The north-west coast runs from Negombo, next to the airport, up to the Kalpitiya peninsula. It is flatter and drier than the south, with lagoons, fishing villages and steady wind for kite surfing.
Negombo
Negombo is about 10 km from the international airport and the usual first or last stop of a trip. It has a long beach, a busy fish market, a Dutch canal and a lagoon you can explore by boat through the mangroves. The town has many churches, a legacy of its Catholic fishing community.
Kalpitiya
Kalpitiya, three to four hours north, is a long, narrow peninsula. Kite surfers come for two windy seasons, from about mid-May to mid-October and mid-December to mid-March. Dolphin watching runs from about November to April, when the sea is calm, and the Bar Reef offshore can be snorkelled in the same months.
On the way
The road north passes Chilaw, near the Hindu temple at Munneswaram, and the Puttalam lagoon. Wilpattu National Park is close enough to Kalpitiya for a day safari.
When to go
The north-west is relatively dry. For swimming and boat trips, November to April is best; for wind, May to October.
See our Negombo guide and Kalpitiya guide.
A sample plan
Spend your first night in Negombo after landing, then drive north to Kalpitiya for three or four nights of kiting, dolphins or simple beach time. Add a day safari at Wilpattu before heading inland to Anuradhapura.
Where to stay
See our hotels in Negombo and hotels in Kalpitiya.