Negombo

Negombo is situated 39 km north of Colombo and 3 km off the Bandaranayake International Airport Katunayake.

Negombo is situated 39 km north of Colombo and 3 km off the Bandaranayake International Airport Katunayake. It is a picturesque coastal town of much character and atmosphere. Both the fishing hamlets and the fisher folk found here are very colourful. One of the must see sights is the fishing fleet of out rigger canoes coming home.

Some significant places in Negombo are Angurukaramulla Buddhist Temple, Hindu Temples in Sea Street, the Air Force Base and brackish-water fish at Munnakkara. Negombo is one of the few Roman Catholic areas in Sri Lanka. A popular Roman Catholic Shrine can be visited at Duwa. Negombo boasts of fine beaches, beautiful lagoon and Dutch built Canal. Travellers can enjoy good swimming, sailing, rod and line fishing. Negombo is famed for its good seafood, especially Shell fish. It is also known for extensive coconut cultivation and toddy tapping. It was an important cinnamon growing centre in Dutch and Portuguese times, 16th to 17th centuries.

Tourists Attractions in Negombo

  • Sandy Beaches

Negombo is a year-round destination boasting lovely golden sandy beaches, a recently restored old quarter and a charming old world fishing village atmosphere. Few fail to fall in love with the outrigger canoes and wooden oruwas (catamarans) that sail past the main hotel stretch daily. You can relax on the best sandy beaches and also where it is possible to hire all sorts of watersports equipment and enrol on reasonably priced diving courses. Negombo is an excellent diving spot where you can see stunning corals, garoupers and all sorts of colourful fish. Kudapaduwa is a 40-year-old shipwreck about 75m (246ft) in length that can be explored in under water diving.

  • Fishing Village

Negombo is situated 39 km North of Colombo and 3 km off the Bandaranayake International Airport Katunayake. It is a very well-known fishing village. It is a picturesque coastal town of much character and atmosphere. Both the fishing hamlets and the fisher folk found here are very colourful. One of the must see most spectacular sights is the fishing fleet of out rigger canoes coming home. Travellers can enjoy good swimming, sailing, rod and line fishing. Negombo is famed for its good seafood, especially Crabs, Lobsters, Prawns and other Shell Fish.

  • Muthurajawela Bird Watching

Once known to produce rice as beautiful as pearls for the King of Kotte, the Muthurajawela Paddy fields were made uncultivable allegedly by the seepage of sea water through Dutch made Canals and were left to death and decay but nature had spread its healing touch over the last 200 years and had turned once discarded paddy fields into a biodiversity hot spot today attracting ecologists, birdwatchers, students, eco-photographers, tourists, poachers and fishermen.

Spread over 6230 hectares, the Muthurajawela wetland runs parallel to the western coastline of the country and together with the contiguous Negambo lagoon forms an integrated coastal wetland system of high biodiversity and ecological significance. It is listed as one of the 12 priority wetlands in Sri Lanka, and in 1996 in recognition of its high ecological significance, the northern section of Muthurajawela was declared a wetland sanctuary. The sanctuary contains a high diversity of both flora and fauna, including several endemic and nationally threatened species, and also provides an important area for migratory birds.

Negombo on map

Sri Lanka Tourism Activities around Negombo