Negombo Distance from Colombo 35 km A characteristic fishing town north of Colombo, Negombo is a mere 6 km drive from the international airport. Set amidst lush groves of coconut palms, it breathes the spirit of the sea. Negombo is a gourmet’s paradise with sea food in plenty. Old-world fishing craft, like the outrigger canoe and the catamaran, bring seer, skipjack, herring, mullet, pomfret and amber jack, while lobster and prawn are caught in the lagoon. Mount Lavinia Distance from Colombo 12 km Mount Lavinia is an ideal place to relax and enjoy the sea. The beach is crowded on Sundays and public holidays with large crowds gathered to participate in many beach sports activities such as swimming, surfing etc. The Governor's House built in 1805 by Sir Thomas Maitland , now forms part of the famous Mount Lavinia Hotel. Kalutara Distance from Colombo 42km An important spice-trading centre controlled at various times by the Portuguese, Dutch and the British. Today, it has a reputation for fine basketware (visit basket hall) and also for the best mangosteens(fruits) on the island. Passing Kalutara South of the Kalu Ganga Bridge is the kalutara Vihara, which has a hollow dagoba (Buddhist shrine) with an interesting painted interior. By the roadside there’s a small shrine and a bodhi tree where drivers often stop to make offerings to ensure a safe journey. Beruwela Distance from Colombo 55 km South of Colombo, Beruwela marks the beginning of a 130 km-stretch of beaches, where resort development has made immense strides in recent years. Holiday-makers should not miss bathing in the bay. Bentota Distance from Colombo 62 km Bentota Resort complex is a romantic rendezvous of river and sea with several hotels, railway stations, post officers, shopping arcades, cafeteria and an open-air theatre showing folk and mask-dancing with clusters of palms overlooking everything. Hikkaduwa Distance from Colombo 206 km This is the first area to be developed for Tourism, this is still one of the most popular of  all beach resorts. Hikkaduwa is famous for its coral and sub-tropical fish. The reef, which runs parallel to the shore is only a few metres below the water. It can be investigated with snorkel and flippers, or in a glass-bottom boat. There are several wrecks in the area which offer interesting dives. Scuba equipment and the services of licensed instructors are on hire from PADI centers. A little further down the coast, there’s good surf for board or body-surfing. Generally,  a community of international surfers exist in and around Hikkaduwa.   Galle Distance from Colombo 116 km Situated in the south of Colombo, Galle is the most important Southern town. It has an old world charm. Believed to be the “Tarshish of the Bible”, its natural harbour was a famous fort in days gone by. Galle is famous for its Dutch Fort, lace-making, ebony carving and gem polishing Koggala Distance from Colombo 130 km Koggala beach is about 12km south of Galle. Stilt-Fishermen are a familiar sight here. Arugam Bay Distance from Colombo 116 km Arugam Bay is a fishing village 3km south of the small town of Pottuvil at the remote southern end of the east coast. It probably has the best surf in Sri Lanka, which forms near a low promontory a little further south, and because of this it has developed into a hang-out for low-budget travelers. There’s a wide, sweeping beach in front of the village itself which is good for swimming and south of the surf promontory a long, deserted beach leads down to ‘Crocodile Rock’, from where wild elephants can quite often be seen. The best period for surfing is between April and September and during this season the number of travelers – most of whom are die-hard surfers – visiting the area increases. When the season ends the place empties and some guesthouses and restaurants shut up shop, but this may be just what you’re after. Nilaveli Distance from Trincomalee 14 km Nilaveli is a prime beach resort in the East Coast. It is ideally suited for sun bathing, sea bathing and diving. A few metres off shore is a small rocky island named 'Pig. Coral Island, a few kilometres north is a bit of a misnomer. It is surrounded by an outstandingly well preserved array of live reef, coral and tropical fish.