We’ve teamed up with local writer and photographer Natalie Soysa who travels to the north of her island time after time. Here she tells us why she keeps going back to this part of the island which is still untouched by mass tourism.
The north is reawakening
Sri Lanka has been in the habit of selling the southern cliché for too long.
Coconut trees line the island and stretch for days, framing perfect sunsets. Beach bars, a string of street-side stores selling wildly colorful beach wraps and endless expanses of crowded beaches. But there’s much more to Sri Lanka.
A 30-year war kept a large portion of Sri Lanka’s north cut off from the rest of the island. This meant travelers didn’t get to have a complete Sri Lankan experience for a long time. But this isn’t the case anymore. After the war ended, the north has been rebuilding and ever so slowly, reawakening after decades of destruction.
The north isn’t marketed like the south and that’s a good thing. Here the old ways and old gods haven’t been pushed to the fringes yet. Life is a little simpler, the landscape richer and mostly unmarred.
Hopefully the new generation of northerners will experience peace and progress after decades of destruction © Natalie Soysa
You can’t ignore the manic construction and new buildings lining the towns, but don’t let that fool you. Northerners are a gentle sort; they go about at a meditative pace. There’s a kind of hush here that you won’t hear anywhere else.
The north is void of manicured offerings and you have no choice but to do as the locals do. Go elsewhere to pay for an experience, but come to the north to live it. Eccentricities, color and curious ways come free of a price tag.
Tuk tuk waiting for driver and passengers in Jaffna © prjctworld
Beautiful mornings
The south is famous for its sunsets, but go to the north to experience fantastic mornings. Wake up early and take in the northern morning. Here days pass you by unhurriedly, as do the people.
Jaffna, this once great cultural epicenter of the north, comes alive from first light. Women strut about in saris colored like tropical birds. Vegetarian eateries open early, bringing out batches of fresh vadai (savory fried snacks) and thosai (crepes made from rice flour). Some of the best are prepared to perfection at the cheap and authentic Malayan Café, which can be found on 36 Power House Road in the market district.
Early morning chants boom through the eateries’ speakers, bringing both people and cattle to the door.
Woman in sari looking at the rising sun © Natalie Soysa
Labors of love
Things here are old-school and charmingly so.
The era of industrialism arrived a long time ago for the rest of Sri Lanka, but here the machine-made, mass-produced stuff is hard to find. Generations of craftsmen continue to forge statues, carve ornaments and craftwork best described as a labor of love.
The colorful wraps along the southern coast are replaced with vibrant mats and copper replicas of living gods. Drop into one of the workshops on a busy afternoon and watch the old men work. You don’t really need to know the language to enjoy the best bits.
A craftsman in his workshop in Jaffna © Natalie Soysa
Authentic accommodation
If you’re looking for luxuries and comforts, know that the north holds very few. The streets are dead by 8 at night and nightlife is a non-existent thing. Jaffna, the biggest city in the north, sports a 3D cinema mostly playing Tamil blockbusters.
A fancy hotel or two are thrown in for good measure, but authentic guest houses are found in abundance, slowly becoming a signature element of the Jaffna experience. With hints of vibrantly painted Portuguese architecture, these colonial accommodation options such as the family-run Sarras Guest House, come complete with gardens and skylights in the center of the home.
Just like with the guest houses Jaffna Public Library is a reminder of the colonial past
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