Negombo is a tranquil fishing town on the west coast of Sri Lanka, popular for its long stretching beaches with relaxing soft golden shores. It is located 7 kilometres away from the Bandaranaike International Airport, 102 kilometres from Kandy and approximately 38 kilometres from Colombo, at the mouth of the scenic Negombo Lagoon in the Western Province of the island.
The town was significantly influenced by Portuguese and Dutch colonizers in 17th and 18th century and therefore has several popular colonial-period churches and establishments such as St. Mary´s Church, Negombo Dutch Fort and the remarkable 14.5 kilometre long Hamilton Canal (Dutch Canal) that links Puttalam to Colombo. This has led to Negombo sometimes being referred to as “Little Rome”.
The most popular attraction here is the Negombo Lagoon, distinguished for its spectacularly vast biodiversity. The lagoon is inclusive of the beautiful Muthurajawela Marsh, a wetland sanctuary highly notable for its distinctive diverse ecosystem and magnificent mangrove swamps. The exquisite boat tours and canoe excursions that journey through the serene swamp are popular among tourists.
The town is also home to the island´s second-largest fish market, locally known as ´Lellama´, where tourists have the opportunity to engage with local fisherman. Local fishermen in Negombo still adhere to traditional fishing to sustain their livelihoods even today. Consequently, Negombo is a utopia for gourmet food lovers, with fresh scrumptious seafood available all across town.
Negombo is also home to several premium hotels and resorts in the west coast of the island. It is also well-known for its effervescent nightlife and sundry activities such diving and snorkeling as well as water sports such as kayaking, sailing, Jet skiing and Water skiing.
