Colombo
Entertainment
Night Clubs - These are limited to the large hotels and provide music, dinner, dancing, occasional floor shows and theme nights. They are open seven nights a week, though on Poya days drinks cannot be bought until the midnight hour. Don’t expect the action to start before 10 PM though the clubs buzz with activity till the wee hours of morning. The Blue Elephant at the Hilton and the Library at the Trans Asia are the most exclusive, entry being restricted to members and their guests only. At Valentino’s at the Galadari, My Kind of Place at the Taj Samudra and Chapter One at the Lanka Oberoicover charges apply. Other popular hotspots are the Ceylon Intercontinental’s Palm Supper Club, The Rock Cafe, which includes MTV Unplugged Cafe Lounge, 43 Green Path, Colombo 3. Tel: 074-713278. The Grand Oriental’s Blue Leopard and the Pegasus Reef’s Ruvanara. Sri Lankan disc jockeys are quite competent though often hotels import foreign jockeys and artistes on contract.
Casinos
There are about twenty casinos operating in Colombo. The choices are card games or roulette tables and the perks include free entry, snacks and drinks and sometimes live entertainment. Hours of operation are at least through the night and often for 24 hours. The popular ones are the Continental Club, Fairline Building, 425 Galle Road, Colombo 3 and the Ritz Club, 5 Galle Face Terrace, Colombo 3.
Music, Dance and Cultural Shows
Sri Lankan music and dance can be sampled in most hotels where special performances of traditional Kandyan and ‘low country’ dancing and the famous ‘Devil’ dancing can be arranged on request by the management or a travel agent. The Sri Lanka Philahrmonic Orchestra holds regular concerts at the BMICH. For live jazz, reggae and rock the Saxaphone Jazz Club on 46B Galle Road, Colombo 3 is open on Wed. and Sat. Check the local newspapers for other current events.
Theatre
Sinhala theatre is active at the Lumbini Hall in Havelock town and The John de Silva Theatre in Colombo 7. For theatre in English try the Lionel Wendt Hall and Gallery.
Cinema
Depending on your taste you have the option to view English (British and American), Sinhala, Hindi (from India), Tamil, East European and Continental films in Colombo’s air-conditioned cinema halls. English language films are mainly played in cinemas along Galle Road and two places are the Liberty cinema at Kollupitiya and Majestic cinema in Majestic City shopping complex on Galle Road, Barnbalapitiya. Local newspapers are the best source for the latest information on what’s playing.
Colombo Planetarium
Entrance through Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo 7. English shows are on the last Sat of the month at 2 PM. Special shows can be arranged for parties of 75 or more. Tel: 586499
This page: http://www.cockatoo.com/english/srilanka/srilanka_colombo_entertainment.htm
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