Jaffna is a city on the northern tip of Sri Lanka. These are the most preferred tourist activities in Jaffna. Discover the best top things to do in Jaffna
1. Jaffna Public Library
A bulding in Jaffna that has an interesting history is the Jaffna Public Library. At its peak, it was one of the largest libraries in Asia – but it was burned down in 1981.
The library has since been rebuilt, but it doesn’t house nearly the collection that it had before.
2. Nallur Kovil – Ceremony
Jaffna, in northern Sri Lanka is populated by a majority of Hindu Tamil’s. Nallur Kovil (also known by its full name Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil), is the most famous Hindu temple complex in Jaffna.
While the temple is home to a number of festivals throughout the year, Nallur Kovil also holds daily ritualistic ceremonies. Catching a Hindu ceremony where you get to hear the sounds and smells is one of the most interesting things to do in Jaffna.
3. Jaffna Fort
The well known iconic fortress in Jaffna was originally built by the Portuguese but was later overtaken by the Dutch. The Dutch transformed the city of Jaffna into a successful trading hub.
Throughout the war, the Jaffna Fort was the center of a number of battles and today (though it’s being restored at the moment) it remains a great historical destination to see.
Visiting the Jaffna Fort is one of the popular things to do for both local tourists and foreigners alike.
4. Catholic Cathedrals
Though Jaffna is predominantly Hindu, there are quite a few Roman Catholic churches especially around the beach side area of town.
Some of the most famous cathedrals include: St. John’s, St. Mary’s, Our Lady of Refuge Church, St. James’ and John the Baptist. Pictured above is a view of St. James’ Cathedral and school.
5. Pilgrimage to Nainativu Island
If you are up for a day trip out of Jaffna, one of the popular things for locals to do is to make the pilgrimage to Nainativu Island. The island is one of the holiest sites in Sri Lanka for both Buddhists and Hindus.
The Buddhist temple is known as Nagadipa Purana Vihara (Naga Vihare) and the Hindu temple is the Sri Naga Pooshani Amman Kovil.
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