By air
Bandaranaike (CMB), ~5 h by road
Indian Ocean Islands · Sri Lanka
Trincomalee, Sri Lanka
East-coast beaches, temples and whales
Getting there
Best time to visit
May to September — the east coast's dry season
Don't miss
The Koneswaram Temple
Nilaveli Beach
Pigeon Island National Park
Fort Frederick
Things to do
Snorkelling at Pigeon Island
Nilaveli beach
The Koneswaram Temple
Whale watching
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: Shamli071 · CC BY-SA 3.0
What to pack
Swimwear, snorkel gear
A quieter corner
Marble Beach, clear and quiet
Questions travellers ask
When is Trincomalee's dry season?
May to September, when the east coast is dry. Bring swimwear and snorkel gear.
Where can I snorkel near Trincomalee?
At Pigeon Island National Park. For a clear, quiet beach, try Marble Beach.
Which sights are worth it in Trincomalee?
The Koneswaram Temple and Fort Frederick, plus Nilaveli Beach and whale watching.
Is there a dish Trincomalee is known for?
Tamil-style crab curry is the one to order.
About Trincomalee
- Coastal
Where it is
Trincomalee lies on the north-east coast of Sri Lanka in Eastern Province, on one of the largest natural harbours in the world, with the beaches of Uppuveli and Nilaveli stretching north along the Bay of Bengal.
History
Trincomalee's great harbour has drawn traders and navies for centuries, and the ancient Koneswaram temple on Swami Rock was a renowned Hindu shrine long before the Portuguese destroyed it in the 17th century. The Portuguese, Dutch, French and British all fought over the harbour, which remained a British naval base until 1957, and the Koneswaram temple was rebuilt in the 1950s.
People
Trincomalee is home to Tamil, Sinhalese and Muslim communities, and Tamil, Sinhala and English are all spoken. Fishing, the harbour and tourism are the main livelihoods, and the festivals of Koneswaram and the city's seafood curries are part of its life.
Known for
- The Koneswaram Temple on Swami Rock
- Nilaveli and Uppuveli beaches
- Snorkelling at Pigeon Island
- Fort Frederick
- Whale and dolphin watching
Did you know?
Fort Frederick, built by the Portuguese and rebuilt by the Dutch, still encloses the approach to the Koneswaram Temple, and spotted deer graze inside its walls.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.