Negombo

Plenty of Fresh Seafood

Negombo is located approximately 37 kilometres north of the commercial capital of Colombo in Sri Lanka. It is located at the mouth of the Negombo lagoon. The wide sandy beaches and the safe sea are the major tourist attractions of Negombo. Water sports and diving are also extremely popular, with a few well preserved coral reefs and a 50 year old shipwreck that serves as an artificial reef for many varieties of fish. It is common to use the town for the first or the last night of your stay in Sri Lanka, on your way to or from the airport. Negombo is perfectly located within 7 kilometres from Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayake.
Negombo has a small port and is a traditional fishing town. It is a gourmet food lover’s paradise with plenty of fresh seafood available. Negombo also produces spices, ceramics and brassware. Home to Roman Catholics along with Buddhists, Hindus and Muslims, it has been given the name “Little Rome” due to the highly ornate Portuguese-era Roman Catholic churches found here. Negombo has several buildings that date back to the Dutch and Portuguese colonial era. Attractions in the city include the old Dutch fort gate built in 1672 now a part of the prison, the Dutch Canal which was then a supply route to the Dutch administration, old churches and fishing villages. The 100 kilometre long canal running through the town is still being used and is an attraction if you want to see the country from a different perspective.
The Katuwapitiya Church and the Grand Street Church are the two biggest parishes in Negombo. “Agurukaramulla temple” is a famous Buddhist temple bringing Buddhists from all over Sri Lanka to Negombo every year. There are also local handicraft sales on the beaches and the shops near the town.