Vinita A ShettyI had heard from many friends that Negombo was relatively quiet, compared to Sri Lanka’s other tourist towns, and had several places of interest that we could explore at leisure – that is just what we needed to kick start our relaxation.
It is tempting to pack in as much as one can, while visiting one of the most popular island destinations in the Indian Ocean – Sri Lanka. Offering a wide range of experiences that showcase the country’s diverse history, heritage, religious legacy, coastlines, natural beauty, culture, cuisine, wildlife and social life, Sri Lanka has something for everyone. For our recent family holiday, the resort towns of Negombo and Bentota – north and south of Colombo respectively – were a perfect fit. One was remarkably different from the other, but both made us promise to come back for more
Negombo is about 10 km from the Bandaranaike International Airport and that was a huge plus, given that our flight arrived in Sri Lanka closer to midnight. Luckily, we could check in to our beach resort, Jetwing Blue, in no time.
Negombo is a place that should be enjoyed at leisure, so space your time out. The beaches are long and sandy, and there are several water sports companies which operate on the Negombo beach strip. They offer everything from jet ski rides and dives to catamaran trips. Always ask your hotel for recommendations – they know which companies have the best safety standards.
Along the beachfront are restaurants that serve fresh seafood, based on the day’s catch. I’d recommend Serendib, a local restaurant that serves a hearty seafood platter, and Lords, which does a delicious Sri Lankan Chilly Crab – my favourite.
If you are a history aficionado, relics of Negombo’s Dutch, Portuguese and British occupation are all around in its churches, colonial buildings, the Negombo Fort (which is currently a prison) and the areas surrounding the Negombo Lagoon.
Though there is not much left of the once majestic 17th Century Fort which changed hands from the Portuguese to the Dutch, and then the British, it is certainly worth a visit. The fort is close to the mouth of the lagoon, and nearby is the ancient Dutch Cemetery.
Dotted with churches and little shrines, and with a predominantly Catholic population, Negombo is called little Rome by the locals. The neo-classical style church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, built in the 1800s in the heart of Negombo town, has beautiful stained glass and religious ceiling frescos.
East of the town centre is the Angurukaramulla Temple, with its 6m-long reclining Buddha. About 300m to its South, is another smaller temple, the Abayasekara Aramaya. Our guide told us that these two temples in Negombo are best visited on the days of Buddhist festivals as one can see thousands of devotees from across the country here.
Stella, a local who sells sarongs on the beach told me to visit Lellama – Negombo’s main Fish Market. So, I ventured out with my toddler in tow and it was a morning well spent. The sheer size of the market, the varieties of seafood on display and the chaos of it all, thrilled her to no end. The market, (Sri Lanka’s second largest fish market) is across the lagoon bridge, known as ‘Munnakare Bridge’, and is close to the Dutch Fort.
The earlier you head there, the more action packed your visit will be. You can see fresh fish being brought in by the basketfuls, seafood auctions, fishermen haggling with buyers and fishmongers carving up the day’s catch. Don’t forget to add a canal ride on the Hamilton Canal to your itinerary – there’s a wealth of birdlife along the canal, and you can ask your boatman for a stopover at Negombo town if you have a bit of shopping to do.
The distance from Colombo to Bentota is around 80-85 km, and the drive is a beautiful one – through the smaller towns of Moratuwa and Kalutara. We stayed at No 1 Indian Ocean, an exquisite twin villa in Bentota, with splendid views of the Bentota Ganga to its left and the Ocean to its right, and not too far from Bentota’s places of interest. Lush and green, Bentota with its beach-resort vibe and wide array of water sports activities is also hugely popular as a honeymoon destination.
My family was keen to visit Lunuganga Estate, considered the heart and the country home of the legendary Sri Lankan architect Geoffrey Bawa. A wise decision, as the estate tour is a unique opportunity to see first-hand the architectural splendour of Bawa’s home, and a chance to take in the tranquillity of 15 acres of tropical greenery on banks of the Dedduwa Lake.
Just half an hour away from Lunuganga is Brief Garden, the 20-acre garden and country residence of landscape architect Bevis Bawa (Geoffrey Bawa’s brother). Brief Garden is said to be the inspiration for Lunuganga – once you glimpse the sheer elegance and harmony of Brief Garden, you’ll understand why. Both gardens are open to the public, but it is often better to make a booking in advance.
