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Province of Sri Lanka
Photo: Indi Samarajiva, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
The Northern Province is in Sri Lanka. This Tamil-majority region was decimated by years of war but much rebuilding has already been done. You will find untouched beaches here, Hindu temples, ancient ruins and some useful northward travel connections.
By car
The A9 highway and the railway link the peninsula to the rest of Sri Lanka through the infamous Elephant Pass, while the A32 highway connects the regions via the scenic Sangupiddi Bridge.
By ferry
Ferries connect Kankesanthurai Harbour (a northern suburb of Jaffna) with the Indian town of Nagapattinam daily (4 hours, INR 6500 + tax). Note that this is nearly as expensive as flying.
By plane
Jaffna International Airport (JAF) has one daily flight from Chennai and one thrice-weekly flight from Tiruchirappalli, both operated by IndiGo.
By train
There are two daily trains from Colombo to Jaffna (via Anuradhapura), including air-conditioned first class cars (although reserved seats in second class may be more enjoyable, with open windows and…
Renting a scooter is a good way to see this region. Roads are usually new, towns are spread-out, beaches are distant and traffic is much less busy than in other parts of the country.
Read in the guideChoose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.
Jaffna · International · JAF
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