Negombo (Sri Lanka) is a popular resort that many travelers use as a stopover when traveling. This situation is due to the convenient location of the village – just 40 km from the airport in Colombo. The resort town in Sri Lanka is famous for its fish market, cinnamon production, and interesting sights.
General information
Negombo is a small town located in the western part of Sri Lanka. The settlement is located on the coast of the Indian Ocean. It is one of the main commercial centers of the country.
For most of its history, the city was ruled by the Moors, who successfully traded in cinnamon. Then the Portuguese ousted the Arabs, built a fort, and took control of the sale of spices to other countries. During the years of Portuguese rule in Negombo, the local population converted to Catholicism, which is why today you can see Catholic churches everywhere.
In the middle of the 17th century, the Dutch seized power, built a fortress, erected new buildings, cathedrals and organized a network of water channels.
After the British took over Negombo in Sri Lanka, the town developed as a commercial center. At the end of the 19th century, a railway was laid here, fish and seafood production was carried out on an industrial scale, and extensive plantations of tea, coffee and nuts appeared.
What attracts travelers
Vacationers are attracted to the beaches, but if you compare them with the beaches in other resorts in Sri Lanka, the comparison will not be in favor of Negombo. Residents welcome foreigners cordially and in a friendly manner, historical sights are preserved here, and good conditions for diving are created.
A remarkable feature of the resort town in Sri Lanka is the network of canals. Their length is almost 100 km. Negombo residents use it as a shopping and tourist route.
Negombo is a must-visit:
- dutch fort;
- St. Mary’s cathedral;
- St. Anne’s church;
- fish market.
Interesting fact! At the market, you can arrange for local fishermen to catch fish in the lagoon.
Negombo Beaches
Often in the photo Negombo in Sri Lanka is presented as a luxury resort with picturesque beaches. However, in practice, the situation is somewhat different. The beaches are of poor quality. At first glance, it seems that there is everything you need for a comfortable stay. However, the overall impression is spoiled by garbage and unkempt coastline. In addition, the water is muddy almost all year round due to the large amount of silt that accumulates from canals and rivers.
Almost the entire city beach, located outside the tourist area, is poorly cleaned. There are no sun beds or umbrellas, and you can only find them near some hotels.
Useful to know! If you want to relax and unwind, choose a beach located in a tourist area. There are many cafes, restaurants, shopping centers, and some hotels are full of nightlife. Negombo in Sri Lanka falls asleep around 22-00, it is calm and quiet here. Most guests who come to Sri Lanka to enjoy a beach holiday spend no more than 2 days in Negombo.
The cleanest parts of the beach are located along two city streets:
- Lewis Place;
- Porutota rd.
This is a tourist part of the city, so the beach is regularly cleaned of garbage, so the sand is relatively clean. The descent into the water is gentle, and the width of the coastline is from 10 to 30 meters. In two directions from the beach (north and south), muddy areas begin. In this part of Negombo live locals who are not particularly ceremonious and throw garbage directly on the shore.
Useful information! Moving in a southerly direction, you can get to the lagoon, where there is a fairly good Negombo beach, covered with black sand.
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Holiday prices
The main advantage of the resort is cheap prices for accommodation and food. Especially in the low season, it is not difficult to find decent housing with good conditions. You can rent a double room in the guesthouse for $9. It is possible and necessary to bargain with the owners of guesthouses, most likely, housing prices can be reduced.
This is useful! Depending on the time of year and the desire of the owners to enrich themselves, the initial price can be reduced by one and a half times.
If you prefer a comfortable stay, it is better to rent a hotel room in advance. Negombo has hotels of different levels, with a different number of stars. For a short stay, it makes sense to find a good hotel with air-conditioned rooms and a swimming pool, but swimming in the ocean is not very pleasant because of the silt and mud.
In low season, prices in 3-star hotels range from$25-50. Rent a room in a decent 4-and 5-star hotel with a swimming pool and breakfast will cost an average of$70-100.
Useful information! If you arrive in Negombo at night, please inform the owners of the guesthouse or hotel in advance. The resort town falls asleep early enough, hotels close for the night, and you will not be able to settle in late at night.
Food prices
Prices in cafes and restaurants in Negombo are lower than in other resort towns of Sri Lanka. The most expensive places are concentrated in tourist areas. Here you can find establishments with different cuisines, different levels and price ranges.
The most budget cafes can be found in the commercial part of the village. As a rule, such inexpensive establishments are called Hotel and resemble an ordinary dining room. There are also expensive restaurants here, but you should be prepared for the fact that the service and manner of service in them differ from the traditional European one.
So:
- lunch for two at a local diner will cost$4-6;
- you can eat at a medium-priced restaurant in a tourist area for$13-15;
- 0.5 liters of local beer costs$2;
- the cost of 0.3 liters of imported beer costs$3;
- cappuccino — $ 2-2. 5.
The on-site restaurant specializes in haute cuisine. We received good reviews:
- Orchid (Browns Beach Hotel);
- Sands’ (The Beach Hotel).
