Sri Lanka’s west coast is very well developed, westernized and finely customized for tourists. A string of fine golden sandy beaches are lined up in cities like Beruwala, Negombo, Chilaw and Kalpitiya backed by hotels and guesthouses equipped with tourist amenities of every imaginable standard. While there is a lot of tourism development in other parts of Sri Lanka, the luxury resort hotels in these cities play a major role in providing long stay Sri Lanka holiday packages to tourists looking to get away from the Northern Winter.
What to expect
Observation will bring to your notice that the island’s West Coast has sort of a multiple personality. If you move north of the capital city of Colombo, you come to Negombo, which is a fisherman’s paradise. Crowded beaches, fishing boats strolling from one end to the other, a friendly and cheerful town, and the close proximity to the International Airport is what makes Negombo a staple stop for tourists in Sri Lanka. Moving further up to Kalpitiya, you will see a landscape of wilderness with coconut plantations, lagoons and dolphins.
When travelling south of Colombo, you will find a collection of chic boutique hotels, traditional Sri Lankan culture in Ambalangoda, uncluttered golden sands in Bentota and the backpacker party town of Hikkaduwa.
There are several articles guiding tourists on making the most of the south-western coast of Sri Lanka (towns south of Colombo). Blue Lanka Tours organizes several Sri Lanka holiday packages catered specifically to beach holidays. These itineraries include towns in the western, southern and eastern coast of Sri Lanka. In this article, we will discuss what the best hotspots on the west coast are, moving north of Colombo.
Jetwing Lagoon – Negombo
Located close to the calm beach in Negombo, Jetwing Lagoon is an elegant and chic hotel that is meant to create unique and memorable experiences for guests. This is the first resort in Sri Lanka to be built by the legendary architect Geoffrey Bawa and hence holds an aesthetically significant environment. White and brown are the prominent colors used to decorate the resort and the rooms are lined up on either side, meeting at a central garden, where there is a 100 meter long infinity pool. Along with the massive pool, another highlight of the hotel is the amazing view of the Negombo Lagoon from its main restaurant. The hotel is also popularly known for its Ayurvedic treatment facilities.
Heritance Negombo
Heritance Negombo is designed to give you a charming experience of the west coast paradise in Sri Lanka. This recently built property has 139 rooms brilliantly designed by a group of foreign architects. As a family friendly hotel, it has a large children’s swimming pool, an interactive adult swimming pool and a fitness center. From chic living spaces to pampered spa therapies, Heritance Negombo has it all.
Anantaya Chilaw
The segregated waters of Chilaw can be treasured at this tremendous luxury resort – Anantaya Chilaw. The atmosphere here includes the warm sky blue waters of the sea along with the soothing waters of a tidal pond surrounded by a mangrove to wrap you up in a peaceful trance. One can either relax on the sleeping chairs at the edge of the pool or get a peaceful massage at their exclusive spa facilities. With soft sandy beaches on one side and a lagoon on the other, this hotel is the perfect enchanting getaway that one would dream of for a holiday in Sri Lanka.
Dolphin Beach Resort – Kalpitiya
The peninsula of Kalpitiya boasts of exotic beaches ideal for jet skiing, snorkeling, kite-surfing, dolphin watching and simply relaxing and indulging the breathtaking view of sun, sand and sea. Taking advantage of this picture-perfect backdrop, Dolphin Beach Resort was constructed to provide tourists with top notch accommodation in Kalpitiya, Sri Lanka. Rooms are in the form of luxury, spacious tents with attached chic bathrooms to offer guests a unique camping experience on paradise island.
Bar Reef Resort – Alankuda
Bar Reef Resort in Alankuda, Kalpitiya is deigned to let you enjoy the natural beauty around you. Romantic evenings, peaceful nature trails, kite-surfing experiences, and simply relaxing and unwinding is what this hotel is all about. Spacious, attractive and luxury villas are designed, each featuring two bedrooms, large verandahs, fenced gardens and open air showers under coconut palms. The eco-friendly saltwater infinity swimming pool is an essence of ultimate relaxation. A cozy little restaurant is located right on the beach for guests to relax and enjoy the beautiful surroundings with a delicious tropical cocktail in hand.