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.
On the coast near Kankesanthurai, roughly 50 feet above sea level, a natural freshwater spring bubbles up remarkably close to the sea, separated from saltwater only by the thin walls of an adjacent stone bathing tank. Keerimalai takes its name from a legend involving Sage Nagula Muni, whose face had reportedly shrunk with age and ascetic austerity into a mongoose like appearance, keeri meaning mongoose in Tamil, malai meaning hill, until he bathed in these very springs and was miraculously cured, establishing a shrine here in gratitude that would eventually grow into the temple standing today.
The springs carry genuine mineral richness, scientific studies attributing their long claimed healing properties to a high natural mineral content sourced from deep underground, some traditions holding the water connects underground to the Nilavarai bottomless well roughly 10 km away. Hindu legend ties the site into the Ramayana too, tradition holding that King Rama himself bathed here to cleanse himself of dosham after killing King Ravana, adding yet another layer of sanctity to waters already considered curative for skin ailments and physical afflictions across generations of pilgrims.
Each year on Aadi Amaavaasai, a day in the Tamil month of Aadi set aside for honoring ancestors, devotees, largely men, gather here in significant numbers to bathe in the springs and perform ancestral rituals, Keerimalai particularly renowned for this specific observance. Set right beside the ocean, the springs and their adjoining Naguleswaram Temple offer a genuinely striking combination, ancient healing waters within arm's reach of open sea, framed by one of the most historically significant religious sites in northern Sri Lanka.
At a glance
- Entry fee: Around LKR 20
- Opening hours: Daylight hours
- Time needed: 30 to 45 minutes
- Best time: Morning
Getting there
At Keerimalai on the northern coast, about 12km from Jaffna, beside Naguleswaram temple.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does it cost to visit Keerimalai Springs?
- Around LKR 20.
- What are the opening hours at Keerimalai Springs?
- Daylight hours.
- How long should I spend at Keerimalai Springs?
- Plan for 30 to 45 minutes.
- When is the best time to visit Keerimalai Springs?
- Morning.
- How do I get to Keerimalai Springs?
- At Keerimalai on the northern coast, about 12km from Jaffna, beside Naguleswaram temple.