Things to Do in Jaffna

Sri Lanka's Tamil north: golden kovils, island ferries, palmyra palms, and the best crab curry on the island.

Jaffna feels like a different country, and in cultural terms it almost is: Tamil, Hindu, and shaped by the palmyra palm rather than the coconut. The city's heart is the Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil, a gold-fronted temple to Murugan where daily pujas fill the halls with drums and incense, and whose 25-day festival in August is one of South Asia's great religious spectacles.

Beyond the temple, climb the walls of the star-shaped Dutch fort, then take the causeway-and-ferry trip to Nainativu island, where a major Buddhist shrine and a revered Hindu kovil share the same tiny island, a very Sri Lankan arrangement. Back in town, order the famous Jaffna crab curry, and finish with an ice cream at one of the beloved local cream houses. The overnight or morning train from Colombo makes getting here half the adventure.

Places worth your time in Jaffna

Casuarina Beach — The best-known beach in the north, a long stretch of shallow, calm water shaded by casuarina trees on the island of Karainagar, popular for a gentle swim.
Chundikulam National Park — A remote lagoon and wetland park at the eastern edge of the peninsula, a haven for flamingos, pelicans and thousands of migrant water birds between land and sea.
Dambakolapatuna Sri Sangamiththa Buddhist Temple — A seaside temple marking the ancient port where the nun Sangamitta is said to have landed with the sacred Bodhi sapling, with a serene shrine looking out over the northern sea.
Delft Island (Neduntheevu) — A remote, wind-scoured island of coral-stone walls, wild ponies descended from Dutch stock, a baobab tree and colonial ruins, a full-day adventure off the peninsula.
Elephant Pass — The narrow causeway linking the Jaffna peninsula to the mainland, a place of great strategic history now marked by war memorials and the famous bulldozer monument.
Fort Hammenhiel — A small Dutch fort built on its own tiny island between Kayts and Karainagar, once a prison and now a navy-run heritage spot and boutique retreat reached by boat.
Jaffna Archaeological Museum — A small museum gathering artefacts from the peninsula's long history, from ancient inscriptions and statues to relics of the Jaffna kingdom and colonial times.
Jaffna Clock Tower — A graceful colonial clock tower built in the 1870s in honour of a royal visit, a slender landmark in the heart of Jaffna town restored after the war.
Jaffna Fort — A huge star-shaped fort built by the Portuguese and Dutch on the edge of the lagoon, its ramparts slowly being restored after the civil war, with wide views over the water.
Jaffna Market — The bustling covered market at the centre of Jaffna, piled with palmyra products, fresh produce, spices and northern specialities, a colourful window on local life.
Jaffna Public Library — A gleaming white colonial-style library, once one of the largest in Asia, burned down in 1981 and lovingly rebuilt, now a moving symbol of the city's resilience.
Kadurugoda Viharaya Archaeological Site - Kantharodai — A cluster of dozens of small ancient coral-stone stupas packed together in a quiet garden, the remains of an early Buddhist monastery that thrived on the peninsula.
Kayts Island — A laid-back island linked to Jaffna by causeway, with old churches, a Portuguese-era fort ruin, quiet beaches and views across the lagoon to the smaller islands.
Keerimalai Springs — Natural freshwater bathing pools right at the sea's edge, fed by underground springs and long believed to have healing powers, with separate pools for men and women.
Manalkadu Desert — A surprising belt of rolling sand dunes along the northeast coast, where a colonial church of St. Anthony lies half-buried in the drifting sand near a fishing village.
Mantri Manai — The atmospheric ruins of an old ministerial residence linked to the last kings of the Jaffna kingdom, with carved pillars and courtyards hinting at its former grandeur.
Maviddapuram Kandaswamy Kovil — An ancient and important Murugan temple in the north with a tall carved gopuram, tied to a legend of a princess cured of a horse-like affliction, hence its name.
Nagadeepa Purana Vihara — An ancient Buddhist temple on the island of Nainativu, one of the few places said to have been visited by the Buddha himself, its silver-domed stupa a serene pilgrimage site.
Nagapooshani Amman Temple — A soaring, brightly painted Hindu temple on Nainativu island dedicated to the goddess Parvati, one of the most important Shakti shrines in the country.
Keerimalai Naguleswaram Temple — One of the five ancient Shiva temples of the island, a revered northern shrine beside the Keerimalai springs, restored after wartime damage.
Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil — The grandest Hindu temple in the north, a golden-towered shrine to Lord Murugan whose daily rituals and vast August festival are the beating heart of Jaffna's religious life.
Nilavarai Bottomless Natural underground water well — A natural well of legend near Jaffna, said to be bottomless, whose water is fresh near the top and turns salty at depth, tied to a story from the Ramayana.
Point Pedro — The northernmost point of Sri Lanka, a windy headland with an old lighthouse and a fishing town, marking the very tip of the island looking out to the Palk Strait.
Vallipuram Alvar Kovil — One of the oldest and most revered Vishnu temples in the north, near Point Pedro, an ancient site linked to a famous gold-plate inscription found in its grounds.
Valvettithurai — A historic fishing and seafaring town on the north coast, long famed for its boat builders and traders, with a lively harbour and a revered seaside Amman temple.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get to Jaffna?: The train from Colombo Fort takes 6 to 7 hours through the Vanni plains, and booking a reserved seat a few days ahead is worth it. Flying into Palaly airport or taking the A9 by bus or car are the alternatives.
Is Jaffna worth the trip north?: If you care about culture and food, yes. The kovils, the island ferries, and Tamil cuisine offer a Sri Lanka most visitors never see, and the tourist crowds thin out dramatically past Anuradhapura. Two nights does it justice.
What should I know before visiting Nallur Kovil?: Dress modestly, leave shoes at the entrance, and note that men must remove their shirts to enter the inner halls, a rule that is enforced. Morning and evening pujas are the atmospheric times to visit, and photography inside is restricted.