Negombo

Negombo is a fishing town on the west coast, about 20 minutes from Bandaranaike International Airport. Most travellers spend their first or last night here, and that's what it does best: after a long flight you can be at a beachfront guesthouse within half an hour instead of facing a long drive. It is a strongly Catholic town — often called "Little Rome" for its many churches — with a lively fishing culture and a lagoon full of mangroves and birds.

Things to do

• Lellama fish market — one of the biggest in the country. Arrive early in the morning to see the catch landed and auctioned; on the nearby beach, fish are dried in the sun on mats.
• Negombo Lagoon boat trip — a morning trip by outrigger canoe or small boat through mangroves, past fishing villages and wading birds.
• The Dutch Canal (Hamilton Canal) — a canal built in the colonial era that runs from Negombo towards Colombo; boat trips cover part of it.
• St Mary's Church — a grand church with a painted ceiling, at the heart of the town.
• Negombo Beach — a long stretch of sand lined with guesthouses and restaurants. The water is fine for a dip in season but it's not the island's best swimming beach.

When to visit

The drier season is December to April. The beach is rougher from May to September, but Negombo works year-round as an airport stop.

Getting there

• About 20–30 minutes from the airport by taxi or tuk-tuk.
• About 45 minutes to 1 hour from Colombo via the expressway.
• Negombo is also a good starting point for drives to the Cultural Triangle (about 3.5 hours to Sigiriya) or to Kalpitiya and Wilpattu in the north-west.

Where to stay

Most hotels and guesthouses line Lewis Place and Porutota Road along the beach, north of the town centre. Many offer airport pick-ups at any hour.