If you like listening to birds and the occasional Motor boat putter by; watching fishermen on traditional boats all through the night from any one of three terraces; barbecuing fish you caught or bought at the local market then Iwura would be a great base to explore Negombo and environs.
This is a beautiful garden cottage surrounded by fishermen in the real Negombo.
Staying here you can get a real sense of the pace of life in Sri Lanka and, if you're here when there's a festival, you can jump in or just watch the locals. Poya, the monthly celebration at full moon, is particularly lovely as you watch the moon rise over the lagoon.
Stay entirely alone or let the lovely Sri Lankan family take care of you whether you want them to water the garden daily or to act as a maid service. They can also teach you Sri Lankan dishes to eat on the "shack".
This is the real Sri Lanka but with internet and daily housekeeping if you want it.
You are only 10 minutes by boat or 3-wheeler to a 5 star hotel with 100 meter swimming pool or the local beaches. You are about 20 minutes from the tourist part of town or 600 rupees. Or borrow one of our shopping bikes and explore the neighborhood. Our neighbors are nice and you might even visit the aquaculture project next door.
With one large and one small double bedroom, both en suite, as well as a garden shower and WC you'll never be far from water even without the lagoon. You will have access to the whole property including the shack where you are welcome to eat food you have bought or cooked or had us cook for you. If you want yoga lessons or trips we can help with that too.
It's up to you. If you want to be left alone to enjoy the solitude, the view and the romance we can do that. If you want someone to tidy up, feed the dogs and birds and water the garden every day we can do that. We'll give you a mobile phone and the numbers of lots of people who work in the area and who you will help to make a living by staying here and using their local small business services. We in this case is more likely to be the family who look after the place than me. I'll be in Dubai.
It's a traditional Sri Lankan village with a mixture of poor and middle class people. It's clean and the neighbours are friendly. If you're lucky they'll even offer to sell you some of the fish or seafood they've caught. That will save you a trip to one of the two fresh fish markets every day or to one of the many restaurants within 10 minutes. Negombo is an unusual town with its mix of ethnicities and very large roman catholic population.
Tuktuks or 3 wheelers are very easy to find and we can put you in touch with reliable drivers who know the way. Or we can arrange taxis or private car hire. Up to you. The trains are good and buses are getting better as the roads improve.
We'll provide linens and a full kitchen. We also have a well stocked first aid kit but let us know if you need anything and we can probably help.