Negombo
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Negombo is a bustling city close to the Bandaranaike International Airport and second largest city in the Western province, after Colombo. Located at the lagoon-mouth, Negombo is a major tourist destination with an old, large and thriving fishing industry. One of the major commercial hubs in Sri Lanka known to many as Little Rome, due to its populace of Roman Catholics.
Negombo is a city that offers a sampling of all Sri Lanka attractions.
The Negombo lagoon, the sea, the scenic beaches and a large polyglot community, reflects the essence of the ultimate Sri Lanka holiday experience. Ornate Buddhist temples, Hindu shrines, Christian churches and Muslim mosques testify to the spiritual harmony of a cosmopolitan community that has seen it all from the age of discovery, trade and conquest.
Dutch landmarks and canals that dot the town are some attractions in store when in Negombo. Also it is famous for cinnamon, ceramics, and brass ware. The ceiling frescoes of St. Mary's Cathedral, administrative buildings and Churches are a definite attraction to one who visits this wondrous city.
If you happen to be a lover of seafood, you have arrived almost at a point of no return. The ocean and the lagoon provide the delicacies and the Negombo fish market probably has no equal in this part of the world for both its selection and the ingenuity of its fishmongers. The people of Negombo belong to several castes and communities who are totally acclimatized to the cultural cross roads they happen be in. Mirissa is set in a small fishing village in the southern region of the country with beautiful scenery and tranquil atmosphere. Recently featured under the spot light for being one of the best whale watching destinations in the world, that offer wonderful sightings of Dolphins, Blue and Sperm Whales during December to month of April. Apart from that breathtaking beautiful views, blue waters, white waves lapping at the sandy beaches, great breaks for surfers is what Mirissa is known for. The crescent shaped beach boasts some of Sri Lanka’s best and most stunning sunrises which creep up from the horizon to greet you and back again on the other side to form a breathtaking and memorable sunset. Mirissa is a low-key, peaceful spot that was once limited to just backpackers but is now becoming a more popular destination as travelers seek out quieter alternatives in a tropical paradise which offers some of the best Sri Lanka vacations. It is the perfect place to sit back and relax as all the hotels and guest houses are set back from the beach, which was beneficial when the tsunami struck, giving the impression that you are on a deserted palm fringed island.