West Coast of Sri Lanka

Centered on Colombo, the Western and North Western Provinces are home to the international airport, Negombo's beaches and Kalpitiya's dolphins, and are the starting point for island-wide tours.

This region covers the Western Province (Colombo, Gampaha and Kalutara districts) and the North Western Province (Kurunegala and Puttalam districts), that is, the central and northern stretch of Sri Lanka's west coast and the capital area.

Highlights: in Colombo, the Galle Face Green seafront, Beira Lake and Gangaramaya Temple, the Pettah market and the Red Mosque, the old Dutch Hospital and the National Museum; in Negombo, the fishing harbor, Dutch canal and beach; in Kalutara, the white stupa and the beaches north of Bentota; in Kalpitiya, dolphin watching and a kitesurfing lagoon; and Wilpattu National Park (on the border of the North Western and North Central Provinces), where you can see leopards and sloth bears.

Classic itinerary: most travelers use Colombo as a 1–2 day stopover at the start and end of an island tour; after landing, spend a night in Negombo near the airport; from December to March, you can add 2 days in Kalpitiya.

Getting there: Bandaranaike International Airport is near Negombo, about 40 minutes from Colombo; the Southern Expressway connects to Galle, and railways run south along the coast and on to Kandy and Jaffna.

Notes: Colombo has heavy traffic, so make sure tuk-tuks use the meter or use ride-hailing apps such as PickMe; remove your shoes when visiting Buddhist temples and dress so that your shoulders and knees are covered.

Destinations

Itineraries