Jaffna is a city located on the northern tip of Sri Lanka. It opened its doors to tourism in 2009. The city has a lot of influence from India, which you can see on the streets, and in their food, which is different from central or south Sri Lanka. It is a good off the beaten path visit for 2 to 3 days but remember you need some extra time on your Sri Lanka route as it’s a little dislocated from the usual tourist spots.

Since the railroad to Jaffna was destroyed in the war, taking the train all the way is not an option. However, if you really want to utilize the train in Sri Lanka, you can take the train north to the town of Vavuniya and from there catch a bus on to Jaffna. Sri Lankan’s are extremely friendly, so if you ever have trouble finding the correct bus, just ask around and you will definitely get pointed in the right direction.

Jaffna being inhabited by Tamil Sri Lankan’s offers a different realm of cuisine from the rest of the country. Just like all Sri Lankan food, the staple is characterized by rice, assortments of curries and roti flatbreads (among many other things of course). Jaffna however, has a unique set of principle curries and their food is known throughout Sri Lanka to be just a bit spicier!