Joanna James
Negombo is a fishing town with warm hospitality that is the first major city you will encounter after exiting Bandaranaike International Airport. It was once a small trading port during both Portuguese and Dutch colonial times and has blossomed into a snazzy little centre of cafés and pubs.
Originally, Negombo was a fishing village and almost all of the people living there eked a living from the fishing industry. This much is true even today. While Negombo has blossomed into a seaside town with popular beaches and bars, the local population is still predominantly involved in fishing. Take some time to go see the local fishing villagers and try a deep-sea fishing tour.
The Portuguese colonised parts of Sri Lanka first and built a fort in Negombo from where through a network of canals they could transport Ceylon cinnamon to the ports and transport goods from outpost to outpost. The canals are still in good working condition so consider hiring a boat as one of the things to do in Negombo and cruise along with the canal networks.
Angurukaramulla Temple is the largest Buddhist temple in Negombo. It is located near Harischandra College and has a giant statue of Buddha as well as many old paintings and murals which makes it a great place to visit if you like history and ancient architecture. The temple will have lots of depictions of Sri Lankan kings on the walls and you can also hire a guide if you'd like to learn more about the temple and its fascinating history.
Almost 100% of Negombo's population is Roman Catholic. As such you will find so many churches scattered across the town. The largest cathedral, which is incidentally also, the largest cathedral in Sri Lanka is St. Mary's Church, Negombo. The architecture is spectacular and will hold you in awe. It gets a lot of local and foreign visitors daily. The church is also home to some beautiful paintings. If you'd like to know more, you can always talk to the locals or hire a guide.
The star attraction of Negombo is not it's pretty cafés and glitzy bars but its large and beautiful beach. The stretch is home to some spectacular hotels such as Heritance Negombo and is golden and clean and the perfect place to go whether you are with family, friends or your better half. The Negombo beach is quite popular so you will not find much solitude while you are there. There are stalls on the beach selling snacks and if you wander to the edge of the beach you can pick up fresh seafood such as crab, lobster and prawns at the nearby market. Because the people of Negombo are warm, welcoming and friendly a day on the beach will usually end in you making a lot of new friends in Sri Lanka.
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