Jaffna is the capital city of the Northern Province, of Sri Lanka. It is located in the most northern region of the island of Sri Lanka. The Jaffna peninsula is almost an island itself connected to the main island over a causeway at a Place called “Ali Mankada” or Elephant Pass in English. This was so named since this was indeed the route used by elephants to travel between the peninsula and the main island in the ancient past. The peninsula itself is a number of islands connected through causeways.
The peninsula has a history dating back to the pre-Christian times with the port of Dambakola Patuna in the northern sea being one of the major ports of Sri Lanka connecting India. According to Mahawansa, the great chronicle of Sri Lanka, In 250 BC the sapling from the original Sri Maha Bodhi was brought to Sri Lanka through the port of Jambukola Patuna now called the Dambakola Patuna.
Jaffna was a predominantly Tamil area with a small minority of Singhalese and Muslim population until the 1970s. Ethnic Cleansing by the Tamil Tiger Terrorists since the 1970s has left the Jaffna almost exclusively Tamil, apart from the military personnel today.
After almost 30 years of Civil war, the LTTE was completely wiped out in 2008 and now this area has been open to civilian travel after a period of 30 years.
There are two routes to Jaffna from Colombo. One is through Anuradhapura, Vavuniya and Kilinocchi. This is the most popular route with better routes. The second is through Putalm, Mannar, Pooneryn and Chavacachcheri. This is a newer route which has been rebuilt recently. The road from Puttlam to Mannar goes through the Wilpattu National Park and the road conditions on this segment is bad. In addition, this route is closed after dark due to wild animals in the park.
Fascinating Places to Visit in Jaffna
Kayts Island Fort in Jaffna
The fort at Kayts was built by the Portuguese. Antonio Bocarro, who served as chronicler-general of the Portuguese State of India has made a note of the fort in 1635. He has called this fort “Fort at the Elephants Quay”.
Nilavarai Bottomless Well in Jaffna (නිලාවරයි නොසිඳෙන ලිඳ)
The Nilavarai Bottomless Well is is caused by collapse of the top layer, exposing a limestone cavern connected to a underground water source. It is said that this well never dries up even during severe drought and the water is…
Guide to Delft Island (Neduntheevu) in Jaffna (ඩෙල්ෆ්ට් දූපත)
The whole island of Delft is built on coral and limestone. The island is a typical remote Sri Lankan village. Simple housed built of coral and limestone, laid-back life and the most popular form of transport is bicycle.
Keerimale (Keerimalai) Sirappar Madam (Ambalama) in Jaffna (යාපනය කීරමලේ සිරාප්පර් අම්බලම)
Considered the largest if not one the largest Ambalama in Sri Lanka, Sirappar Madam (ambalama) would have been built for pilgrims to Nakuleswaram Kovil in the ancient past.
Ruins of the Dutch Kachcheri Building in Jaffna (යාපනය ඕලන්ද කච්චේරි ගොඩනැගිල්ල නටබුන්)
The old Dutch Kachcheri in Jaffna lies in ruins today after facing the brunt of the war with the LTTE Tamil tiger terrorists for 30 years. The building dates back to the mid 18th century and the details of the…
Casuarina Beach in Jaffna (කැසුවාරිනා මුහුදු වෙරල)
The Casuarina Beach in Karainagar is considered the best beach in the Jaffna Peninsula. The beach lies on the north of Karativu island, one of the largest island in the peninsula which is connected to the mainland over a causeway.…
Gen. Kobbakaduwa Memorial at Jaffna (ජෙනරාල් ඩෙන්සිල් කොබ්බෑකඩුව ස්මාරකය)
Lieutenant General Denzil Kobbekaduwa was a highly decorated and respected General who was assassinated along with 9 other military officers in a land-mine explosion in Jaffna peninsula in August 8th of 1992.
Manthiri Manai Mansion in Jaffna (මන්ත්රී මනායි)
This abandoned mansion built with a mixture of colonial and hindu architecture is called the Manthiri Manai in Tamil which translates to Ministers Adobe.
