Negombo Travel Guide
Negombo is the perfect starting and/or ending point of your trip of Sri Lanka. The city is a lot cozier, quieter and cleaner than Sri Lanka’s capital and is just as conveniently located from the airport (20 -30 minute drive). Negombo may not win the beauty prize of the century but with its sandy beaches and great restaurants, this is a top destination to recover from your long flight and get used to the fine climate. So if you want to start your journey through Sri Lanka in peace then Negombo is the place to be.
The costs from this article are based on exchange rates during our trip through Sri Lanka in February 2022. The Sri Lankan rupee then had a value of 0.0041 euros. That’s about 240 rupees for 1 euro converted.
In this article about Negombo
- To do
- Hotspots
- Budget
- Practical information
- The nicest accommodations
- How do I get there?
- Our opinion
What to do in Negombo
Visit the beach
Negombo has a very nice beach. Perfect for recovering from your long journey. Tip! Take a beach walk during sunset.
Book a massage at Ceylon Spa
Want to get rid of jet lag right away? Then treat yourself to a fancy massage at Ceylon Spa. A little more expensive than usual, but oh so nice! We booked a 90-minute massage for 40 euros p.p. Relatively expensive for Sri Lanka, but Ceylon Spa is absolutely worth it.
Visit the fish market
the perfect way to immediately get acquainted with the scents and hustle and bustle of Sri Lanka
Eat as much curry as you can
Curry is the dish of Sri Lanka and we couldn’t get enough of it!
More sights to see in Negombo
- Visit the Dutch fort and Dutch Canals
- Take a road trip with the Tuktuk = alijt fun!
- Visit Negombo Bazar
Hotspots & food in Negombo
- Lords restaurant complex
- Ocean 14 restaurant
- Leonardo by Bella Vita Italian
- The Hangar
- Jude Restaurant (upstairs)
- Queen’s Restaurant
Read the article “where to eat in Negombo“
Transportation in Negombo
The most fun way to explore Negombo and its surroundings is by tuktuk. There are also Ubers and Pick Me cabs everywhere. Pick Me is a kind of Uber for Sri Lanka.
Which budget do i need in Negombo?
At first, it is nice to start your journey in peace and comfort after a long flight. We therefore opted for a somewhat luxurious accommodation.
- Transportation Airport: 13 euros
- Tuktuks: 1 – 2 euros per ride
- Accommodation: 30 euros per night
- Food: 25 euros (luxury dinner) and 10 euros for luch
- Massage: 78 euros 90 minutes of massage for 2 people
2 days of Negombo cost a total of 192 euros. We decided to enjoy ourselves and immerse ourselves in luxury during these first 2 days. Massages, luxury dining and comfortable accommodations. After a long flight and considerable jet lag, this was an incredibly good idea.
The costs from this article are based on exchange rates during our trip through Sri Lanka in February 2022. The Sri Lankan rupee then had a value of 0.0041 euros. That’s about 240 rupees for 1 euro converted.
Tip! For tracking our budget, we use the app Travel Spend. An ideal app where you can easily track your expenses by place and category.
Practical information about Negombo
- In Negombo, arrange for a local SIM card at the Dialog Shop. Cheaper and easier than at the airport. Don’t forget your passport.
- Download the app Pick Me this is a kind of Uber where you can even order tuktuks with it
- For a Tuktuk ride, you pay about 100 – 300 rupees (about 1.50 max). This is for a ride of about 5 – 15 minutes.
- Don’t feel like taking a tuktuk? You also have uber in Negombo.
- They drive LEFT in Sri Lanka. Don’t forget lol.
- Train tickets and bus tickets can be arranged on site. This does not necessarily have to be done in advance and certainly not online.
- You pay with the Sri Lankan rupee (250 rupees is about 1 euro)
- At most restaurants, you pay an additional 10% service charge. It is then still customary to tip 5 – 10% (depending on the food and services). Sounds maybe a lot but on average a dinner with drinks costs less than 10 euros incl. service charges. So that one euro you can well spare ;p
Arranging Local Sim Card in Sri Lanka
In Negombo, you can easily buy a SIM card. You can do this at the airport, but in the city you often get a better price. Buy your ticket at the Dialog shop for the fairest price. For about 5 euros, you will receive 30 gb of data. This bundle is valid for one month. Don’t forget to bring your passport
What are nice places to stay in Negombo?
How to get to Negombo?
If you don’t want a hassle after a long flight, it’s best to book a cab in advance. We booked our cab through booking.com. In total, we had to pay 12 euros for the ride. If you want to save some money, you can possibly book a cab on the spot, try to fix uber or even arrange a tuktuk. Still, it doesn’t make an immense difference in cost.
- Cab booking in advance: 10 – 15 euros
- Arrange cab on the spot: 8-15 euros
- Uber: 8 – 12 euros
- Tuktuk: 8 – 10 euros.
Negombo is about 40 km from Colombo airport and a cab ride takes about 30 minutes depending on traffic.
