13 x Things To Do in Negombo

Negombo, a fair city on Sri Lanka's west coast, is popular with tourists for its long-reaching beaches and calming soft golden beachfront. Negombo is well-known for having some of the island's top hotels and resorts on the west coast. Negombo is in the island's Western Province, 7 kilometers from the Bandaranaike International Airport, 102 kilometers from Kandy, and 38 kilometers from the commercial capital of Colombo.

Photo by Recal Media on Unsplash 

The Negombo Lagoon is well-known for its spectacularly diverse mangrove swamps and diverse flora and fauna. The lagoon is home to the beautiful Muthurajawela Marsh, a wetland sanctuary recognized for its diverse habitat. The lagoon and marsh are famous tourist destinations, owing to the swamp's unique boat trips and canoe rides.

The town is also home to the island's second-largest fish market, widely known as 'Lellama,' which has a fascinating fishing business stretching back centuries. This fish market is located at the northern end of the Negombo Lagoon, where visitors can meet local fishers and learn about their distinctive fishing methods. Local fishers here still rely on traditional fishing to sustain their families. As a result, Negombo has become the ideal destination for gourmet food lovers, with excellent fresh seafood available in the town's beautiful and eccentric restaurants and cafes.

Negombo, which Portuguese and Dutch conquerors significantly influenced in the 17th and 18th centuries, also features several colonial-era churches and businesses, such as St. Mary's Church and the Negombo Dutch Fort. A famous tourist destination is the Hamilton Dutch Canal, which runs around 130 kilometers from Puttalam to Colombo.

1. Negombo Beach 

Have you ever been to Negombo, if you have not visited the lovely Negombo Beach? Sri Lanka being an island – sea beach destinations are ample. But the Negombo beach is one of the most popular attractions for tourists in Negombo, and it's ideal for a leisurely walk. If you're coming from Colombo, it takes about an hour to get there.

The beach stretch is lined with plenty of hotels and beach restaurants along the time. Enjoy the scenic sea beach views and the general crowds' and the magical sunset too!.

 

Bask in the toasty rays of the sun or take a sunset stroll along the soft golden shores of the Negombo beach. The coast is also perfect for enjoying a beach game like volleyball or football with friends, families, and loved ones, after which one can take a dip in the ocean to cool down. Negombo is also popular among travelers for water sports such as kayaking, sailing, jet-skiing, and Water skiing.

2. Diving & Snorkeling 

Dive in and explore the phenomenal marine life that exists below the waters of the ocean bordering Negombo. Witness the exquisite aquatic wildlife ranging from various exotic fish to coral reefs and caves or survey the shipwrecks submerged in water years ago.

3. Negombo Lagoon 

Escape the hustle-bustle of Negombo town and embark upon a boat ride through the tranquil waters of the Negombo Lagoon. Feast your eyes on the spectacular biodiversity of the Negombo lagoon. These various gorgeous water birds visit the area and learn about the fascinating centuries-old fishing traditions still followed by its local fisherman.

4. Muthurajawela wetlands 

Take the same boat ride and cruise the soothing waters of the Muthurajawela marsh across magnificent partially submerged mangroves. Declared a sanctuary by the government of Sri Lanka in 1996, the swamp has a rich aquatic ecosystem with various vegetation and beguiling wildlife such as water monitors, crocodiles, monkeys, and insects such as dragonflies and butterflies. This grand marsh is a popular attraction in Negombo.

5. Shopping in Negombo Town

If your stay in the city of Negombo is a short one, and you have little time to explore the gems of Negombo – including the beach truly, then the main road along the coast in the city of Negombo alone still has much to offer for a quick venture. Well-lit and inviting, the streets are lined up with shops, boutique cafes, restaurants, gem and art galleries – with a vibrant hustle and bustle flowing into the road as you explore it. It's lovely enough to hang around, have some delicious food, a drink and enjoy the good vibes.

6. Negombo “Lellama” Fish Market 

Locally famous as Lellama (Lel-La-Ma), this vibrant and busy market is the second-largest fish market in the country, with approximately 4,000 boats departing to sea from here every day.

7. Angurukaramulla Temple

A place of worship for Buddhists and Hindus alike, this temple is famous for its Buddha Statue over 6m in height and the iconic dragon's head, which acts as an entryway to its shrine room. The temple is adorned with vivid murals, paintings, and sculptures depicting stories of Buddha and kings and queens of Sri Lanka. The Hindu temple lies at the back of the temple, Sri Siddha Suniyam Devalaya, named after the Sri Lankan deity Sri Siddha Suniyam.

8. Negombo Dutch Fort

Located close to the Lagoon of Negombo and the beach as well, usually, it's a quick visit, seeing as the fort is small and quite deteriorated. What is left is the remains of a tunnel and waned out landmark of a clock tower. If you're in the vicinity, it's worth seeing. The cool thing here is that it's built with stone and coral.

And if you walk past the tunnel and go a little ahead, you will find a quaint little church that looks lovely and inviting. It is ideal for any history buff, as there is plenty to learn about the Dutch colonization and how it took form in Sri Lanka.

9. Enjoy good food and good times at The Hangar.

Situated in the Poruthota Road, once you have explored Negombo city, this is a great place to stop by with your friends and other travel companions – or even by yourself – it doesn't matter. Have some fantastic burgers and some boozy refreshments, and enjoy the night. Of course, burgers are not the only thing they have. The theme here is good food and good times, and they deliver just that with flavor-packed dishes to keep you happy during your visit.

10. 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.

11. St. Mary's Church 

One of the largest cathedrals in the country, this rose-colored church is adorned with alabaster images of numerous saints on its ceiling and sculptures of religious saints on the walls of the upper levels. With a neoclassicism style, the church also represents the amalgamation of European and Sri Lankan arts and architecture due to the colonial era.

12. Enjoy seafood at The Port Beach Restaurant & Pub

If you want to experience a hyped-up atmosphere with some great music and enjoy some flavor-packed seafood dishes, then you are heading to the Port Beach Restaurant & Pub. Your taste buds are in for an unforgettable seafood treat. Located along the beach road, the restaurant is built like a small hut-much like a beach shack, perched along the coast, facing the lovely beach of Negombo.

 

There are sunbeds for you to lounge on while your drinks and dishes are getting prepared. Prompt service and lovely beach vibes. Worth a visit? Yes, we think so.

13. Get your Souvenirs from the Selyn

Whether you are beginning your tour in Sri Lanka or spending the last night in Negombo before heading to the airport, some souvenirs would be great for the journey. The uniqueness of these hand-loomed products are that the base of their creation is rooted in the traditional craft of looms. Located along the main beach road, passing some well-known hotels, feel free to drop in to have a look as you take a tour around the city!