Poothathamby Arch (Sangili Toppu) in Jaffna (සංගිලි තොප්පු)
Poothathamby Arch (Sangili Toppu) in Jaffna is an lone arch belonging to Dutch Era on the Point Pedro road with a colorful history of its owner Poothathamby, who was executed by the Dutch for treason.
Sakkotai Cape – The Northern Tip of Sri Lanka (ලංකාවේ උතුරු කොණ)
The Northern tip of Sri Lanka (Sakkotai Cape) is marked by a concrete board on the edge of a corral reef with a Sri Lankan Flag painted on it along the road of Kankasanthure and Velvetithurai. This site is easily…
Keerimale (Keerimalai) Freshwater Spring (කීරමලේ ඓතිහාසික මිරිදිය පොකුණ)
Keerimale (Keerimalai) is a natural spring lying next to the sea west of Palaly. A bathing tank is built surrounding this pool and only the walls separate the waters of the spring and the sea.
Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil in Jaffna (යාපනය නල්ලුර් කන්දසාමි කෝවිල)
Nallur Kandaswamy Temple lies about 3 km from the Jaffna town on the KKS (Kankasanthurai) Road. This is one of the most important temples in the Jaffna Peninsula and the most well known.
Nagapooshani Amman Kovil at Nainativu (නයිනතිව් නාගපූසානි අම්මාන් කෝවිල)
Nagapooshani Amman Kovil on the island of Nainativu is a very ancient Hindu temple. It is believed that this temple was originally erected many millennia before by the Nagas who were a pre-historic race of people of Sri Lanka.
Historic Nagadeepa Viharaya at Nainativu, Jaffna (නාගදීප විහාරය)
Half the enjoyment of a pilgrimage to Nagadeepa is actually getting there. The road from Jaffna runs across a long causeway to the island of Kayts from where another causeway leads to Punkudutivu. The landscape is flat and sandy, dotted…
Kadurugoda Viharaya at Kantarodai Jaffna (කදුරුගොඩ විහාරය – යාපනය)
Ancient Kadurugoda Viharaya (Kantarodai) is one of the very few Buddhist sites remaining in Jaffna today. The site was discovered in 1917 by the Magistrate P.E. Pieris where he reported that bricks from this site is being carried a way…
Dambakola Patuna Temple (දඹකොළ පටුන)
Dambakola Patuna or Jambukola Patuna is an ancient port in the north of Jaffna which was used during pre christian times. After Arahath Mahinda brought Bhuddhism to Sri Lanka in 250BC, his sister, Theri Sanghamitta arrived in Sri Lanka with…
Point Pedro Lighthouse (පේදුරු තුඩුව ප්රදීපාගාරය)
Point Padro lighthouse lies in the North Eastern corner of Sri Lanka. Built in 1916, this is 32 m (105 ft) tall. Access to the light house was restricted for the last 30 years due to the Tamil Terrorists in…
Kankesanthure Lighthouse (කන්කසන්තුරේ ප්රදීපාගාරය)
The Kankesanthure lighthouse (Kankesanthurai/KKS) lies in the vicinity of the KKS harbour.Both the harbour and the lighthouse is surrounded by an ancient fortified wall built by the Portuguese and the Dutch.
Jaffna Fort (යාපනය බලකොටුව)
Situated on the south side of the Jaffna peninsula at the water’s edge of the lagoon, the ancient Jaffna Fort is the second largest existing fort in the Island. Originally built by the Portuguese in 1619 and re-built and expanded…
Hammenhiel Fort in Jaffna (හැමන්හිල් බලකොටුව)
The Hammenhiel Fort was built by the Portuguese in mid 17th century of quarried coral and was named Fortaleza Real (Fort Royal). The Dutch renamed it as Hammenhiel (Heel of the Ham) and was rebuilt by them in 1680.
