Galle Face Green

A half-kilometre of open lawn between Colombo's colonial waterfront and the Indian Ocean, and the closest thing the city has to a communal living room. Come at five in the afternoon when the sea breeze picks up: kite sellers work the crowd, families spread out on the grass, and a line of isso wade carts serve prawns fried in chilli batter to eat standing up. It is the easiest, most unforced introduction to Colombo there is.