Travel In Sri Lanka - Negombo

Negombo was once a trading port for Portuguese and Dutch and is an ideal place for the tourists who need to access the airport. This city is also called a “ little Rome” because of its beautiful collection of Churches and Forts some of which date back to 17th century. Because the beaches here are quite and peaceful and less crowded, so if you want the beach completely to yourself then this is an ideal place for you. There are also many shops in Negombo from where tourists can buy handicrafts, gems, Spices, and souvenirs to take home.
Fact File
Country : Sri LankaPopulation : 140000 Languages : Sinhala, Tamil and EnglishClimate : The temperature in Negombo remains at an average of 29-30 degree celcius. Its hot and sticky here, the humidity being around 75%, while during the monsoons the temperature falls, so carry thick layers of woollens along. The climate being tropical people here usually wear light cotton clothes however skimpy dresses are not allowed inside the religious places.Official Currency : Sri Lankan Rupee(LKR) ; 1 LKR = 0.4358 INR = 0.01001 USD = 0.008285 Euro (subject to change).Location : Negombo which is located on the west coast of Sri Lanka is 29km to the north of Colombo which is the capital of Sri Lanka. With all its wide beaches and plenty of seafood this is a gourmet's delight.

Book a tour to Negombo

Getting There
Its easy to reach Negombo since the Bandernaike international airport (Colombo) is just 12km away from the bustling town of Negombo.

Getting Around
Negombo has a reasonably good network of public transport, in the form of buses and trains that link the city to the suburbs. Train fares are slightly lower than bus fares, but getting a bus is infinitely easier than trying to catch a train, so it works out about the same. Negombo railway station is an railway station in the city.
Other than buses and trains, taxis and three-wheelers also can be hired, though obviously these are more expensive; meters are often not used, and it’s best to do the negotiating and settle on a mutually acceptable price before you start the trip.

Accommodation
The city has number of decent hotes to ensure a convinient stay for the visitors. Mentioned below is the list of hotels in the city:4 star hotel accomodations
Airport Garden hotel
The Tamrind Tree hotel
Club Plam Bay hotel 3 star hotel accomodations
Hotel Goodwood Plaza
Orient Pearl hotel
Browns Beach hotel
Blue Oceanic Beach hotel 2 star hotel accomodations
Catamaran Beach Hotel
Sea Garden hotel
Silvia's Beach hotel
Sun Flower Beach hotel

Major Tourist Attractions
Beaches : The beaches in Negombo are soft sandy, quite and peaceful. For those interested in water sports like diving, wind surfing, etc. can obtain the equipments easily from hotels and private vendors. Those who want to indulge in mouth watering seafood can try the restaurants at the beach.
Churches : There are abundance of churches here marking the influence of the Portuguese like St. Mary's church for example has statues of saints and the beautifully painted ceiling is quite breathtaking.
Dutch Fort : Dates back to 1672, is close to the sea and is in ruins now which can be explored to the curiosity of the tourists. This fort initially belonged to the Portuguese and was then taken over by the dutch who used it as a jail.
Other Attractions :
Sri Muthu Mari Amman
Negombo Lagoon
Negombo Beach Shopping
Muthurajawela Marsh