Lesser Known Attractions of Jaffna
Kudarappu Survey Tower in Jaffna (යාපනයේ කුඩරප්පු මිනුම් කුළුණ)
This Trigonometrical Station is built on a square platform with 4 steps on all four sides. Four cylindrical pillars stand on the platform. The diameter of each cylinder gradually decreases as it goes higher. The Bottom cylinder is shorter than…
Sanghamitta Bodhiya in Jaffna (යාපනය සංඝමිත්තා බෝධිය)
The ancient Bo Tree at Paralay Murugan Kovil in Chulipuram East in Walikamam West is believed to be the very first sapling of the Sri Maja Bodhi in Anuradhapura. However the Buddhist pilgrims to Jaffna seems to be have totally…
Pungudutivu Lighthouse in Jaffna (පුන්ගුඩුතිවු දූව ප්රදීපාගාරය)
Pungudutivu is an island in Jaffna peninsula separated from the mainland from east by a shallow channel approximately 3.5 km away. A 3.8 km causeway connects this island to mainland. A 1.75 km wide channel to Nainativu separates the island…
Revival of the Tissa Maha Viharaya in Jaffna
Mahavamsa, the Great Chronicle of Sri Lanka, mentions 3 temples built by King Devanampiyatissa in the Naga Dveepa which is considered as the names used for Jaffna Peninsula as a whole. These 3 are Jambukola Viharaya, Tissa Maha Viharaya and…
Buddha Walawwa Rajamaha Viharaya in Nagadeepa
Hidden under palmyrah trees of the Nagadeepa island lies the strangely named Buddha Walawwa Rajamaha Viharaya shadowed by the Nagadeepa Viharaya which was visited by the Buddha during his second visit to the country, five years after his enlightenment.
Ruins of Portuguese Church of Our Lady of Angels in Myliddy – Jaffna
Myliddy is a fishing village on the northern coast of Jaffna Peninsula. The village has its own fisheries harbour for fishing boats. The photo from 1971 shows this church in ruins with only walls remaining.
Santhaiyaar Madam (Ambalama) in Manipay, Jaffna (යාපනය මනිපායි සාන්තයියාර් මඩම – අම්බලම)
The most significant item at Santhaiyaar Madam (Ambalama) in Manipay is the ancient pond which is the Pond built with the coral stone. The pond is about 12 meters long and slants towards the bottom of the tank from the…
Ruins of the Chankanai Dutch Church in Jaffna (යාපනය චන්කනායි ඕලන්ද පල්ලිය නටබුන්)
The church at Chankanai was initially built in 1641 by the Portuguese but later rebuilt by the Dutch. Only the massive walls with arches remain today of this building which is now protected as an archeology monument.
Yamuna Eri Ancient Pond at Nallur in Jaffna (යාපනය නල්ලුර් යමුණා ඒරි පුරාණ පොකුණ)
This U shaped Yamuna Eri pond in Nallur has been built during 1215–1240 or 1478–1519 based on the referance source. This is believed to be a part of the Sangiliyan Mansion in Nallur.
Nallur St James’ Church (යාපනය නල්ලුර් ශාන්ත ජේම්ස් පල්ලිය)
St James’ church in Nallur, is a one of the grandest British churches in Jaffna peninsula. It was opened in 1828 on the site of the original Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil which was destroyed by the Portuguese.
Ruins of the Dutch Church at Kayts St. Anthony’s Church in Jaffna(කයිට්ස් ශාන්ත ඇන්තෝනි පුරාණ ඕලන්ද පල්ලිය)
The ruins of the ancient Dutch Church lies adjoining the new St Anthony’s Church. Although the roof had caved in, the huge walls of the church stands tall by the beach on the sandy land.
