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Things to see in Jaffna (Sri Lanka): 9 places and when to go

Jaffna is a city in Sri Lanka with around 250,000 inhabitants, and this site lists 9 places in and around it, mainly Temples (4), History (3), Museums and art (1). The best known are Nallur Kandaswamy Temple, Jaffna Fort and Catedral de Santa María. The best time to come is January to March, July to August; also possible: April to June, September, December. In June there are 12 h 34 of daylight, and in December, 11 h 26. Here is what there is, when to go, how to get there and what else is nearby.

Reviewed on 3 min read

In a nutshell

Where
Sri Lanka · 9.675, 80.005
Population
About 250,000
Places
9 places on this site, in the town and around it.
What people come for
Temples (4) · History (3) · Museums and art (1) · Architecture (1)
Best time
January to March, July to August.
Also possible
April to June, September, December.
Nearest airport
CMB Colombo, 278 km as the crow flies

What to see in Jaffna

The places in and around Jaffna, best known first, each with its own page: what it is, when to go and what is next to it. Distances are from the centre, as the crow flies.

When to go to Jaffna

The best time to visit Jaffna is January to March, July to August; also possible: April to June, September, December. This comes from its own places: a month counts as the town's best time when it is the best time for half of what there is to see.

  1. JanBest time11:30
  2. FebBest time11:42
  3. MarBest time11:56
  4. AprPossible12:13
  5. MayPossible12:27
  6. JunPossible12:34
  7. JulBest time12:31
  8. AugBest time12:19
  9. SepPossible12:03
  10. OctBetter not11:47
  11. NovBetter not11:33
  12. DecPossible11:26

Best timePossibleBetter notHours of daylight

In June there are 12 h 34 of daylight, and in December, 11 h 26. In January, 9 of the 9 places are at their best.

When to go to Sri Lanka in general, with its festivals and peak seasons, is in its country guide.

Getting to Jaffna

The nearest main airport is Bandaranaike International Colombo Airport (CMB, Colombo), 278 km as the crow flies. How to get around Sri Lanka (train, car, bus) is in its country guide, and what to sort out before you leave is in its checklist.

Where it is (se abre en otra pestaña)Directions (se abre en otra pestaña)

Other towns nearby

And all of Sri Lanka, in its country guide.

Frequently asked questions

What is there to see in Jaffna?

The best known: Nallur Kandaswamy Temple, Jaffna Fort, Catedral de Santa María, Fort Hammenhiel கடல் கோட்டை, Jaffna Archeological Museum. In all, 9 places in the town and around it, all on your trip map from day one.

When is the best time to visit Jaffna?

January to March, July to August; also possible: April to June, September, December. In June there are 12 h 34 of daylight, and in December, 11 h 26.

How do you get to Jaffna?

The nearest main airport is Bandaranaike International Colombo Airport (CMB), 278 km away. From there, directions opens the route on the map.

How do I add it to my trip?

Create a trip with Jaffna as the destination and these 9 places are on your map, each with its category. The ones you like go into a day's plan with one tap, and Kokai reminds you when you pass nearby.

Keep reading

Data from OpenStreetMap, licensed under the ODbL, from Wikidata, CC0, cities from Natural Earth and airports from OurAirports. Daylight hours are calculated from the latitude. More in credits.