Visit Morawala beach—but watch out for sharks!

On the west side of Pitipana village just outside Negombo lies Morawala Beach. The beach was originally named after the sharks who came to breed and give birth to their young in the sheltered waters inside the reef.

A very popular beach for local people and families to gather on Sundays and Poya days. It is a very safe beach to swim from, even for children, provided you do not cross the reef, as the water the other side is very deep with strong currents.

Tourists and locals alike love to snorkel in the pools inside the reef, often the water is very clear, enabling you to see the teeming marine life living in the calm waters. Coral, sea urchins, mussels, and a myriad of tropical fish can be seen.

Stopover

You can also walk along the reef, but unless you have very tough feet some waterproof footwear is a must! Many of the boat and catamaran tours from the Town & Brown’s beaches will include a short stopover here.

Fishermen’s houses line the back of the beach, which, sadly is deteriorating due to so much sand being taken from the sea to build the Port City in Colombo. The sea then absorbs the sand from the western beaches to fill the gaps.

Go to Morawala late afternoon to watch the spectacular Negombo sunsets from the rocks, great photo-shoot opportunities!

Bridges

On the way from Negombo Town you will cross three bridges, the second of which divides the sea from the lagoon, giving a chance to look at the fishing harbour and the beautiful lagoon before going through the fish market.

After the fish market, continue along the road to the Y crossing, cross over the bridge, and on the right had side is a small road with a statue of the Virgin Mary.

Follow the road past Holy Virgin Mary Church, Pitipana Veediyadeya on the right hand side. Turn right at the end and go another 500m, the stairs to the beach will then be on the left.