Important Places In Jaffna.

Jaffna Fort.
Old Fort built by Dutch army to guard Jaffna Kingdom is located at around 200 meters from the Jaffna central bus stand. To reach the main entrance of this Fort you have to go around another 1 Km. As the area is very dry it is better to visit the fort in the morning or in the evening.

Sangilean Thoopu.
Remaining of the Royal Palace and ancient bathing pool belongs to the last king of the Jaffna.

Nainatheevu.
Nainatheevu is an Island with worshiping places which were built in the ancient times.

Kandarodei.
Here you can find some of the Buddhist religious symbols.

Casuarina Beach.
Casuarina beach is another place where you can relax in the hot sun next to the sea. If you are a foreigner don't forget to take products that can protect your skin.

Chaaty Beach.
Chaaty beach is located near to Jaffna town. The beach is another ideal place in the morning and evenings to get relax next to this calm sea.

Keerimalai
Keerimalai is popular for its natural pond with fresh water just on the beach near to Kankesanthurai port. Only a wall is separating it from the Indian Ocean. There is a beach adjoining it but it is full of coral and not suitable for swimming unless you have to go deep sea to swim. On full moon days the pond may have sea water mixed with its fresh water causing salty taste. Keerimalai can be reached by bus or by any vehicle within one hour of travelling from Jaffna Town.

Dutch Fort in Neduntivu Island.
Dutch guard fort remains can be seen in Neduntivu Island. If you happened to visit to Nainatheevu Island then it is easy to travel from there to this island where small number of Tamil families living with the presence of the SL armed forces.

Nallur Murugan Temple Annual Festival.

Nallur Kandasamy Temple is one of the most visited places. God Kandasamy is the main god worshiped in this temple located in the Jaffna town. Every year this temple is used to visit by thousands of Tamil expatriates during the Nallur temple festival season.

If you want to enter the temple inner premise to worship or to view, males will be asked to remove their shirt, t-shirts, baniyan, footwear like shoes, sandals and headgears like caps and turban. You have to wash your legs too with the water at the water point. Photographing or making video and mobile phone calls too are prohibited inside the temple premise.

Watch out, there are many pickpockets are working in that area as thousands of people used to gather there.

The Festival used to be celebrated by in the month of August every year. The 25 days festival attracts thousands of people where morning and evening special Poojas are held on these days. The chariot festival alias Ther (Car) festival is the most attended by worshipers and viewers in any given time of the festival.
All the roads are surrounding the temple will be closed for vehicles and only the pedestrians will be allowed to use them during the festival season.

In these festival days most of the Hindu families in Jaffna will not use eggs, fish and meat for their food. Only vegetables will be used to prepare their meals. So if you are visiting any of these peoples houses don't expect to be served with these non-vegetarian foods. Mean while there will be lot of temporary shops and temporary restaurants too can be found the area surrounding the Nallur temple where people gather specially for ice cream and drinks like Faluda. Most of the temple devotees used to fast in the morning and they eat only in their homes.

If you are visiting Nallur temple on the day of the Chariot festival, move along with the mass people movement and don't try to move against them as you will find very much difficult. If any one is accompanying you for the festival mark a place to meet again if you happened to loose them, other wise it will be very difficult to locate them within the bigger crowd of worshippers.

On the Ther (Car) festival day, you can find lot of police personal, boy scouts and St.Johns ambulance volunteers around you and if you need any help you can ask them to assist you.