North of Colombo

Leaving Colombo most eyes look south, but for those with time on their hands and a sense of curiosity, or for those on the slow road towards Anuradhapura, the northbound A3 heads out of Colombo, skirts some charming old Dutch canals, slides past some sandy beaches and gets utterly lost among a matted tangle of coconut groves and wildlife-filled woodlands. It all adds up to a wonderful sense of discovery.

For the moment, aside from workaday Negombo, which sits close to Bandaranaike International Airport, much of this area remains fairly unexplored by tourists, except for a hardcore band of kitesurfers who flock to Kalpitiya. Change is happening fastest on the sleepy Kalpitiya peninsula, where new resorts are blossoming and an ambitious project is under way to transform the northern tip of the peninsula into the kind of high-end, exclusive beach tourism that dominates the neighbouring Maldives.

Explore North of Colombo

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Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout North of Colombo.

  • Market

    Main Fish Market

    Each day, fishers take their oruvas (outrigger canoes) and go out in search of the fish for which Negombo is famous. They’re a fine sight as they sweep…

  • Beach

    Negombo Beach

    Even though it could never compete in a beauty contest against many Sri Lankan beaches, Negombo's beach, which stretches north from the town right along…

  • Bird Sanctuary

    Muthurajawela Marsh

    Muthurajawela Marsh, which evocatively translates as ‘Supreme Field of Pearls’, is a little-known gem of a wetland at the southern end of Negombo’s lagoon…

  • National Park

    Wilpattu National Park

    At 1317 sq km, Wilpattu is Sri Lanka’s largest national park. Hidden in the dense, dry woodland, you'll (hopefully) find an array of wildlife that…

  • Canal

    Hamilton Canal

    The Dutch showed their love of canals here like nowhere else in Sri Lanka. Canals extend from Negombo all the way south to Colombo and north to Puttalam,…

  • Beach

    Alankuda Beach

    Alankuda is the peninsula's busiest and best beach for non-kitesurfing beach bums. If you squint your eyes and blot out the string of giant wind turbines…

  • Beach

    Kalpitiya Beach

    Kalpitiya Beach at the northern end of the peninsula consists of a long spit of sand most easily reached by boat across the Kalpitiya lagoon. It's a…

  • Market

    Fish Market

    Across the lagoon bridge is Negombo's second fish market. If you can stagger out of bed at 6am, it’s a good place to watch big fishing boats return with…

  • Ruins

    Dutch Fort

    Close to the seafront near the lagoon mouth are the ruins of the old Dutch fort, which has a fine gateway inscribed with the date 1678. Also here is a…

  • Beach

    Negombo Beach Park

    Foreign tourists can normally access the beach in front of most big hotels even if you're not staying, but for a more colourful (and noisier) scene join…

  • Buddhist Temple

    Angurukaramulla Temple

    East of the town centre the Angurukaramulla Temple, with its 6m-long reclining Buddha, is worth seeing; take a three-wheeler for around Rs 200.

  • Fort

    Kalpitiya Fort

    The remains of this 17th-century Dutch fort are impressive, but are currently occupied by the Sri Lankan navy, so the interior is off limits.

  • Church

    St Mary’s Church

    The fading pink chamber of St Mary’s Church, in the town centre, has some thunderous religious ceiling paintings covering the nave.

  • Hindu Temple

    Murugan (Kataragama) Temple

    About 7km south of Chilaw, this roadside Hindu shrine has building-sized statues of Vishnu and Hanuman.

  • Island

    Duwa

    Joined to Negombo by the lagoon bridge, Duwa is famed for its Easter passion play.

Top experiences

Whether it’s a guided tour of a historic landmark, private tasting of local delicacies, or an off-road adventure — explore the best experiences in North of Colombo.