EQUAL GROUND is proud to announce the dates and programme for Colombo PRIDE 2008. The dates are the 29th June -06th July 2008. 29th June: “I have a Dream!” - a show with a different drag (the content will be a well kept Colombo secret until the last minute!!) Show: Lionel Wendt (730pm-9pm) Post Party: Number 18 (9pm onwards) Tickets available at EQUAL GROUND and LOU CHING WONG’s Salon 30th June: Launch of “Rainbow Visions” (The first LGBT Art and Photo Exhibition) and Nihal Senarthna’s book of Queer Short stories “In the corner of my love life” Venues: Barefoot Time: 7pm 1st - 03rd July: “Rainbow Visions” Venues: Barefoot Daily: 10a-10pm 1st ­ 3rd July: “Celluloid Rainbows” - LGBT film festival. Venues: Barefoot Time: 7pm-10pm 04th July: “Rainbow PRIDE” - the Annual PRIDE Party. Venues: Club Nuovo ­ Taj Samudra Time: 9pm onwards 06th July: “Rainbow Kite Festival” - come fly with us on the beach at Mt. Lavinia! Venues: Sunset Beach, Mt. Lavinia Kite flying (2p till 4pm) Sundown dance (4pm till 8pm)

Utopia has assembled the world's first guide to the G&L scene in 16 Asian countries including complete listings for the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Mongolia and Nepal, plus "best of" listings for select major cities in a dozen other countries. Listings include organizations, bars, discos, accommodations, spas, restaurants, and more. Enjoy savvy comments and recommendations from local Utopians and gay travelers. Click here to order the collector's First Edition

• Lesbian listings
• Men in Sri Lanka message forum
• Sri Lanka Gay & Lesbian News
• Sri Lanka Gay Scene Updates message forum
• Travel in Sri Lanka message forum
• Additional links for Sri Lanka GLBT information.

Click here for pictures and a special report from
Sri Lanka's First Gay Pride Celebration.

• 6699 Club
  Borupana, Ratmalana, Sri Lanka, email. For gays and lesbians.
• AIDSline
  (94-11) 485-7575 in operation for 4 hours every weekday from 4-8pm. A telephone counseling service, open to gay men and women, launched in January 2000, by the AIDS Coalition for Care, Education and Support Services (ACCESS), offering free advice and guidance to callers seeking information on HIV/ AIDS and other sexual matters.
• Companions on a Journey
  46/50 Robert E Gunawardena Mawatha, Colombo 6, (94-11) 485-1535, email. An exclusively LGBT organization founded in 1995 and focusing their work in three main areas: advocacy for protection of rights of LGBT people and decriminalisation of consenting adult homosexuality; networking; and providing peer based outreach services. They operate two drop-in centers in Colombo and Kandy. In addition, they conduct film screenings, host reading room facilities and social get-togethers. They also provide peer counseling, STI/HIV testing and treatment and provide free condoms and information on STIs/HIV through peer outreach workers.
• Equal Ground
  PO Box 2021 Colombo, 268-2278, email. Focusing on the human rights of Sri Lanka's LGBTIQ communities. They are for the equitable status for all sexual orientations and gender identities and to eliminate the physical, emotional, spiritual and psychological abuse stemming from strict interpretations of gender and sexuality.

• Andrees Tours
  Email. Organizing all type of tours around Sri Lanka. Gay and lesbian-friendly.

Bolgoda

Click here for Bolgoda hotels and accommodations.

COLOMBO/KOLAMBA -- area code (94-1)

Population is over 650,000 (that's about 26,000 Utopians).

• Number 18 (mixed)
  Guilford Crescent, Colombo 7.
• Rhythm and Blues (mixed)
  Duplication Rd, Colombo 4.

• Bambalapitya beach (behind Majestic City).
• Colombo Fort, facilities in the CTB government bus stand.
• Majestic City Shopping Mall, Galle Rd. Main lounge and facilities.
• Wellawatta Beach

Galle

Comments from Utopians:

"Galle, in the southern part of the island, is a great place to visit for a few days. The Old Town and 16th century Fort are full of atmosphere and romance -- especially beautiful to walk around in the cool of the late afternoon. The atmosphere is very relaxed and the people are friendly and the shops in the Fort can be interesting and cater for a variety of tastes. The beach of Unawatuna is close by, it is safe and perfect to while away the day. There is lots of cheap accommodation available and the famous UBR Resort is a 3-4 star accommodation and serving good food beside the beach. A tuk-tuk costs R$100-150 (about US$1) to get there from Galle." -- Mike, Sep 5, 2006

Click here for Galle hotels and accommodations.

Negombo / Migamuwa

Population is about 130,000 (that's over 5,000 Utopians).

Click here for Negombo hotels and accommodations.

• Sherry Land Bar
  Ettukala. Famous outdoor bar and the best gay-friendly meeting place in Negombo. There is always someone nice who will want to know where you from and if are you married. ;-)
• The Windmill Hotel
  Plastic chairs on the terrace, but agood atmosphere and drinks are a good value for the money. Popular (even if you are the only guest, wait a bit and the guys of Negombo will find you).

Comments from Utopians:

"Try the ayurveda (herbal) massage. The best known place is Body-Zone with branches on the Kochikade side and one next to the Golden Star Hotel (request a masseur)." -- Azmi, Jul 16, 2007

• Negombo Bus Terminal, after 7:30pm until late.
• Sunday in front of the 5-star "Beach Hotel." Walk down to Negombo Beach Park. Crowded with sweet, friendly people. Morning until noon and after 4pm. Don't go after 7pm.

• Byou (Swiss cuisine)

  Comments from Utopians:

  "Byou restaurant is very good." -- ChrisUKEssex, Jul 24, 2008

  "Byou is excellent - great food and service, very friendly owner and good prices." -- chompi27, Apr 30, 2008

• Dolce Vita (Italian Coffee shop)
  Portuhota Rd, Ettukala. Enter through the Sea-Sands Guesthouse. Gay-friendly. Good tiramusu. Terrace with a fantastic view right beside the beach.
• King Coconut
  Ettukala, on the Beach.
• Lords (western and Sri Lankan)
  Portuhota Rd, Ettukala. Gay-owned.

  Comments from Utopians:

  "I ate at Lords a few times on my last visit and found the food more than acceptable and certainly up to the standard of high class European establishments. Needless to say, I'll be returning here during my next sojourn." -- ChrisUKEssex, Jul 24, 2008

  "Went to Lords Restaurant with some friends and was extremely disappointed. Expensive. Ordered chicken Kiev, received an undefined mixture of burnt chicken with awful sauce. Despite the fact that the restaurant was almost empty, the service was very slow." -- chompi27, Apr 30, 2008

  "Lords Restaurant on Portuhota Rd is gay-owned and popular with visiting gays from everywhere. Excellent western and Sri Lankan food served with popular Australian wines. Best restaurant outside Colombo. Closed Mon." -- btonboz, Feb 22, 2007

Patuwatha - Dodanduwa

Click here for Patuwatha - Dodanduwa hotels and accommodations.

Tangalle

Click here for Tangalle hotels and accommodations.