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Negombo City Tour: Explore Major Commercial Hubs and Amazing Beaches in Sri Lanka
4.9
9 Ratings
Negombo
Discover the vibrant city of Negombo in Sri Lanka, with its bustling commercial hubs and stunning beaches. Explore the rich fishing industry and immerse yourself in the multicultural atmosphere of this charming village.
Duration:
3 hours
Cancellation:
1 day
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Highlights
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Negombo Fish Market - The Negombo Fish Market is interesting because it takes place right on the beach, fresh from fishing boats. Crowds of fishermen are seen untangling their fishing nets, playing with their kids, and stretching out miles of fish to dry in the sun on Negombo’s shore.
A must see place when you are in Negombo. -
St. Mary’s Church - A grand old Catholic church built in the 18th century.
St. Mary’s Church, Negombo is landmark edifice, a Roman Catholic church in the heart of Negombo. Its exterior surface is painted in pink colour. It is one of the largest cathedrals in Sri Lanka.
Negombo has been influenced greatly by the Christian faith from the time it was occupied by the Portuguese. It is often called “Little Rome” in view of the large number of churches in the city.
Construction of the church was started in 1874 and completed, after a long gap, in 1922. The art and architecture of this church and a few similar other churches in Sri Lanka demonstrate the cultural amalgamation of the European practice with Sri Lankan art and architecture during the early years of the 20th century.
The church was built in neoclassicism style with columns and plain walls. Its ceilings are painted with alabaster images of many saints. The walls at the upper level are fixed with sculptures of religious saints. The unique paintings on the life of Christ on the ceiling were done by the N.S. Godamanne, a local Buddhist painter. The beauty of the paintings on the nave is described as “thunderous”. A testator paid the cost of one of the altars, which was imported from Europe -
Angurukaramulla Temple - The Angurukaramulla Temple is a good place to visit if you’re in Negombo. It’s best known for its epic statue of the Buddha, and its dragon-entrance - inside you find detailed murals that date back centuries. There is also a 300+ year old ruin of a historic library here, covered in moss.
Please note : Rs.1000 is charged as entrance fee to the Temple - Sri Singama Kali Amman Kovil - Sri Singama Kali Amman Kovil is a major Hindu religious site. The stunning murals and sculptures of the temple make it a site well worth visiting!
- Dutch Canal - The Hamilton Canal (also commonly known as the Dutch Canal) is a 14.5 km (9.0 mi) canal connecting Puttalam to Colombo, passing through Negombo in Sri Lanka. The canal was constructed by the British in 1802 and completed in 1804. It was designed to drain salt water out of the Muthurajawela wetlands. The canal was named after Gavin Hamilton, the Government Agent of Revenue and Commerce.
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Dutch Fort - Negombo Fort was a small but important fort in Negombo, approx. 30 km (19 mi) north of Colombo, that was built by the Portuguese to defend Colombo.
In its time the fort at Negombo was probably the next in strategic importance after Colombo, Jaffna and Galle. The original Portuguese fort was a weak structure, which was captured by Dutch forces commanded by Philip Lucasz, in February 1640.The Portuguese made several attempts to retake it before they were successful in December 1640. They then strengthened the fortifications and managed to defend the fort until it was recaptured by the Dutch, commanded by Francois Caron, in January 1644.The original bastions were destroyed by the Dutch cannons during the siege of the fort. The Dutch subsequently rebuilt it in 1672 however not on the usual square pattern, but on a pentagonal one, though it had only four bulwarks, the fifth was never constructed (possibly due to the cost). The fort was located on a narrow strip of land between a lagoon and an inlet of the sea. It was surrounded by a dry moat, and the gate was accessed via a drawbridge.
In February 1796 it was occupied by the British without opposition. In the late 1800s the British authorities decided to demolish the fort and build a prison in its place, constructed from the stones of the fort.Today all that remains is a section of the eastern rampart with mounds at its northern and Southern ends, where the previous bastions existed, and an recessed arched gateway. Above the gateway is a slab of granite, with the date 1678 inscribed, surmounted by a high decorative gable. The site is still used as a prison by the Department of Prisons.
