The end of November and the beginning of December brought about our first holiday in the school year (aside from one rain day the week prior). For the combined American Thanksgiving/UAE National Day long weekend, I chose to get some rest and relaxation in Sri Lanka, bringing my country total to 55. Although Sri Lanka is a reasonably sized island, I decided to stay close to the airport, just north of the capital city of Colombo. I chose a boutique hotel and Ayurvedic Spa, which was about 20 minutes from the airport.

Negombo is a beach/fishing town that is often overlooked by visitors to Sri Lanka in favor of the Southern beaches or the mountains and tea plantations. Also known as Little Rome, due to the amount of Catholic Churches situated in the small city. The Portuguese missionaries were very successful here! The Dutch later captured the town before the British finally took over from them. It has a laid back vibe, and I found the people to be very friendly. I was able to walk around without safety concerns. Continue reading Negombo, Sri Lanka: The port town with more to offer than an airport! →