Jaffna
The Tamil north - a distinct culture, cuisine and history from the rest of the island
Jaffna sits at the northern tip of Sri Lanka and feels genuinely different from everywhere else on the island - Tamil-speaking, predominantly Hindu, culturally closer to Tamil Nadu across the strait than to Colombo. It was largely closed to visitors during the civil war and has opened up over the past decade. Few tour itineraries reach it, which is precisely the argument for going.
In the city
Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil is the principal Hindu temple, a large gold-and-red complex dedicated to Murugan; the annual festival in July and August runs for 25 days. Men remove shirts to enter the inner areas, which catches visitors out.
Jaffna Fort is one of the largest Dutch fortifications in Asia, a star fort built over an earlier Portuguese one and heavily damaged in the war; restoration is ongoing and the ramparts give a good view over the lagoon. The Jaffna Public Library, burned in 1981 in one of the war's defining events and since rebuilt, is a quietly significant building.
Beyond the city
Point Pedro is the northernmost point of Sri Lanka. Keerimalai is a natural spring pool beside the sea with reputed healing properties. The islands off the peninsula - Kayts, Karainagar, Delft - are reached by causeway or ferry; Delft has feral ponies descended from Portuguese stock and a baobab tree that has no business being there.
The food alone justifies the trip: Jaffna crab curry, made with a distinctly hotter and more sour masala than southern Sri Lankan cooking, is one of the great dishes of South Asia.
Highlights of Jaffna
- Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil and its 25-day festival
- Jaffna Fort - among the largest Dutch forts in Asia
- Point Pedro, the northernmost point of Sri Lanka
- Delft Island, its wild ponies and baobab
- Jaffna crab curry and northern Tamil cuisine
Jaffna - frequently asked questions
Yes. The civil war ended in 2009 and Jaffna has been open to visitors for well over a decade, with normal tourist infrastructure. Ordinary travel precautions apply, as anywhere.
By road it is roughly 400 km and 7-8 hours from Colombo on the A9. There are also trains from Colombo Fort and domestic flights to Palaly. Most of our guests break the drive at Anuradhapura, which is directly on the route.
If you have two weeks or more, yes - it is culturally distinct from the rest of the island, has very few tourists, and the food is exceptional. On a first ten-day trip it is usually the thing to leave out.