Negombo is a modest beach town located close to Bandaranaike International Airport. In many ways it is a more salubrious introduction to the country than Colombo, and it’s a pleasant alternative to the monster traffic into and through the capital. In fact, some budget-conscious sun seekers just stay here, although doing this means missing the much nicer beaches to the south.

 

Bustling Negombo town is a historically interesting place, strongly influenced by the Catholic Church. The narrow strip of land to the south of the lagoon and the many canals make for good exploring. The Dutch captured the town from the Portuguese in 1640, lost it, then captured it again in 1644. The British then took it from them in 1796 without a struggle. Negombo was one of the most important sources of cinnamon during the Dutch era, and there are still reminders of the European days.