, this place is one of the best. After enjoying a cocktail or other drink, you can join the dancing crowd.41
This beautifully designed rooftop disco bar is definitely a great place to have a fun evening and night out in Colombo. Good drinks, live music and a great atmosphere make 41 Sugar the perfect place to start your night. If you feel like continuing the night and heading out to the dance, then you don't have to go far as the Silk nightclub is just one floor down.Silk
This is one of the oldest nightclubs in Colombo. There are many young people and those over 30 in the Silk club. This is not surprising, since the DJs in the Silk nightclub play different music: from golden hits of yesteryear to modern music.R&B
This is a great place for those who want to have fun until the morning. A lot of people come to the R&B club who previously spent the evening in some bar or other club. After a recent renovation, the R&B nightclub looks much better. Today it is one of the most stylish and most famous clubs in Sri Lanka, which mainly attracts young people.Disques
If you are looking for a place with a lot of young people, where you can dance until the morning to the latest pop or electro music, then Disque is a great place for you. Located inside the recently renovated Colombo Race Course building, the club is a must for nightlife lovers. Offering a view of the white dome of the Colombo City Council, the nightclub has two dance floors. On the first dance floor, modern music in the styles of pop and hip-hop sounds, and on the second dance floor - music in the styles of house and electro.Sri Lanka is an azure ocean, gentle sun and clean beaches. Many tourists come here hoping to take a break from the gray everyday life and enjoy plenty of exotic food and beach holiday. However, most young people cannot imagine their vacation without discos and nightclubs. Therefore, going to Sri Lanka, they want to know where they can have fun after sunset.
The best clubs and discos of the island
There are a lot of places of entertainment in Sri Lanka. After all, most tourists who prefer an unusual and exotic vacation love to spend their holidays here. However, almost all discos and clubs are concentrated in big cities. For example, in Colombo, the nightlife is the brightest and most intense. Entertainment establishments start working here from 21.00 and close almost at dawn. Most of the discos and nightclubs that thrive in the city operate on the territory of hotels. Among the most popular and famous places of entertainment in Colombo are the following:
1. Silk. This night cafe is extremely popular among the youth of the island. The highlight of the club is that in different days different music plays here. For example, fans of igniters Latin American dances better to come here on Thursday. On Fridays, the club sounds heavy rock, but on Saturday they play gentle romantic melodies. Silk has a huge dance floor and good music so it's always full of people. Yes, the menu is varied. That is why here they not only take a break from the gray everyday life, but also often celebrate some significant dates.
2 Rock Cafe which tourists like so much. Particularly impressive interior decoration club. The fact is that its walls are hung with portraits of world famous musicians. Moreover, the dishes and drinks presented in the menu are named after these musicians. It looks very unusual and is liked by all visitors. Cheerful music plays in the cafe, there is a dance floor, and lighting effects are well established.
3. The Cricket Club. One of the most stylish clubs in the city. Its interior is impressive: the walls of the club are decorated with antiques, in one way or another connected with cricket, and sports photographs. Light, relaxed music is always played here. The club has first-class service, and the food is delicious. Fans of alcoholic drinks will be delighted with the chic assortment of the bar.
In terms of the number of nightclubs and discos in Sri Lanka, Colombo is the leader. However, there are other cities on the island where nightlife is in full swing. This is Galle, and Hikkaduwa, and Nuwara Eliya. But who would have thought that the small town of Unawatuna would become the most attractive place for fans of nightlife in Sri Lanka after Colombo. Here the nightlife thrives at any time of the year. Discos, casinos, bars, entertainment - the town has everything that fans of a fun life love so much. Among the most popular places in Unawatuna, the following are worth highlighting:
1. Happy Banana. This is a cafe-disco, which is located on the ocean. Sitting in a comfortable armchair, you can taste the delights of the local cuisine while admiring the fantastic view that opens before you. On Fridays, fun discos are held here, where a DJ plays. The club works until the last client and is a very popular place on the island. Both travelers and Sri Lankans like to spend their leisure time here.
2. Koha Surf Lounge- a place for those who are tired of the bustle and just want to relax. The institution has a light atmosphere, romantic and calm music plays. Both the waiters and bartenders here are very friendly and treat tourists well. However, prices are above average. The cafe is located on the main street of Unavutana, exactly opposite the beach.
3. Riddim- This is another famous nightclub in Unavutana. Just like "Happy Banana", it is located on the coast. The club is famous for its gourmet cuisine, people come here to have a hearty meal and relax comfortably from the hustle and bustle. Interestingly, the institution works both during the day and in the evening. At lunchtime, you can just have a tasty snack here, but in the evening the club has a fun disco.
The city of Unavutana is also popular because once a year there are bright and large-scale parties on the beach, which every tourist dreams of visiting. Indeed, during this period, the best DJs from all over the world come here to demonstrate their skills to the audience.
As you can see, the nightlife of exotic Sri Lanka is rich and varied. If you like to drink, dance and have fun, then you definitely won’t be bored on the island.