Trincomalee

A natural deep-water harbor on Sri Lanka's east coast, with the beaches of Nilaveli and Uppuveli, snorkeling at Pigeon Island and the clifftop Koneswaram Temple.

Trincomalee sits on Sri Lanka's northeast coast and is the capital of the Eastern Province. It boasts one of the world's finest natural deep-water harbors, which the Portuguese, Dutch and British each fortified and fought over in turn. The city is predominantly Tamil and Muslim, and Hindu temples, Buddhist shrines and mosques stand side by side. The main sights fall into three areas: in town, Fort Frederick, the clifftop Koneswaram Temple and the fish market; to the north, the beaches of Uppuveli and Nilaveli and Pigeon Island National Park, the hub for snorkeling, diving and spotting blacktip reef sharks; and around the bay to the south, Marble Beach and Buddhist sacred sites such as Seruwila and Lankapatuna. The east coast's monsoon runs opposite to the southwest coast's, so the best time to visit is May–Sep, when the sea is calm and clear; Mar–Apr and Jun–Aug are good for boat trips to see blue whales and dolphins, while Nov–Jan brings the rainy northeast monsoon and some boats stop running. From Colombo it's about 7–8 hours by train, or take an overnight bus or hire a car; from Sigiriya or Dambulla it's about 2 hours by car, so it's often combined with the Cultural Triangle. Plan on 3–4 days, staying in Uppuveli or Nilaveli. Remove your shoes and cover shoulders and knees at religious sites, and don't take photos freely in the fort's army area or around naval zones.

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Where to eat

Itineraries