Jaffna

By plane

To get to Jaffna, fly into Colombo the southern capital and get a domestic flight to Palaly.

• Jaffna International AirportReopened in October 2019 after being closed due to the civil war

There is air service to and from Colombo, however it is no longer provided by the national airline Sri Lankan Airlines (May 2014). This means you need to fly with Helitours or if in a group charter a flight from Fits Air. Helitours flight goes via Trincomalee and is reasonably priced at 8750LKR (67USD) and 4150LKR (32USD) from Colombo and Trinco respectively (one way - May 2014).
Flights are available to Colombo from origins throughout Europe, United States, Southeast Asia, China, Japan, the Middle East, India, and Pakistan. Other airlines, include Qatar Airlines and Emirates. Colombo's international airport is at Katunayake.

By bus

There are several private bus services operating from Colombo to Jaffna, cost varies from LKR900. The drive takes half a day to complete (9 hours +) following the A9 motorway which runs through the middle of Sri-Lanka. Tickets can be purchased online on 12Go Asia website.

By train

Daily Intercity trains connect Colombo with Jaffna, with the journey taking approximately eight hours. The easiest way to check for the latest updates is with the excellent Seat 61.

Once in Jaffna, there are several modes of transport.

By tuk-tuk

These are three wheelers which are very common in Southeast Asian countries. These are the quickest and probably the cheapest way to get around.

By bus

Public transport system available in Jaffna are the buses.

By minivan

These are private hire minivans, best if you need transportation for the whole day.

Other

The locals get around on cycles and mopeds. Cycling is not safe with the number of dogs on the street.

• Nallur Kandaswamy temple

• Thondaimanaru Selva Sannithi Temple

• Nagapoosani Temple

• Nagadeepa Purana Viharaya

• Sri Naga Vihara Temple

• Vaddu Kannaki Amman Temple

• Palaly Raja Rajeswary Amman Kovil Temple

  address: Palaly East

• Jaffna LibraryThis magnificent library, built in 1933, once housed the largest collection in Asia, with over 97,000 individual books. It was burnt in 1981 by an ethnic mob. As a precursor to the Sri Lankan Civil War, the burning of Jaffna Library remains a controversial and traumatic issue among many in Jaffna. Restored and reopened, it now houses a much smaller collection.

There isn't a lot to do in Jaffna unless you arrive at festival times. Nallur Kovil Thiruvizha (festival) is the biggest event in the Jaffna calendar when all the faithful come home to pray.

Festivals

• Nallur Kovil Thaer Thiruvizha (Chariot Festival) This is one of the biggest festivals in Jaffna at the greatest temples in Sri Lanka. This is a feast for the senses while the faithful are praying and the chariot is being pulled through the temple grounds.
• Thai-Pongal (harvest festival) Thai Pongal happens on 14 January and it is the celebration of good harvest. There will be fireworks and celebrations all through the day and night. All temples hold special Pongal poojas where people make pongal in front of the temple.
• Theepavali The festival of light.
• Tamil Sinhala New Year the Tamil/Sinhala new year is celebrated on the 14th of April.

The purchases that are mostly made in Jaffna are savory food items.You can buy minor souvenirs from stalls which are usually planted in tourist sites and railway stations.

Jaffna has a very unique cooking concept, famous for its savory treats such as Wade (වඩේ- pronounced as wah-dei) and Dhal wade which comes as an appetizer of Indian Cuisine.
Jaffna Kool (கூழ்) is very famous food in Jaffna; it is very spicy.

• Akshathai/Nila

  phone: +94 212219946
  address: 60 Stanley Rd
  Delicious vegetarian restaurant serving good Tamil food. Left side of the restaurant is a lunch buffet, the right side ("Nila") is where tourists will be directed. The thaali (meal set) in particular is worth getting.

• Rio Ice cream

  phone: +94 212 227 224
  address: 448A, AB20, Jaffna 40000

Water isn't good because of mineral content.
The local brew is toddy, from the coconut or the palmyrah tree. Toddy from the palmyrah tree is sweeter.
You can buy special 'Nelli' Cordial from the nearest shops.

• City Hotel Jaffna

  phone: +94 217 200 707
  address: No: 70/6, K.K.S. Rd
  Comfortable and furnished rooms, all equipped with LCD TV, safe and Bathroom with hot and cold water. Restaurant, Bar and Gymnasium.

• Blue Haven

  phone: +94 21 222 9958
  address: 70 Racca Rd
  Air-con suites equipped with cable TV, broadband internet access, private toilet and bath. Some of its facilities and services are banquet hall, swimming pool, restaurant and ample parking.

• Uthayan Guest House

  phone: +94 21 567 7608
  address: 392/6, Navalar Rod

Splurge

• Jetwing Jaffna

  phone: +94 21 2 215571
  address: 37, Mahatma Gandhi Road
  upscale hotel with rooftop bar and nice restaurant

• The Margosa Villa

  phone: +94 21 2 240242
  Small boutique hotel located midway between the airport and city centre.

Despite the fact that it is a great place for vacation, Jaffna also has many dangers. Landmines from the civil war might still even be active in deep forests. When you are visiting, make sure that you keep your child with you at all times. Dangers such as child abductors and poisonous animals lurk everywhere. When walking along the beaches, be aware of jellyfish, as the usually wash up onto the beach at dawn. Do not go swimming beyond the Styrofoam borders. When venturing in shrubs be very careful, lethal creatures such as sand flies could easily harm you.