Negombo Lagoon Tour
Negombo Lagoon is a large estuarine lagoon in Negombo, south-west Sri Lanka. The lagoon is fed by a number of small rivers and the Hamilton Canal
Published on Jun 02, 2026
Hamilton Canal
The Hamilton Canal is a 14.5 km (9.0 mi) canal in Sri Lanka, connecting Puttalam to Colombo via Negombo. The canal was constructed by the British in 1802 and completed in 1804. It was designed to drain salt water out of the Muthurajawela wetlands. The canal was named after Gavin Hamilton, the Government Agent of Revenue and Commerce.
The current canal
The lagoon is fed by a number of small rivers and the Hamilton Canal (also known as the Dutch canal). It is linked to the sea by a narrow channel to the north, near Negombo city. It is surrounded by a densely populated region containing rice paddies, coconut plantations and grassland.
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Hassan Miskin
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