Colombo has a vibrant and varied nightlife. The city has everything from the relaxed, colonial Cricket Club Café to the ultra trendy H2O super club. The Cricket Club Café is always a favourite with touring teams, whether to eat or just drink. For a late night option, Zanziba is a great bar and is tolerant of cricketers dancing badly! There is also an attached karaoke bar, tolerant of cricketers singing badly! Further to the lively bars and clubs, there are a number of casinos. They may appear imposing at the door, but Colombo’s casinos are relaxed and good fun. Bets are small and often drinks and snacks are free. The beach resorts of Negombo, Unawatuna, Hikkaduwa and Bentota, have plenty of beach bars and discos that are often full with holiday makers, surfers and local fishermen alike.

There are many culinary delights to be sampled while touring Sri Lanka. As one might expect from a tropical island, the seafood is a highlight on the menu. The restaurants in Colombo offer style and sophistication, and those outside the city can be rustic and full of atmosphere. The hotels have good restaurants, but few are outstanding. Red Dot, therefore recommends venturing away from the hotel and sampling some of the local restaurants. Red Dot will happily point you in the direction of some of our favourite eateries, whether its curry served on a banana leaf or shark steak on the beach.