Negombo Beach

About this place

Negombo Beach is a long sandy beach on Sri Lanka's west coast in the city of Negombo, at the mouth of Negombo Lagoon, about 35 km north of Colombo in a straight line and only some 9 km from Bandaranaike International Airport. Negombo is known for its long sandy beaches and a fishing industry centuries old. Its name is likely a Portuguese corruption of its Tamil name, and the shallow lagoon once gave ships safe shelter, making it one of the ports from which Sri Lanka's kingdoms traded. The Dutch era left its mark in a fort built in 1672 and a canal network running 120 km from Colombo in the south to Puttalam in the north. Golden sand runs along the coast, lined with palms and colourful wooden fishing boats, including traditional outrigger sailing craft. In the mornings fishermen haul their nets and sell their catch near the shore, with nets spread across the sand. Visitors swim and relax on the beach, and many wander the fish market and the banks of the canals and the lagoon, whose mangroves shelter more than 190 kinds of wildlife. Its closeness to the airport makes it an easy first or last stop on a trip.