Keerimale (Keerimalai) Limestone Caves in Jaffna (යාපනය කීරිමලේ හුනුගල් ගුහා සංකීර්ණය)
An unkown small limestone cave can be found in Keeramale just before the Nakuleswaram Kovil near the freshwater spring. The cave lies in a bare land covered in scrub jungle just before the kovil. This is rather unknown and best…
Periya Mandapam Limestone Caves in Jaffna (යාපනය පෙරිය මන්ඩපම් හුනුගල් ගුහා සංකීර්ණය)
The limestone caves at Periya Mandapam is a true wonder of nature. A large open pit exposes a circle of caverns spreading in all directions. A large Tamarind (Siyambala) Tree stands at the center of the pit providing a natural…
Mayakkai Prehistoric Limestone Caves in Jaffna (යාපනය මායක්කායි ප්රාග් ඓතිහාසික හිරිගල් ගුහා)
A couple of limestone caves in Mayakkai, Jaffna peninsula from which prehistoric stone hand axes have been discovered. No proper scientific research has been carried out at this site yet.
Ruins of the Manalkadu Dutch Church in Jaffna (යාපනය මනල්කඩු පුරාණ ඕලන්ද පල්ලිය නටබුන්)
With part of the Ruins of the Manalkadu Dutch Church buried under the sand due to continued attack of sandy winds for over 100 years, this land mark is provides a unique experience for the visitor.
Aru Kaal Madam (Six Pillar Choultry) on Manipay Road in Jaffna (යාපනය ආරු කාල් අම්බලම)
The Six Pillar Choultry (Aru Kaal Madam) is built on a 70cm high platform with six pillars holding the roof and open from all sides. The other components of this building lies left to this structure.
Point Pedro Theru Moodi Madam (Ambalama) in Jaffna (යාපනය පේදුරු තුඩුව තේරු මෝදි අම්බලම)
The Ambalama structure at Theru Moodi Madam is another little gem in Jaffna which very few even knows of its existence. Ambalam (madam) in Jaffna Peninsula is generally different to the such structures in other areas.
Ruins of the Sangiliyan Mansion in Jaffna (සංගිලි මන්දිරයේ නටබුන්)
Foundation of the building complex that Sangili Toppu lying few hundred feet off Sangili Toppu arch which lies at the main road. This is protected archaeological monument.
Jaffna Old Park and British Era Queens Pond (යාපනය පැරණි උද්යානය හා බ්රිත්යානය සමයේ පොකුණ)
Just 3 km from Jaffna town lies a children’s play ground which is called Old Park. This park has been build by the British Government Agent Ackland Dyke dubbed ‘the Rajah of the North’, on a 27 acre land purchased…
Chunnakam Dutch Market Building (චුන්නාකම් ඕලන්ද වෙලඳපොල ගොඩනැගිල්ල)
The Chunnakam Dutch Market Building has been built over 200 years ago during the Dutch occupatation between 1658 to 1796 and servers the same purpose even today.
Jaffna Clock Tower (යාපනය ඔරලෝසු කනුව)
Jaffna Clock Tower is a clock tower in the city of Jaffna in northern Sri Lanka. The tower was built to commemorate the visit of Albert Edward, Prince of Wales to Sri Lanka in 1875.
Nakuleswaram Kovil in Jaffna – Oldest Siva Temple in Sri Lanka
Nakuleswaram is situated north of the main town of Jaffna and is close to the Port City of Kankesanturai. It is dedicated to main deity in Saivism Lord Siva and is one of the five ancient Sivan temples in the…
Also See
- Attractions of Sri Lanka
- Heritage of Sri Lanka
- Waterfalls of Sri Lanka
- Nature and Wildlife of Sri Lanka
- Other Places of Interest Within Close Proximity
Map of Jaffna
The map above also shows other places of interest within a approximately 20 km radius of the current site. Click on any of the markers and the info box to take you to information of these sites
Zoom out the map to see more surrounding locations using the mouse scroll wheel or map controls.
Travel Directions to Jaffna
Route I from Colombo to Jaffna | Route II from Colombo to Jaffna |
Through : Negambo – Chilaw – Puttlam – Anuradhapura – Vavuniya – Kilinochchi – Elephant Pass Distance : 410 km Travel time : 8 hours Driving directions : See on Google Maps | Through : Negambo – Chilaw – Puttlam – Eluvankulama – Mannar – Pooneryn – Chavacachcheri Distance : 370 km Travel time : 8 hours Driving directions : See on Google Maps |
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