Negombo

Negombo

The gateway that is worth staying for.

Most guests pass through Negombo without pausing. That is a mistake. The lagoon town just north of the airport carries centuries of Portuguese and Dutch colonial history, a fishing culture so old its methods predate European arrival, and a morning fish market that begins before dawn and is finished before the tourists wake.

Experiences at this stop

• Negombo Fish Market at dawn

Arrive before 5.30am. The catch arrives by boat and is auctioned within the hour. Entirely authentic --- commerce that has operated identically for generations.

• Lagoon boat ride at dusk

The Negombo Lagoon at dusk --- Chinese fishing nets lowering and rising, egrets crossing the sky --- is the island's first quiet moment and one of its best.

• Dutch Fort and canal walk

The remains of the Dutch fort and the canal built to transport cinnamon. A slow walk at golden hour reveals the colonial geography of the town.

• St Mary's Church

Built by the Portuguese in the 16th century, rebuilt by the Dutch. Ceiling paintings are remarkable. The fishing community that fills it on Sunday mornings is more remarkable still.

• Seafood dinner at a lagoon-side restaurant

The freshest catch in Sri Lanka is here, not on the southern coast. Lagoon prawns, grilled fish, coconut sambol --- the correct introduction to Sri Lankan cuisine.