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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.

Top attractions

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

  • See

    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 home into the lagoon after a fishing trip. Fish auctions on the beach and sales at the fish market near the fort are a slippery and smelly affair, but one that’s well worth forgoing some pool time for. The catch is not all from the open sea: Negombo is at the northern end of a lagoon that is renowned for its lobsters, crabs and prawns. Across the lagoon bridge there’s a second fish market. If you can stagger out of bed at 6am, it’s a good place to watch much bigger fishing boats return with their catches.

  • See

    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 the hotel strip before fading into a palm-tree distance, is pleasant enough and makes for a good sunset stroll. The water does have a distinct brown colour thanks to estuary run-off and pollution, but it's no longer bad enough to stop people swimming. Foreign tourists can normally access the beach in front of most big hotels even if you're not staying (act rich and confident), but for a more colourful (and noisier) scene join the locals at what is known as Negombo Beach Park.

  • See

    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 includes leopards (this is the second-best park after Yala for leopards, with 16 leopards per 100 sq km), sloth bears, spotted deer, wild pigs and crocodiles. Birders in particular will love Wilpattu with its abundance of dry forest, water and even coastal birds.

  • See

    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, a total distance of over 120km. You can hire a bicycle in Negombo from various hotels and ride the canal-side paths of the Hamilton Canal, enjoying picturesque views and small villages along the way.

  • See

    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 their catches.

  • See

    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 green, called the Esplanade, where cricket matches are a big attraction. As the fort grounds are now occupied by the town’s prison, the only way you’ll get a peek inside is by committing a serious crime. You’d need to be very interested in old Dutch architecture to go to such lengths.

  • See

    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 the locals at this municipal beach.

  • See

    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.

  • See

    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.