Western Province

Western Sri Lanka is a province in Sri Lanka. Being the province where the capital and the main international airport are, nearly all travellers to Sri Lanka will start their holiday here. Before heading further afield, it is well worth visiting the many attractions this province has to offer.

Cities

• 1 Beruwela — beach resort
• 2 Colombo — the capital and largest city in Sri Lanka
• 3 Panadura — a city in the west coast which is well known for its scenic beach and the historical milestone "Panadura Vadaya" (meaning: Panadura Debate)
• 4 Gampaha
• 5 Negombo — more than just the town where the airport is!
• 6 Kalutara
• 7 Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte — the current national capital; not of great touristical importance but is well served by restaurants and shops
• 8 Wadduwa

Get in

Bandaranaike International Airport is in Negombo, 33km north of Colombo. Almost every traveller entering Sri Lanka will enter here. It is not a world-class airport, but it does the job smoothly enough. The airport is well-connected to Colombo by express bus, and a high-speed rail line is planned. Until then, the nearest railway station to the airport is Katunayake South, 1 km away.

Go next

Colombo is the hub of the country's cheap and efficient rail network. Take the train from here to Ella in the hill country, to Jaffna in the far north, to historical Galle and the beaches of the south-west and south coasts, or even to the main towns of the east coast: Batticaloa and Trincomalee.