Jaffna

Jaffna is not a beach destination. However, there is one beach some 33km from Jaffna town on the Karainaga Road. This is surrounded by whispering casuarina trees (hence its name of Casuarina Beach) and is a long stretch of sand washed by shallow sea, popular for day trips for a lazy swim.

Jaffna town itself is developing with several small hotels and guest houses and is a fascinating city to visit for a different insight into the Sri Lankan way of life. There is a huge market and restaurants have opened to serve visitors the distinctive Jaffna cuisine (prawns being a speciality). There are several monuments, both Buddhist and Hindu, and other places of historical interest, as well as a lively community – although nightlife is non-existent.