What's Included
- Bottled water provided
- Air-conditioned vehicles
- All fees and taxes included
What's Not Included
- On-board restrooms
- On-board WiFi
- Entrance fees of Rs. 1000 to Angurukaramulla Temple
Additional Information
Negombo is a key city in Sri Lanka, located on the western coastline at the entrance of the Negombo Lagoon, within the Western Province.
It serves as one of the principal commercial centers in the nation and the administrative headquarters of the Negombo Division. Negombo’s divisional secretariat division boasts a population of approximately 142,136 residents.
Negombo is renowned for its expansive sandy shores and its historic fishing trade. The city is home to a sizable bilingual Roman Catholic population, referred to as the Negombo Tamils, who speak a unique Tamil dialect but predominantly identify with the Sinhala culture.
The most effective means of discovering the charming fishing town is through private vehicles, since numerous attractions are scattered along the coastline and within the urban area.
Guests are greeted at their hotels following breakfast and escorted on a city excursion by our skilled chauffeur-guides.
The tour’s distinct characteristic is the opportunity to interact with the local people who coexist peacefully in this small yet culturally diverse town.
Location
Negombo Fish Market
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.9
(9 Ratings)
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Moravectoni
Jan 26, 2024
Must do - Very authentic, with fruit shopping, lunch, many, many insider tips, and great insights and photos at the fish market!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Balazs_k
Jun 27, 2023
Best option in negombo - Morning pick up me from my hotel. Very kind and nice person. We go the buddhist temple first. Need pay 1000 local money approx 3 usd to entrace. It's see in here buddha lifetime story. Other building gave a covered stupa, other entrace you see how imagine the hell. In here have a old tree and big buddha statue, and close the school. After we go the st mary cathedral it's catholic beautiful church. After we want visit the Hindu temples but only one open. Go to short visit rhe Deutch fort and after the dry fish market. Very interesting how prepare the dry fish with this super old school technic. River delta visit the next is extra place.
Review provided by Viator
Jasdom
Jan 3, 2022
Nice Introduction to Sri Lanka - I booked this trip late the night before and was fortunate Nishantha saw the booking. He was quick to respond via e-mail and WhatsApp and set up timing and location to meet me that next morning. He had proper COVID safety protocols in place and made me feel at ease during the entire experience with him and conversing with locals, especially at the fish market. Nishantha was professional, attentive, and open to discussion during the entire experience. It was my first full day in the country, and with his knowledge and communication about not only Negombo, but other parts of the country, I had a wonderful start to my trip. I would recommend this experience and with Nishantha if you have the time as you get acclimated to Sri Lanka
Review provided by Viator
Gillianpm
Jan 20, 2020
Leisurely and informative tour - Our guide Nishantha was very helpful and friendly. He provided us with snacks and water for the tour also. We visited churches, temples, the Dutch canal, the lagoon, the fort and the very lively fish market too. We learned about the people, religions, culture and even the Sinhalese alphabet. We chatted about lots of other things on a lovely, informative morning tour with our guide. A great price for a lot of knowledge!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Bobbyfleur
Jan 4, 2020
A nice tour in Negombo with everything you want to see - I stayed two days at the place of Nishanta and was offered to do a guided tour around the city with its highlights. We started in the morning and had a nice day with stops at churches, temples and lagoons and fishermarkets. After the tour I had a nice full Body massage on a place which he recommended. He is very kind and if you have any ideas or wishes he will help you out. If you want to have any idea what is around and see the city just ask him and tell what you wanna do.
Thanks for the hospitality and the nice tour :)
Review provided by Tripadvisor
783taraa
Nov 5, 2019
Knowledgeable and accommodating - There is a default itinerary for the tour but the guide was happy to adjust it. I was planning a boat ride the next day so we skipped that and went to lovely local park instead. I learned a lot about Negombo.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Paul
Jul 16, 2023
Easy tour round Negambo - Great tour to start our time in Sri Lanka. We saw 3 different temples, fish markets, harbour and other areas in Negambo. Guide was interesting and knowledgeable let us move at our pace. Had a good start to our trip around Sri Lanka
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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