Sri Lanka / Colombo & the West Coast / NegomboNegombo
Fishing Town and Beach Ten Minutes from the Airport
A lagoon and fishing town on the coast north of Colombo, a short ride from Bandaranaike airport, so it is the easy first or last night of a trip. The beach is long but not the island's best; the fish market, the Dutch canal, the lagoon by boat and the many churches ("Little Rome") are the reasons to stay longer than a night. Seafood restaurants line Lewis Place and Porutota Road.
Highlights
- Early-morning fish market and dried-fish yards
- Lagoon boat trip
- Canoe on the Dutch Canal
- St Mary's Church
- Muthurajawela wetland boat ride
- Seafood dinner on Lewis Place
- Sunset on Negombo beach
Things to do
- Lellama fish market at dawnMorning · 1h 30m
- Negombo lagoon and Dutch Canal boat tripMorning · 2h 30m
- Muthurajawela marsh boat safariAfternoon · 2h 30m
- Seafood dinner and beach sunsetEvening · 2h
Tours & tickets
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When to go
Best time: December – April
Worth knowing
South-West Monsoon: Rough Seas
From May to September the south-west monsoon brings rain, wind and big waves to the west and south coasts: red flags and strong currents on most beaches, whale-watching boats stop, and many beach restaurants close. It rarely rains all day, and rooms are cheaper, but for swimming go to the east coast (Trincomalee, Pasikudah, Arugam Bay), which is in season.
- Christmas and New Year peak — The south coast's busiest and dearest fortnight: beach hotels set minimum stays and gala dinners on 24 and 31 December, the Ella train and Yala jeeps sell out, and Indian holiday-makers add to the European winter crowds. Book rooms and reserved train seats by October.