Negombo is a city on the west coast of Sri Lanka, north of the capital, Colombo. Near the waterfront, the remains of the 17th-century Dutch Fort now house a prison. Negombo Lagoon, lined with fishermen’s huts, feeds into the Dutch-era Hamilton Canal. The canal leads south to Colombo. Neoclassical St. Mary’s Church, completed in the 1920s, features a ceiling decorated with vivid religious paintings. Negombo is a beach town and its located just 10 kilometers from Bandaranaike International Airport and it’s the first destination with sandy and beautiful beaches that you will meet right after you arrive in Sri Lanka at Bandaranaike International Airport

Minneriya, situated at the centre of the Cultural Triangle, is a good alternative to the busier parks in the south and it is easy to weave a jeep drive here between visiting the ancient sites in this area. The dry season, from June to September, is the best time to visit the 8,890 hectare park, when the ancient tank that dominates the area shrinks and the grasses and shoots push through. During this time it is possible to see herds of up to 150 elephants feeding and washing. It is termed ‘The Elephant Gathering’ and is the largest assemblage of Asian elephants in the world.