Negombo Fish Market
Negombo’s fish trade starts in the dark: boats unload, buyers haggle, and fish dry on mats on the sand. It is loud, wet and not set up for visitors.
What Negombo’s fish market actually is
Negombo has been a fishing town for centuries, and its fish trade is spread across more than one site. Lonely Planet places the main market near the old fort, with auctions on the beach and a second market across the lagoon bridge. The market usually called the Lellama is the wholesale one; Sri Lankan press describes it as in Duwa, and another article starts the traffic from Mankuliya Bridge, so ask your driver which one he means.
Trade starts early. Press and travel sources describe wholesale buying from roughly 3 to 6am, retail until late morning, and dried fish being laid out on the sand, with the dry-fish stalls busiest in mid-morning. What you will see depends on the weather and how many boats came in. A 2017 report counted 10 to 15 boats a day in good weather, some at sea for two weeks.
On the beach side, fish such as sardines are spread to dry on long mats. Catches mentioned include tuna, mackerel, sardines, prawns and crabs. The main gate is closed on Sundays, when much of the town is at church, though some stalls outside still sell.
Worth your attention
Boats unloading
Large multi-day boats and smaller canoes bring in the catch. It is quickest and most crowded in the early hours.
The haggling
Buyers watch each fish being weighed, then bargain with the sellers. It is informal and loud rather than a formal auction.
Dried-fish mats
On the beach, fish are laid out in rows to dry in the sun. Karavala, the salted and sun-dried fish, is the end product.
The size of the fish
Large tuna are common. Shark is sometimes on sale, although a market manager said much of it comes from freezers, not boats.
Before you go
Do this
- Wear closed shoes you do not mind getting wet and dirty
- Go very early if you want to see boats unload
- Ask before photographing anyone, especially the women drying fish
- Haggle politely; tourist prices can start high
- Eat nearby at stalls that grill fish to order
Know this first
- It is smelly, wet and slippery underfoot
- The main gate is closed on Sundays, and activity is lower
- One fisherwoman asked a photographer not to take her picture; respect that
- What is sold depends on the weather; few boats come in rough seas
Getting to Negombo Fish Market
Most people see Negombo Fish Market as part of a stay around Negombo. Our Negombo guide covers where to stay, how long to give it and what else is nearby.
Coming straight from the airport, the relevant run is Colombo Airport to Negombo — fixed price per vehicle, driver waiting inside arrivals with a name board.
Read the full Negombo guideFrom Colombo Airport
Car up to 3 passengers; vans quoted on the route page. No night surcharge.
Negombo Fish Market — frequently asked
What is the Lellama?
The local word for the fish market in Negombo, said to mean the place of bargain. Buying is mostly in bulk and bargained.
What time should I go?
Boats and wholesale buying run from roughly 3 to 6am, retail from 6am to late morning, and dried fish is busiest from about 9 to 11.
Is it open on Sundays?
The main gate is reported closed on Sundays, though some stalls outside still sell fish.
Can tourists go?
Yes. Visitors are tolerated and often welcomed, but it is a working market with no facilities for them.
Also worth stopping for around Negombo
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