The much-revered Vallipura Aalvar Kovil is 5km south from central Point Pedro. Its gopuram is painted in an unusually restrained colour palette and the temple interior has some very pretty Krishnas. It’s famous for the boisterous, recently revived water-cutting festival in October, which attracts thousands of pilgrims. Puja is at 7am, 9.30am, noon, 4.15pm and, on Sunday, 6pm.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
18.22 MILES
Long the gatehouse of the city, the vast Jaffna fort, overlooking the Jaffna lagoon, has been fought over for centuries. Today you can wander its walls,…
16.56 MILES
This huge Hindu temple, crowned by a towering god-encrusted, golden-ochre gopuram, is one of the most significant Hindu religious complexes in Sri Lanka…
15.82 MILES
This spring is a beautiful little spot: the men’s side has a picturesque stepped pool of bright aquamarine water set against the ocean, while the women…
2.4 MILES
A small dirt road runs for 3.1km off the B371 to this lovely beach. There are a few fishing boats, some palm trees and not much else on the sand. The…
16.1 MILES
The provenance of this Jaffna Kingdom relic is fairly secure. This archway is thought to be one of the palace’s original entrances. Among its weathered…
18.01 MILES
Tellingly, one of the first major buildings to be rebuilt after the 2002 ceasefire was Jaffna's Public Library. It had been burnt down by pro-government…
17.89 MILES
An architectural curiosity, the spindly Clock Tower has a Moorish domed top, which makes it look like it belongs somewhere in North Africa. It was erected…
16.16 MILES
Some 1km via a squiggle of lanes south of the B380 is the beautiful and mysterious Kantarodai Ruins – two dozen or so dagobas, 1m to 2m in height, in a…
Nearby Jaffna & the North attractions
2.22 MILES
Simply a very fine beach, not far east of the Point Pedro Lighthouse. It's often good for swimming when the water is calm.
2.34 MILES
These mysterious and elaborately carved ruins of a gate over the road are thought to date to Dutch colonial times. It's about 100m east of the heart of…
2.4 MILES
A small dirt road runs for 3.1km off the B371 to this lovely beach. There are a few fishing boats, some palm trees and not much else on the sand. The…
2.42 MILES
Occupies a prominent spot with sweeping views at the east end of the spectacular VVT–Point Pedro Coast Rd. Although the lighthouse is fenced off and…
5. Selvachannithy Murugan Kovil
7.49 MILES
The charming, waterfront Selvachannithy Murugan Kovil (also known as Sella Sannathy Kovil) is an important Murugan temple and a scenic stop, with a lively…
6. Maviddapuram Kanthaswamy Kovil
14.2 MILES
Maviddapuram Kanthaswamy Kovil is now flourishing again after the war. The priests here are very friendly and will probably do a puja for you if you like …
14.63 MILES
Beside the KKS road at the 13km marker, south of the village of Tellippalai, the vast Thurkkai Amman Kovil is set behind a fairly deep, stepped pool. The…
15.49 MILES
There’s a stunning beach here – a classic tropical picture of white sand, azure ocean and swaying coconut palms – though absolutely no facilities. Perfect…