Kinniya Bridge
The longest bridge in Sri Lanka, sweeping nearly a kilometre across a lagoon to the town of Kinniya, a scenic drive with wide water views on both sides.
Spanning the lagoon where Koddiyar Bay meets Tambalagam Bay, about 13.5 km from Trincomalee town, Kinniya Bridge holds the distinction of being Sri Lanka's longest bridge, a 396 meter cantilever structure that replaced what had been decades of ferry crossings between Trincomalee and the towns of Kinniya and Muttur. The idea for the bridge was first proposed back in 1978, but it took until 2003 for its feasibility to be seriously studied, funded ultimately through financial assistance from the Saudi Arabian government and finally opened to the public on October 20, 2009.
Its completion carried real practical weight for the region, reopening the Trincomalee-Batticaloa highway through Kinniya after more than three decades of closure and eliminating the need for the slower, less reliable ferry crossings that had defined travel through this stretch of coast for generations. The surrounding area itself carries a heavier history too, adjacent Kinniya, a town with over 500 years of its own past, was devastated by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, and its 400 year old Grand Masjid was later rebuilt with Saudi government support in 2002, part of the broader pattern of reconstruction that reshaped this coastline in the tsunami's aftermath.
Today the bridge functions as both a vital transport link and a genuinely popular scenic stop, its long sweeping arc offering striking reflections across the lagoon water below, particularly at sunrise or sunset when the light turns golden. Visitors often walk out onto the bridge itself for photographs and birdwatching, the surrounding wetland habitat drawing a reasonable variety of local species, making Kinniya Bridge as much a destination in its own right as a practical crossing point.
At a glance
- Entry fee: Free
- Opening hours: Open all day
- Time needed: 15 to 20 minutes
- Best time: Late afternoon
Getting there
About 20km southwest of Trincomalee on the road to Kinniya.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does it cost to visit Kinniya Bridge?
- Free.
- What are the opening hours at Kinniya Bridge?
- Open all day.
- How long should I spend at Kinniya Bridge?
- Plan for 15 to 20 minutes.
- When is the best time to visit Kinniya Bridge?
- Late afternoon.
- How do I get to Kinniya Bridge?
- About 20km southwest of Trincomalee on the road to Kinniya.