Sea turtle conservation and protection is something the locals take very seriously in Bentota. And for kids and elders, the thrill of being a part of the journey of these endangered species of turtles from the egg stage to when they are hatched and released into the sea is not just informative, it is engaging and fun, too.
There are several turtle hatcheries and conservation projects which create awareness, offer turtle care programmes and breed endangered varieties including Olive Ridley, Loggerhead, Green Turtle, Hawksbill and Leatherhead turtles. At Kosgoda, a prime turtle nesting site in Bentota, the turtle hatchery gave us the opportunity to release baby turtles into the sea at dusk – far from the eyes of predators in the sky and on land.
Bentota has excellent dive sites and is known for its calmer seas. One of the best dive sites is Canoe Rock, and you’ll find lots of certified scuba diving and snorkelling centers. We wanted to try a bit of jet skiing and kayaking, so we picked LaLuna Hotel on the Bentota Ganga for a bit of fun. Their water sports centre offers diving, sailing, and fishing, and boat safaris.
The hotel also has an Ayurveda Resort, so we decided to get a massage as well. We spent the rest of the evening enjoying cocktails by the riverside and listening to some local music. If you have a morning to spare, head out early for a boat safari in the mangroves.
Saman, our guide and boatman was a great spotter and thanks to him we saw everything from tree snakes and exotic birds to crocodiles. He told us that if we were keen on whale watching or dolphin spotting, it would be best to take a morning cruise from Mirissa harbour to the deep sea in a larger boat. No trip to Bentota is complete without a visit to the serene Kande Viharaya Temple, which is in the nearby Kalutara district. With Buddhism deeply ingrained in Sri Lanka’s history and heritage, you’ll see throngs of locals here through the year and get an authentic experience of a temple visit.
Kande Viharaya is perched on a hill, and is visible from a distance – it is one of the tallest seated Buddha statues in the world. Dilhani, a local, told us how the temple had sheltered hundreds of locals during the Tsunami and is considered a sacred place of pilgrimage. It is always better to wear respectful clothing when you visit religious places in Sri Lanka as it is considered discourteous to the Gods and to the sentiments of worshippers.
Our last night in Bentota was a special one – a carefully curated six-course Sri Lankan meal by the in-house chef, and a dance troupe that gave us an exclusive performance of select Kandyan dances of the Hill Country of Uda Rata Natum. Much to everyone’s delight, we got the opportunity to interact with the dancers and learn about the stories they performed for us that evening.
Give yourself 3-4 days in Negombo and 4-5 days in Bentota if you can. They have much to offer in terms of R&R and you come away calm and refreshed. Both towns have great options for accommodation (from budget to boutique and high end) and some of the nicest restaurants and eateries I have been to in Sri Lanka.
Finally, it was back to Colombo for two days and two nights before the trip home – but not before a customary visit to Darshan Munidasa, Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara’s Ministry of Crab in the old Dutch Hospital shopping arcade and a signature Sinhala meal at Nuga Gama on Galle Road. Would I visit these two places again? Certainly, while Galle, Kandy and other coastal and hill towns have their own charm, I found that Negombo and Bentota were hugely toddler and family friendly. Add to this, excellent Sri Lankan hospitality that is steeped in thousands of years of tradition, and you are spoilt for choice.
Did You Know
- There are over 200 shipwrecks dating to pre-colonial times around the Sri Lankan coast: for certified divers, the Kudapaduwa shipwreck and sunken Royal Air Force aircraft in Katuneriya, off the Negombo coast, are two popular dive sites
- The biodiversity-rich Muthurajawela wetland is just 30 min from Negombo. The protected mangroves of the lagoon are home to around 200 species of wildlife
- Just 50 km south of Bentota is the Galle Dutch Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Close to the fort is the Groote Kerk (Great Church), the oldest Protestant church in the island – dating from 1752
- Close to 90 per cent of the world’s highest-quality cinnamon comes from Sri Lanka. A short drive from Bentota on Koggola lake is Cinnamon Island, a family run cinnamon plantation dating back to the early 1900s
(The author is an independent journalist and documentary producer)
