Nine days to Jaffna and the east coast
Negombo → Anuradhapura → Jaffna → Trincomalee
East coast
Trincomalee
A natural harbour town on the north-east coast with calm summer seas, the clifftop Koneswaram temple and snorkelling at Pigeon Island.
- Time to spend
- 2 nights
- Best months
- April to September. The north-east monsoon brings rain and rough seas from November to January.
- Getting around
- Tuk-tuks and your driver. Boats to Pigeon Island leave from Nilaveli beach.
- Good to know
- Trincomalee pairs well with the Cultural Triangle, about two to three hours away by road.
Trincomalee has one of the deepest natural harbours in the world, and its history shows it: a Portuguese, Dutch and British fort, Fort Frederick, still stands on the headland.
At the end of that headland, on Swami Rock, is Koneswaram, a Hindu temple to Shiva on a site of worship for many centuries. The views over the sea from the cliff are remarkable.
North of town, the beaches at Uppuveli and Nilaveli are calm and clear from about April to September, which is when the west and south coasts are at their roughest. Boats from Nilaveli go to Pigeon Island National Park for snorkelling over coral and, often, reef sharks.
What to see and do
Koneswaram Temple and Swami Rock
Open in MapsA Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva on a cliff above the sea, reached through Fort Frederick.
1 hr 15 min · MorningFree entryCover shoulders and kneesShoes are left outside; dress modestly.
Pigeon Island National Park
Open in MapsA small island off Nilaveli with a coral reef. Snorkelling here often means turtles and blacktip reef sharks.
3 hr · Morning · 07:00 to 17:00LKR 8,000 to LKR 15,000to confirmPer person estimate for park fees plus the boat; snorkelling gear extra.
Usually not running or closed: Nov, Dec, Jan.
Nilaveli and Uppuveli beaches
Open in MapsLong, quiet beaches north of town with calm water in season.
3 hr · AfternoonFree entryFort Frederick
Open in MapsA fort first built by the Portuguese in 1623 and later held by the Dutch and British, still in military use; spotted deer graze inside the gates.
30 min · MorningFree entry
Photos
Ready-made trips that include Trincomalee
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