Joanna James
Sri Lanka brims with splendid places that offer exquisite beauty and extraordinary experiences for tourists from near and far. Around Colombo Airport (which is actually located in a suburb despite its name) one may find a plethora of attractions that is an utter delight to visit.
A popular place among tourists from near and far, Browns Beach in Negombo is one of the great places that you can visit near Colombo Airport. Compared to the Galle Face Green in Colombo, this is much quieter and is ideal to spend an enjoyable time with your family and friends. The setting, the golden sands, and the views (particularly the ones at sunset) are an absolute feast to your eyes; however, the beach isn't as pristine as it used to be. With an array of food carts that offer the flavours of local street food cuisine, this is a quick escape, which would even be ideal to cure jetlag.
Muthurajawela Wetlands - the largest saline coastal bog of Sri Lanka can be found within easy reach of properties such as Pegasus Reef. It covers over 6000 hectares and is home to a thriving ecosystem of extremely fascinating species of flora and fauna. The northern portion of this marsh is a declared sanctuary by the government of the country, in recognition of its magnificent biodiversity. Seven types of flora have been identified among its flourishing vegetation including mangrove forests, lentic flora, stream bank, reed swamp, marsh, shrubland, and grassland. Amid all these, you may come across colourful birds and endangered primates such as Slender Loris. Muthurajawela Wetlands is indeed a spectacular destination to venture into from your stay at your hotel in Wattala.
Also known as the Walleweediye Church among the local community, St. Sebastian's Church in Negombo has been built mimicking the structure of the Rheims Cathedral in France. This church can be found in St. Sebastian's Street in Negombo and the foundation stone was installed by the Archbishop Pierre-Guillaume Marque on the second of February in 1936. It is said that it has taken almost ten years to see the completion of the construction of this church. Each year in January, many people of Roman Catholic faith flock to this church to celebrate the feast of St. Sebastian.
If you visit the Walisinghe Harischandra Cultural Centre, you may find that it's an ancient house located in the Negombo. This building, which has a history of over 200 years, is the birthplace of Brahmachari Walisinghe Harischandra, who was born on 6th of July 1876. Here, one may find his furniture, diaries, and a range of other items of value showcased for the public. Although it was declared as a museum in the year of 1996, later on, it was handed over to the Ministry of Culture & the Arts in Sri Lanka.
Also known as the Dutch Canal, the Hamilton Canal was originally intended to be linked with a series of parallel canals; however, things haven't gone as per the plan, instead, the high tide has brought in the salinity from the Negombo Lagoon, which has rendered this canal unsuitable for cultivation purposes. This canal was named after Garvin Hamilton, a British agent of Revenue and Commerce in 1802.
A true believer that the pen is a mighty weapon, ventures into reaching the minds of every reader with the earnest hope of leaving an indelible stream of thought.
A travel writer who has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world.
