What to do in Negombo & surrounds

Negombo feels like a town lost in time, where a stroll will take you past a patchwork of Dutch canals, pastel-coloured churches, bright little boats and ever-waving palms. If you're heading for Sri Lanka's cultural heartlands next, get in some beach time or enjoy watersports on the lagoon. And it's worth catching the atmosphere at Negombo's sunrise fish market. Head a little ways out of town to visit the impressive Angurukaramulla temple, watched over by a 6-metre-high Buddha.