The menu is made up of international dishes, with a separate menu featuring vegetarian options. Black Coral Vegetarian restaurant is available at The Beach Hotel.
If you prefer fish and seafood dishes, visit the Fish & Lobster restaurant. Dishes are prepared here in front of customers. The average check here starts from$40. If you prefer German cuisine, order dinner at the Bijou restaurant. Lunch costs about$25-30.
Attractions — what to see in Negombo
There are few attractions in the resort, most of the architectural monuments are Catholic, Hindu and Buddhist temples. A colorful place that all tourists recommend visiting is the fish markets. There are several of them, and you need to visit at least one. Here you can buy fresh seafood, arrange fishing trips. You should definitely go for a ride on the canals and lagoons that wrap Negombo in a network.
It is important! You can enjoy the flora and fauna of the lagoons on a private tour or by using the services of travel agencies.
Angurukaramula Temple
The main attraction of Negombo is a large number of churches. The most beautiful and majestic is considered to be Angurukaramula. A Buddhist temple is located 20 minutes ‘ walk from the train station, so many tourists prefer to walk to the sights on foot.
The attraction attracts a six-meter statue of the Buddha, which is installed in a wooden carved gazebo. The gazebo deserves special attention, as the best local craftsmen worked on its creation. In front of the statue, a pool is dug and refined, because the element of water is mandatory for every Buddhist temple. There are dozens of Buddha statues inside and out. The walls of the attraction are decorated with paintings telling about the life of the Buddha. As a rule, murals are turned into original bas-reliefs, they are supplemented with figures. Inside the temple, a special atmosphere is created, which you must definitely feel when you find yourself in Negombo.
The landmark is located within the city limits of yf Temple road, you can get here on foot, walking from anywhere in the village. If you are commuting from a train station, you must head east from the train station.
Admission is free, you can visit the temple daily from 8-00 to 18-00.
St. Anne’s Church
Catholic church decorated with statues. Many tourists note that the Catholic church built in Sri Lanka is strikingly different from European churches. Despite the apparent simplicity, the interior has a unique atmosphere, prayers are read differently here, they sing differently, even the statue of Jesus Christ does not look like the standard images common in Europe.
Local Christians stop at the entrance and read prayers right on the street. The church building stands out among the buildings-it is decorated with statues, decor and elegance. For Negombo, this type of architecture is unusual, so all tourists visiting the resort come to the sights. The interior is rich, with many photographs, stained glass windows and sculptures. Inside, an unusual altar is built, illuminated with red light. The tour of the temple takes from 20 minutes to half an hour.
Lagoon Safari
The tour includes a boat trip through the canals and lagoon. Duration-half a day. During this time, travelers get acquainted with the local flora and fauna. The lagoon is full of birds and lush greenery.
Cost:
- group of 2-3 people – $55;
- group of 4-5 people – $40.
Boats follow slowly along a quiet river, guides talk about the features of the area. Such a journey is calming and relaxing. In the thickets of trees, you can see an iguana, monitor lizard and even a crocodile in its natural habitat. At the request of tourists, guides stop boats to disembark. Excursions differ in content, and you can choose a trip during which the guide will demonstrate the process of collecting palm juice. At the end of the trip, travelers can take a dip in the ocean.
It is important! Make sure to bring your own drinking water and a camera on your trip.
How to get there from Colombo
Negombo is the nearest resort to Colombo’s Bandaranaike Airport.
You can get from Colombo to Negombo by taxi. This is the most comfortable option, but expensive-the trip will cost about$20. The journey takes 30 minutes. From the airport there is a bus number 240, the ticket price is $ 0.35. A tuk-tuk ride will cost a little more-about$4.
It is important! The most convenient option is to book a transfer at the host hotel. In this case, the driver is waiting for a tourist with a sign in the airport building.
By bus
Transport departs from the bus station, which is located approximately one kilometer from the airport building. The duration of the journey is 1.5-2 hours, the frequency of departure of flights is every 30 minutes. There are two ways to get from the Colombo Airport building:
- free shuttle service (please specify if there is a shuttle service);
- tuk-tuk – the cost of the trip will be about $ 1 in local currency.
In Negombo, transport also arrives at the bus station, and the most convenient way to get to the resort areas is by tuk-tuk for 1-1. 5$.
It is important! From the bus station in Colombo depart roomy-1.5 comfortable buses, ticket price – $ 1.5.
By train
Sri Lanka has a well-developed railway connection. There are daily flights from Colombo Fort station, with a journey time of 1 to 1.5 hours. The ticket price varies from $ 0.25 to $ 1 depending on the class of car. Tickets are purchased directly at the ticket office. The current train schedule and ticket prices can be found on the website www.railway.gov.lk.
It is important! The nearest station to Negombo tourist areas is Negombo Railway. The hotel can be reached by tuk-tuk for 1-1. 5$.
Negombo in Sri Lanka is a resort that, first of all, attracts with its convenient geographical location (near the main airport). Tourists prefer to stay here for a few days and then go on a further trip to Sri Lanka.
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