Northern Sri Lanka

The Northern Province, centered on the Jaffna Peninsula, has Sri Lanka's strongest Tamil Hindu culture, with temples, a Dutch fort and offshore islands, and sees few tourists, which makes it distinctive.

This region is Sri Lanka's Northern Province, including the Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu, Mannar and Vavuniya districts. It gradually opened to visitors after the civil war ended, and now draws backpackers with its Tamil culture and slow-paced travel.

Highlights: in Jaffna, the Nallur Kandaswamy Temple (with a major festival in July–August), the star-shaped Jaffna Fort built by the Dutch, the public library and the market; at the northern tip of the peninsula, the fishing harbor and lighthouse at Point Pedro and Casuarina Beach; ferries to Nainativu (with a Buddhist Naga temple and a Hindu temple) and to Delft Island, with its wild ponies and coral-stone walls; and in Mannar, the sandbars of Adam's Bridge, baobab trees and migratory birds.

Classic itinerary: head north from Colombo or Anuradhapura, spend 2–3 days in Jaffna and add a day for the offshore islands; you can also return along the west coast via Mannar.

Getting there: Jaffna has a direct rail line to Colombo (about 6–7 hours) and a domestic airport; the A9 highway is the main overland route; ferries to the offshore islands run infrequently, so check times in advance.

Notes: men must go bare-chested and remove their shoes to enter temples; some areas are still military zones, so don't photograph camp facilities.

Destinations

Itineraries