Jaffna
Long the gatehouse of the city, the vast Jaffna fort, overlooking the Jaffna lagoon, has been fought over for centuries. Today you can wander its walls,…
Must-see attractions in Jaffna & the North
Jaffna & the North
This mainland church is Sri Lanka’s most hallowed Christian monument (though it's thought to be have been constructed over an ancient Hindu shrine). Its…
Jaffna
This huge Hindu temple, crowned by a towering god-encrusted, golden-ochre gopuram, is one of the most significant Hindu religious complexes in Sri Lanka…
Jaffna & the North
This spring is a beautiful little spot: the men’s side has a picturesque stepped pool of bright aquamarine water set against the ocean, while the women…
Jaffna & the North
An imposing Portuguese-Dutch construction, this fortress is situated right by the causeway to the island and is ringed by a moat. It's a bit shambolic,…
Jaffna & the North
The LTTE navy was a guerrilla force that operated for decades, often organising suicide attacks on government ships and ports. This site is where…
Jaffna & the North
A small dirt road runs for 3.1km off the B371 to this lovely beach. There are a few fishing boats, some palm trees and not much else on the sand. The…
Jaffna
The provenance of this Jaffna Kingdom relic is fairly secure. This archway is thought to be one of the palace’s original entrances. Among its weathered…
Jaffna
Tellingly, one of the first major buildings to be rebuilt after the 2002 ceasefire was Jaffna's Public Library. It had been burnt down by pro-government…
Jaffna
An architectural curiosity, the spindly Clock Tower has a Moorish domed top, which makes it look like it belongs somewhere in North Africa. It was erected…
Jaffna & the North
On the mainland, 10km east of Mannar Town, Thirukketeeswaram Kovil is one of the pancha ishwaram, the five historical Sri Lankan Shiva temples established…
Jaffna & the North
Some 1km via a squiggle of lanes south of the B380 is the beautiful and mysterious Kantarodai Ruins – two dozen or so dagobas, 1m to 2m in height, in a…
Jaffna & the North
A small dirt road near the Sea Tiger Shipyard runs northwest and is back from the beach. Go about 1km from the A35 and stop near a military base entrance…
Jaffna
Set back from the road, it's easy to sense the beauty that was once part of this building's soul. Completely derelict now, and with walls covered in…
Jaffna
This U-shaped pool made of carved stones is neglected but still intact – it’s thought to have been the women’s bathing pool of the royal family. The tank…
Jaffna & the North
There’s a stunning beach here – a classic tropical picture of white sand, azure ocean and swaying coconut palms – though absolutely no facilities. Perfect…
Jaffna & the North
Just before Keerimalai spring is the 6th-century-BC Naguleswaram Shiva Kovil, one of the pancha ishwaram, five temples dedicated to Lord Shiva in Sri…
Jaffna & the North
This is the North’s only major Buddhist pilgrimage site. According to legend, the Buddha came to the island to prevent war between a naga king and his…
Jaffna & the North
This lovely complex is an airy Hindu temple set amid mature neem trees. The main temple deity is the naga goddess Meenakshi, a consort of Shiva. (The term…
Jaffna & the North
A tiny islet in the bay is home to the pocket-sized Fort Hammenhiel, a small Portuguese-built bastion that passed on to the Dutch in the 1650s. The thick…
Jaffna & the North
An offbeat attraction, this ancient baobab tree was allegedly planted by Arab traders. It has a circumference of 20m and is believed to be over 700 years…
Jaffna & the North
Beside the KKS road at the 13km marker, south of the village of Tellippalai, the vast Thurkkai Amman Kovil is set behind a fairly deep, stepped pool. The…
Jaffna & the North
About 2km north of the AB19 along a dirt track is a sombre memorial to Lieutenant General Denzil Lakshman Kobbekaduwa and others. In 1992, the LTTE set…
Jaffna & the North
The much-revered Vallipura Aalvar Kovil is 5km south from central Point Pedro. Its gopuram is painted in an unusually restrained colour palette and the…
Jaffna & the North
About 1km south of the causeway's southern end, there is a large memorial to Gamini Kularatne, a Sri Lanka Army soldier who single-handedly disabled an…
Jaffna
Glistening in the sun, this gold-hued statue was first erected in 1974. It portrays Cankili II, the last king of the Jaffna Kingdom (he died in 1623)…
Jaffna & the North
An attractive stretch of sand with good swimming and, as the name indicates, a shoreline backed by mature casuarina trees. It's popular with folks from…
Jaffna & the North
Kayts is a moody little village with a few scuttled fishing boats down by the ferry dock and some big old bayan trees. This was the port from which…
Jaffna & the North
Right near the centre of town, an enormous concrete water tower lies on its side where it was toppled in the final days of the war in 2008. The sheer size…
Jaffna
This small, unkempt but interesting museum is hidden away at the end of a messy garden behind a concrete events hall. At the door are a pair of rusty…
Jaffna
A grand expanse of grass with very old, huge shade trees, first laid out by the British in 1829. Besides a playground and the cute Dora Cafe, it has the…
Jaffna & the North
This grandiose, vaguely stupa-like monument glorifies the role of the Sri Lankan armed forces in defeating the LTTE and lauds the role of former President…
Jaffna & the North
The quietly charming Madukanda Vihara is a Rs 250 three-wheeler ride from central Vavuniya, beyond the 3km post southeast on the A29. It was reputedly the…
Jaffna & the North
Built in 1820, this large colonnaded church is dishevelled, but the faithful have strung colourful garlands from the soaring rafters. Immediately west,…
Maviddapuram Kanthaswamy Kovil
Jaffna & the North
Maviddapuram Kanthaswamy Kovil is now flourishing again after the war. The priests here are very friendly and will probably do a puja for you if you like …
Jaffna & the North
Set amid a marsh, a huge gold-coloured torso of a soldier juts up from the ground. It's bombastic to say the least; nearby a small building houses map…
Jaffna & the North
The beach at Mullaittivu is long, white and beautiful. It's undeveloped, although there is some construction in the town, as stores are being built. There…
Jaffna & the North
Occupies a prominent spot with sweeping views at the east end of the spectacular VVT–Point Pedro Coast Rd. Although the lighthouse is fenced off and…
Jaffna
Built by the Dutch along classical lines in the 1790s, St Mary’s Cathedral is astonishingly large, but it’s curious to see corrugated-iron roofing held up…
Jaffna & the North
This single-lane concrete veteran still bears war scars. When the fish are running, the sides are lined with people casting nets; it's one of the few…
