Jaffna and the Jaffna Peninsula

The Sri Lanka tour, which includes lunch, will pick you up from your accommodation this morning and last for around five or six hours.

Within Jaffna proper, you may see the Portuguese-built Jaffna Fort from 1618. Its other name, "Dutch Fort," comes from the 1658 conquest and subsequent rapid expansion by the Dutch. From 1795 to 1948, the British remained in authority. Although the civil war severely devastated the fort, leaving just portions of its outer walls standing, restoration efforts are underway to bring this ancient relic back to life.

The world-renowned Jaffna Library, which began construction in 1933 and spans many floors, will also be on your tour. It became a haven for historical records, newspapers produced in Jaffna hundreds of years ago, palm leaf manuscripts, and other archive materials. To make matters worse, hooligans destroyed the library by setting it on fire in 1981. One of the best structures in Jaffna, it reopened to the public in February 2004 after restoration.

Embark on a journey from Jaffna and over the Jaffna Crossway to Kayts Island. You can experience island life here with its quaint towns and many churches. Stop at Kayts Sea Fort for a breathtaking view of the ocean. Be back in Jaffna for lunchtime.

After lunch, go to Nallur, a suburb of Jaffna three kilometers from the city's bustle. The old Jaffna kingdom's capital was located here. As a principal minister to the monarch of Jaffna, Kalinga Magha, in the thirteenth century AD, Puvenaya Vaku expanded upon the original 948 AD Nallur Kovil Temple. A Sinhalese warrior named Sembaha Perumal demolished it in 1450 AD but regretted his actions and restored it seven years later. Parakramabahu was the king of Sinhalese. The Portuguese destroyed it again in 1634, and the Dutch reconstructed it in 1749. Thanks to public donations, the temple has become one of the most notable and famous Hindu temples on the Jaffna peninsula. Manthiri Manai, the palace ruins of Jaffna's last monarch, King Sangiliyan, and Cankilian Thoppu, the palace's front, are next on your itinerary. As the day ends, you can't miss the Nilavarai, a favorite stop for local sightseers due to its square well, whose depth remains a mystery.