How to travel around Negombo on a short vacation – Explore and experience!

 Negombo is a coastal town situated on the west coast of Sri Lanka. It is close to the country’s main airport as well as Colombo, the commercial capital. Negombo is ideal for beach holidays where you can spend hours by the Indian Ocean, eating the greatest seafood and enjoying some perfect sunsets.

Image via Heritance Negombo

 How to get to Negombo

 If you are travelling from Colombo, Negombo is now easier than ever to get to. You can get on the highway from Peliyagoda and drive just over twenty minutes and you will be in the main Negombo town. If you are departing to Negombo from the Bandaranaike International Airport, it will take you even less time. This is a great place to either start your vacation in Sri Lanka or end it because of its close proximity to the airport and easy accessibility. While you are in Negombo there are a few ways to get around the town. If you’re only there for a few days, hiring tuk-tuks will be the most feasible option. The town is not too big and you will always be able to hail a tuk-tuk on the road.

 Where to visit

 Most of the tourists' destinations in Negombo are closely tied to the livelihood and culture of the town’s people. As a coastal region, a significant proportion of its population engages in fishery-related livelihoods. Negombo is home to both the marine ecosystem and lagoon ecosystem. This means that both marine fishers and lagoon fishers are operating in the area. Apart from fishing, communities are also involved in fish processing and distribution-related activities. Negombo is a hub for the dried fish production industry of Sri Lanka. You can visit areas like Kuttiduwa where you will witness large expanses of land where men and women engage in fish drying activities. There are several picturesque beaches in Negombo and along the west coast in general where you can observe these industry-related processes.  Some of the quieter beaches are ideal to relax or even enjoy some exciting activities such as kite surfing. So most of the things to do in Negombo will undoubtedly be adjacent to the ocean. There are also locations such as the Dutch Fort and the St. Mary’s Church that you must visit. These are important parts of the history and culture of the area. Most of the residents of Negombo are Catholics and you are bound to notice many other churches that you can visit. During your stay in Heritance Negombo ask some of the locals about places that you must visit.

 What to eat and where to party

 Negombo is famous for its exciting nightlife and great food. The beach road in Negombo is dotted with a range of hotels, restaurants, pubs, and bars. The buffets in Negombo hotels will always offer a range of delicious seafood platters. Most of the hotels are also very skilled at making excellent cocktails that you can indulge in while enjoying a beautiful sunset. If you want a true experience of Sri Lanka, it is vital that you also visit some of the smaller street food shops. You can enjoy local favourites such as kottu, roti, fried rice, etc. that are made in a matter of minutes right before you.

 Closest towns to Negombo

 Once you complete most of the activities in Negombo you might be interested in exploring the other towns and cities that are around. Driving down to Colombo is something that you should do. In addition, the highway connects Negombo to the Southern part of Sri Lanka which you can reach in just over an hour. Lastly, you may want to keep driving north along the west coast and explore some of the other beach destinations in the area.