Hi Chester

Personally, I would go for Negombo as it's only about half an hour from the airport and you'll be much closer to the Elephant Sanctuary and other places for trips out (e.g. Kandy). Kalutara is 2 1/2 hrs from the airport and is south of Colombo where there are less things to see. We stayed at the Blue Water in Wadduwa but wished we had chosen Negombo instead.

Hope that helps!

Browns Beach is nice and if you are an all-inclusive fan it's a good choice. If you are after sun, pool, good food, entertainment then again it's a good choice. But Negombo is not a quiet relaxing tropical paradise if that's what you are after - either the beach or the 'strip'. But as Corrinne said you are closer to a lot of the sights for day trips.

Also remember, things are quite inexpensive over there so don't feel like you have to stay put in the same place the whole time. Hiring a driver and paying for a single nights stay somewhere else is a great way to see more of the place.

thank you for the info, it looks like i have missed out on this trip as the flight back from Colombo with Ethiad is booked up.
GUTTED.
cant afford Emirates and Qatar seem to have massive waits in Doha on the return leg and I have to be home for the kids as they are back to school.

Hi - have you looked at Mercury Direct holidays? They have 10 days (now to I think beg Dec) or January for £799 AI at the Blue Water in Sri Lanka or 14 days for £899. My mum and dad have just booked 14 nights at the Blue Water on AI in January and 2 nights in Dubai with Emirates for £2600 total. The £799/£899 prices are from either Manchester or London using a direct flight (I think Qatar or Sri Lankan Airways, but don't quote me on that). They are literally less than half price of any other operator because we priced them all!! As you say Emirates are more expensive but they wanted the stop over in Dubai, and as of week and a half ago, the prices quoted above were definitely available.

We did Browns beach earlier this year - hotel entrance hall we found a bit depressing after such a long flight but we checked in really easily. We got a room in the main Block - and it was fine - not deluz but hey we wanted to chill out and in the end it turned out fine. There are a fair ammount of mosquitoes there and as the room boys leave the doors open when they clean they tend to get ionto the rooms. Although you do get mosquito mats - I went out across the road and bought the old fashioned mosquito coils and kept one burning all the time - it worked great. Lost pf folks were complaining and wanted to get the garden rooms - sure they look fancier but you neighbour is pretty much sitting in your lap - and let me tell you they folks who stayed there were bitted to death.

Hotel is quite and Negombo is also quite. We were on B&B and ate out in a small restaurant across the road in the Coconut Grove pretty much each night. Food is excellent and cheap.

The hotel does buffets but most folks in Full board ended up eating out!

All in all we had a great time - Being the 3rd world you just have to get used to things NOT being British - would I go back - yes!