Landing late at night first stop Negombo or push on to Colombo

For a near-midnight landing, sleep in Negombo. The airport (Katunayake) is right next to Negombo, only about 10 to 15 minutes away, whereas Colombo is a 45 to 60 minute drive on the expressway. After a long flight, getting to bed fast is the win. Negombo has a beach strip, plenty of guesthouses, and lets you start fresh the next morning, either heading north/east or down to Colombo and the south. Use the official airport taxi counter or a PickMe to avoid late-night fare haggling.