Negombo, also known as "Meegamuwa" in Sinhala, is a major city in Sri Lanka, located on the west coast at the mouth of the Negombo Lagoon in Western Province. The name Negombo is derived from Portuguese and is a corruption of the Tamil word Neerkolombu. Negombo is a beach town just 10 kilometers from Bandaranayaka International Airport, and it's the first destination with sandy and beautiful beaches you'll see after landing in Sri Lanka at Bandaranayaka International Airport.
Negombo town has some of the best hotels and resorts and a welcoming local community on the west coast of Sri Lanka. Negombo, too, is a fishing village with a majority Christian population. This town has Portuguese and Dutch influences, and there are several colonial buildings in the area. Negombo was a significant source of cinnamon during the Dutch era, and there are still remnants of the European era. The busy Negombo town center is located to the west of the bus and train stations. However, the majority of accommodations are located along the main road that runs north from the town center, with the beachside hotel strip beginning about 2 kilometers north of town.
Negombo Weather | Best Time to Visit Negombo
The average temperature of Negombo ranges between 24 and 30 degrees Celsius. With a tropical rainforest climate, also known as an equatorial climate, temperatures in Negombo are always high and accompanied by high humidity, especially from February to April.Rain falls on the city from May to August and October to January, primarily due to the Southwestern monsoon.
Things To Do in Negambo
- Negombo Beach
- Negombo Lagoon
- Negombo Dutch Fort
- Muthurajawela Wetlands
- Cycling in Negombo
- Negombo “Lellama” Fish Market
- Angurukaramulla Temple (Bodhirajarama Maha Viharaya)
- Hamilton Canal (Dutch Canal)
- St. Mary's Church
- Diving & Snorkeling
1. Negombo Beach
Negombo Beach has a long and wide stretch of golden sand lined with resorts, bars, and restaurants. The coast is also ideal for playing beach games like volleyball or football with friends, families, and loved ones, followed by a dip in the ocean to cool off. Water sports such as kayaking, sailing, jet-skiing, and water skiing are also popular in Negombo.
2. Negombo Lagoon
Escape the noise and bustle of Negombo town by taking a boat trip through the calm waters of the Negombo Lagoon. Feast your eyes on the stunning biodiversity of the Negombo lagoon, as well as the different beautiful water birds that visit the area, and learn about the intriguing centuries-old fishing traditions still practiced by the area's indigenous fisherman.
3. Negombo Dutch Fort
The Portuguese constructed the Dutch Fort at Negombo (also known as the Negombo Fort) around 30 kilometers north of Colombo to defend their central city. In 1672, the Dutch reconstructed the fort, changing its original square shape to a pentagonal one. The British took over the fort without resistance in February 1796, and it was dismantled and rebuilt as a prison in the late 1800s. The Department of Prisons still uses it in Sri Lanka, and it has the ruins of the eastern rampart and a recessed arch entryway.
4. Muthurajawela Wetlands
Muthurajawela wetland is a well-known tourist attraction in Negombo. You can take a boat ride through the relaxing waters of the Muthurajawela marsh across stunning partially submerged mangroves. This wetland was declared a reserve by the Sri Lankan government in 1996, offers a diverse aquatic habitat with fascinating animals such as water monitors, crocodiles, monkeys, and insects such as dragonflies and butterflies.
5. Cycling in Negombo
Cycling in town is one of the most exciting things to do in Negombo. You can experience the most beautiful and exciting aspects of Negombo and learn about its history and the most exciting sightseeing spots.
6. Negombo “Lellama” Fish Market
Negombo "Lellama" Fish Market is Sri Lanka's second-largest fish market, with roughly 4,000 boats leaving every day. By walking the sands of Negombo beach, you can see the day's catch is laid out on massive mats made of coconut fiber. The fishermen utilize an age-old practice of open-air drying to remove all moisture from the fish and lengthen their shelf life. It will then be salted before being distributed throughout the island and sold in stores; dried fish is a popular ingredient in Sri Lankan cuisine.
7. Angurukaramulla Temple (Bodhirajarama Maha Viharaya)
Angurukaramulla Temple is well-known for its dragon-head guarding the entry and its six-meter-tall statue of Lord Buddha. To enter, visitors must pass through the dragon's jaws, which is claimed to keep evil spirits away from the temple and its believers. The dragon sits in the shadow of Lord Buddha's massive statue, looking out at a tranquil pool of water in front of it. Visitors entering the temple should dress respectfully, with their arms and shoulders covered.
8. Hamilton Canal (Dutch Canal)
Traveling via boat, this remarkable 14.5-kilometer network of canals passes through Negombo and links Puttalam to Colombo. Designed by a Sinhalese King of Kotte, Veera Parakramabahu VII, and later the Dutch, the British constructed this incredible network to drain the saline water from the Muthurajawela wetlands. It is named so after Garvin Hamilton, the British Agent of Revenue and Commerce, in 1802.
9. St. Mary´s Church
Negombo is a Christian-dominated city with a vast number of churches. The St. Mary's Church is one of the best places to visit in Negombo. The church is a tall, grand, and lavishly designed structure. It has three levels, which are visible when approaching the church from the front.This rose-colored church, one of the largest in the country, is decorated with images of various Christian saints on its ceiling and sculptures of religious saints on the upper levels' walls. Due to the colonial era, the church also represents a fusion of European and Sri Lankan arts and architecture in a neoclassicism style.
10. Diving & Snorkeling
Diving & Snorkeling is famous among travelers in Negombo. You can explore the incredible marine life that exists beneath the ocean's waters that borders Negombo. Witness the outstanding underwater biodiversity, which includes exotic fish, coral reefs, and caves, or explore the shipwrecks that have been submerged in water for many years.
