Even though it can't compete with Sri Lanka's best beaches and the water isn't crystal blue, the sandy strip at Negombo is a perfectly pleasant place to spend a few days. Outrigger boats haul up on the sand, fishermen offer boat trips and the road behind the beach is lined with cafes, bars and restaurants.
Nobody will object if you access the beach via any of the lanes leading down to the water, even in front of the big hotels (though they might draw the line if you wander into the pool area).
