Negombo (Sinhala-Migamuwa) is a town of about 121,933,approximately 35km north of commercial capital Colombo, in Sri Lanka. It is located at the mouth of the Negombo Lagoon,about 7km from the Bandaranaike International Airport. Negombo has a small port,and its economy is mainly based on tourism and its centuries-old fishing industry,though it also produces cinnamon,ceramics,and brass ware.
The name "Negombo" was first used by the Portuguese, a corruption of the Sinhala name "Migamuva". The town is situated by the shores of a lagoon of the same name, and was a trading port during the periods of Portuguese and Dutch colonization.
Negombo first flourished as a center for cinnamon production in Sri Lanka. The cinnamon industry in Negombo was initiated by the Portuguese, and subsequently attended to by the Moors (Muslims). After the Portuguese were defeated by the Dutch in 1640, the cinnamon business was kept as an key aspect of the regions economy. However, by the time the British took over in 1796, the industry was in decline. Another point of interest in Negombo is the Old Dutch Fort, which was built in 1672. It is situated near the shore and offers a glimpse into the colonization history of Negombo. However, the Fort is now in a state of disrepair.
Religion in Negombo.
The name "Negombo" was first used by the Portuguese, a corruption of the Sinhala name "Migamuva". The town is situated by the shores of a lagoon of the same name, and was a trading port during the periods of Portuguese and Dutch colonization.
Negombo first flourished as a center for cinnamon production in Sri Lanka. The cinnamon industry in Negombo was initiated by the Portuguese, and subsequently attended to by the Moors (Muslims). After the Portuguese were defeated by the Dutch in 1640, the cinnamon business was kept as an key aspect of the regions economy. However, by the time the British took over in 1796, the industry was in decline. Another point of interest in Negombo is the Old Dutch Fort, which was built in 1672. It is situated near the shore and offers a glimpse into the colonization history of Negombo. However, the Fort is now in a state of disrepair.
Religion in Negombo.
Since the beginning of European Colonization, the township of Negombo has a majority of Roman Catholics along with Buddhists, Hindus and Muslims. Negombo has been given the name "Little Rome" due to the highly ornate Portuguese-era Roman Catholic churches such as St Marys church found within the township. The Katuwapitiya Church and the Grand Street Church are two biggest parishes in Negombo. "Agurukaramulla Pansala" is a famous Buddhist temple bringing Buddhists from all over Sri Lanka to Negombo every year. And also Abhayasekararamaya temple (Podipansala)is famous Buddhist temple now.
Tourism in Negombo.
Negombo is an ideal place for those who want quick access to and from the country's international airport. The 100 km long canal network running through the town is still used, and outrigger canoes and modern water-craft ply this route daily, for trade and tourist purposes. Remains of colonization include the Dutch fort built in 1672, as well as centuries-old Portuguese and Dutch houses, administrative buildings, and churches. Negombo is also home to the country's second-largest fish market, the Llelama, at the north end of the town's lagoon. There are daily fish auctions, which give tourists a chance to meet the area's fishermen and even organise fishing trips into the lagoon and the ocean beyond. Other nearby attractions open to visitors include Muthurajawela, which is part of a 6,000-hectare (14,826-acre) protected marshland, home to over 190 species of wildlife.
Negombo offers some of the better beaches on the west coast of Sri Lanka, and draws tourists who stop over for a day on their way to or from the airport. Several hotels ranging from luxury hotels to small hotels, guest houses and restaurants have in Negombo. Some quiet stretches of the beach are maintained by the tourist hotels, while others are always busy with fishermen and their equipment. Water-sports and diving are also popular among visitors, with a few well-preserved coral reefs and a 50-year-old shipwreck (Kudapaduwa) that serves as an artificial reef for many varieties of fish.
There are also local handicraft sales on the beaches and the shops near the town.
Negombo Lagoon.
Negombo Lagoon is a large estuarine lagoon in Gampaha District, south-west Sri Lanka.The Negombo Lagoon has an area of 35.02 square kilometres. It's situated some 20km north of Colombo and 15km from bandaranaike international airport.
The lagoon is fed by a number of small rivers and a canal. It is linked to the sea by a narrow channel to the north, near Negombo town. It is surrounded by a densely populated region containing rice paddies, coconut plantations and grassland. The land is used for fishing and agriculture. The lagoon has extensive mangrove swamps and attracts a wide variety of water birds including cormorants, herons, egrets, gulls, terns and other shorebirds.
Fishing in Negombo Lagoon.
The fishermen who are based at the Negombo lagoon relay mainly on their traditional knowledge of the seasons for their livelihood, using outrigger canoes carved out of tree trunks and nylon nets to bring in modest catches from September through till April. Their boats are made in two distinct forms, oruvas (a type of sailing canoe) and paruvas (a large, man-powered catamaran fitted with kurlon dividers). For generations the lagoon has provided the fishermen with a plentiful supply of crabs, shrimp and many of the native species of fish, but with the onset of global warming these sources of food have dwindled.
Tourism in Negombo.
Negombo is an ideal place for those who want quick access to and from the country's international airport. The 100 km long canal network running through the town is still used, and outrigger canoes and modern water-craft ply this route daily, for trade and tourist purposes. Remains of colonization include the Dutch fort built in 1672, as well as centuries-old Portuguese and Dutch houses, administrative buildings, and churches. Negombo is also home to the country's second-largest fish market, the Llelama, at the north end of the town's lagoon. There are daily fish auctions, which give tourists a chance to meet the area's fishermen and even organise fishing trips into the lagoon and the ocean beyond. Other nearby attractions open to visitors include Muthurajawela, which is part of a 6,000-hectare (14,826-acre) protected marshland, home to over 190 species of wildlife.
Negombo offers some of the better beaches on the west coast of Sri Lanka, and draws tourists who stop over for a day on their way to or from the airport. Several hotels ranging from luxury hotels to small hotels, guest houses and restaurants have in Negombo. Some quiet stretches of the beach are maintained by the tourist hotels, while others are always busy with fishermen and their equipment. Water-sports and diving are also popular among visitors, with a few well-preserved coral reefs and a 50-year-old shipwreck (Kudapaduwa) that serves as an artificial reef for many varieties of fish.
There are also local handicraft sales on the beaches and the shops near the town.
Negombo Lagoon.
Negombo Lagoon is a large estuarine lagoon in Gampaha District, south-west Sri Lanka.The Negombo Lagoon has an area of 35.02 square kilometres. It's situated some 20km north of Colombo and 15km from bandaranaike international airport.
The lagoon is fed by a number of small rivers and a canal. It is linked to the sea by a narrow channel to the north, near Negombo town. It is surrounded by a densely populated region containing rice paddies, coconut plantations and grassland. The land is used for fishing and agriculture. The lagoon has extensive mangrove swamps and attracts a wide variety of water birds including cormorants, herons, egrets, gulls, terns and other shorebirds.
Fishing in Negombo Lagoon.
The fishermen who are based at the Negombo lagoon relay mainly on their traditional knowledge of the seasons for their livelihood, using outrigger canoes carved out of tree trunks and nylon nets to bring in modest catches from September through till April. Their boats are made in two distinct forms, oruvas (a type of sailing canoe) and paruvas (a large, man-powered catamaran fitted with kurlon dividers). For generations the lagoon has provided the fishermen with a plentiful supply of crabs, shrimp and many of the native species of fish, but with the onset of global warming these sources of food have dwindled.