Negombo Beach, Negombo Overview

Negombo Beach is a picturesque coastal stretch offering a wide expanse of golden sandy shores that slope gently into the Indian Ocean. The beach is an ideal spot for water enthusiasts, offering opportunities for swimming, sunbathing, and various water sports. Activities such as kite surfing, windsurfing, and sailing are popular. One of the highlights of visiting Negombo Beach is witnessing stunning sunsets.

Surrounded by beautiful hotels, resorts, and luxury restaurants, Negombo Beach is the perfect holiday destination stop. The Negombo Beach area also has several famous churches and unique architectural designs that take inspiration from various parts of the world, which adds to the city's cultural heritage. Negombo Beach is not considered to be the most beautiful beach in Sri Lanka, as the water has a tinge of brown due to the pollution, but it is still a trendy tourist spot. Tourists love to take a stroll on the beach. While on the beach, you will witness many locals and tourists flying handmade kites. The strong winds in Negombo make kite flying a favorite activity. You can buy these kites from local shops around the beach and join in the fun soaring kites.

Activities at Negombo Beach

Tourists can engage in many exciting activities during their visit to the Negombo Beaches. These include kite surfing, sailing, windsurfing, water skiing and many more. The beaches have a very relaxing and romantic atmosphere that is suitable for long walks along the beach.

The most popular activity while visiting Negombo Beach renting a catamaran, which is a small yacht or boat, and enjoying the sunset while sailing over the Indian Ocean. The beach also has a famous fish market that sells the freshest seafood in Negombo. The tourists can also take a tour of this fish market. The fishing boats are always on display in the ocean.

History of Negombo Beach

Close to the Negombo seafront, one can witness the ruins of the Dutch fort with an inscribed date of 1644. The place was used as a port to export cinnamon and other local spices during the Dutch rule. However, the cinnamon trade had declined once the British took over the area.

Negombo has always been one of the major fishing ports of the island. The fishermen have retained the old traditional fishing methods of using catamarans and canoes called Oruwa and Teppam respectively, which is a raft made by putting logs together.

Local food at Negombo Beach

Many restaurants and bars surround Negombo Beach. Tourists can find local Sri Lankan cuisine and even international options to fit their needs. One of the most popular dining spots that tourists out on their list is Mr. Burger. The place is famous for a Sri Lankan dish called Kottu, which is shredded roti with eggs, chicken or vegetables fried together. Another local delicacy is the Hopper, which is a bowl of eggs made with coconut milk and rice flour. A local meal can cost up to LKR 500, including drinks. Other popular cafes include Honky Tonky Two, Cafe J and the Dolce Vita.

Nightlife in Negombo Beach

Negombo beaches are quite famous for their beach parties that makes up for its vibrant nightlife. The beach parties offer great music, tantalizing food options, drinks and fun activities for the guests. If one doesn't like noisy parties, they can visit the Negombo beach park for a relaxing time. Many bars surround the beach that serves delicious food and drinks. Tourists can also rent out a catamaran for a lovely dining experience over the Indian ocean.

Shopping at Negombo Beach

Negombo Beach has several shops selling souvenirs, swimming costumes, safety equipment, and clothes. Tourists can find this cluster of shops while taking a walk on the gorgeous beach. The shops even sell many local items and handmade pieces that tourists can take home with them as gifts. You can also purchase homemade kites from these shops as kite flying is a favourite activity on the beach. Close to the beach, one can go to the Negombo Plaza that has a variety of shops selling things that fit all budget groups.

Tips while visiting Negombo Beach

The beach is very sunny without many shady spots, and tourists are advised to wear hats and sunscreen. Tourists are also encouraged to visit in the morning hours when the beach cleaning takes place as the beach accumulates a lot of debris during the evening. The fish market is often very crowded and has a pungent smell, and it is not suitable for small kids. The beach often experiences string tides and waves, and people should swim with caution. The hawkers on the beach will try to sell you a bunch of nick-nacks, tourists are advised to bargain if they are interested in purchasing from the vendors and boat drivers.

How To Reach Negombo Beach

Negombo Beach area is just 10 kilometres from the Bandaranaike Airport and can be reached easily by a short car ride. It is about 6 kilometres from the International Airport and also very close to Colombo.

Tourists can take a Bus or a Taxi, each taking about 1 - 1.5 hours to reach the destination. The buses leave every 30 minutes and can cost up to LKR 75 while taxis will prove to be more expensive costing up to LKR 1500.