10 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Skip North Sri Lanka

There are some seriously awesome things to do in north Sri Lanka. We rank it as one of the best parts of the country, and in fact, it’s our favourite.

With delicious food, fascinating culture, epic coastal scenery and tons of interesting things to do in north Sri Lanka, this is one part of Sri Lanka that you don’t want to miss. Which, interestingly enough, most people tend to do.

What does this mean? Well, for the adventurous few who do venture north, they often have the entire place to themselves.

Want to find out more about all the awesome things to do in north Sri Lanka and why you shouldn’t miss it? Here are 10 reasons why you shouldn’t skip north Sri Lanka. 

1. Delicious, Indian-influenced food

The food in north Sri Lanka is seriously delicious. In fact, we rate it as the best in the entire country. Not only is it a bit spicier, but it has more of an Indian-influenced vibe to it. Think different varieties of dosas, chutneys and lassies galore.

Eating this delicious fare is one of the best things to do in North Sri Lanka. We’re getting hungry just thinking about it! 

And oh yeah, if you’re a vegetarian, this is the place for you. Every second restaurant is vegetarian. 

Come hungry. 

Read: The Essential Sri Lanka Travel Guide (2024)

2. Epic coastal drives

We’re big fans of renting scooters and exploring aimlessly – it’s a great way to experience a place, find spots that aren’t in guidebooks (or travel blogs) and strike up chats with locals. 

North Sri Lanka is a fantastic place to explore on two wheels. It’s a great thing to do in north Sri Lanka.

The traffic is less chaotic, the roads are (mostly) brand new, urbanisation is low and there’s just so much to explore! Expect to find empty beaches, little villages and lots of friendly smiles. What you won’t see? Beaches full of Instagrammers.

Read next: 14 Awesome Things to Do in Sri Lanka

3. Unbelievable beaches 

Yes, Sri Lanka is known for its incredible beaches and most of the attention goes to the south. But Sri Lanka’s northern coastline is equally impressive and a hell of a lot less crowded. You’re not going to find surf, but you will find vast empty stretches of powder-white sand and shimmering turquoise water.

In north Sri Lanka, the water is perfect for swimming and unlike many of Sri Lanka’s other beaches, actually a little cool – the perfect refresher on those hot northern days. Take a dip – a truly sublime thing to do in north Sri Lanka.

Read: 47 Essential Sri Lanka Travel Tips

4. Mesmerising Hindu Temples

The majority of north Sri Lanka’s population are Hindu-practising Tamils. This means you’ll find dozens, maybe hundreds, of exceptionally detailed and colourful Hindu temples scattered everywhere around the peninsula.

These Hindu temples provide so much colour and cheerfulness to the landscape and they’re a delight to explore – do make sure you go inside and don’t miss this colourful thing to do in north Sri Lanka. Note that men will have to remove their shirts and women should cover their shoulders, arms and legs.

Make sure you don’t miss the granddaddy of them all: the Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil in Jaffna. This 15th-century temple is dedicated to Lord Murugan, the god of war, love and beauty and is quite a sight to see. It’s best visited as the sun is setting, when the gold colours of the temple change with the light.

5. Quirky, offbeat Islands to explore

There are a number of islands just off the peninsula, all a bit quirky and begging to be explored!

One of the joys of visiting north Sri Lanka is exploring these little gems, enjoying the dry, flat and otherworldly scenery and generally feeling at the end of the world.

Kayts, Karaitivu, Punkudutivu, Nainatiu and Delft are all worth a visit. Exploring them on two wheels is a super fun thing to do in north Sri Lanka.

Kayts is the largest of the lot, with pretty St James Church, which is newly restored after wartime damage. It also features waterfront views of the old Dutch Hammenhiel Fort (now converted into an upmarket hotel run by the Sri Lankan military), seemingly floating in the middle of the waters dividing Kayts from the neighbouring island of Karaitivu.

Karaitivu is home to the peninsula’s most popular beach, Casuarina Beach, with fine golden sand and safe swimming.

Nainativu claims two significant shrines, while lonely Delft has a bleak and sweeping landscape certain to capture the imagination.

You can reach Kayts and Punkudutivu by road, but for both Delft and Nainativu, you’ll need to take a ferry (no motorbikes allowed).

Fancy a snorkelling trip in Sri Lanka? Check out our guide to Pigeon Island

6. Jaffna: soak in the laid-back, village vibes of north Sri Lanka’s capital

Jaffna is by and far its own town, and there’s nowhere else on the island quite like it. Largely inaccessible for over two decades, Jaffna feels like a big village rather than a provincial capital.

Due to its extended isolation, Jaffna is a place where time has stood still. In fact, it reminded both of us a lot of Cuba. Bicycles outnumber cars, things move a bit slower here and there’s a vibrancy you won’t find anywhere else in Sri Lanka. And while we’re on the subject of cars – there are a lot of vintage cars driving around too!

There are some excellent things to do in Jaffna, including a range of fun organised tours, such as a Local Jaffna Cooking Experience, a Jaffna Cycling Tour and a Jaffna City Tour.

But first and foremost, Jaffna is just a place to be: wander the small streets, admire the architecture, speak with the locals and watch the sunset at the fort. I’ve said it many times and I’ll say it again: if I had to live in any city in Sri Lanka, it would be Jaffna. 

Don’t miss Jaffna: getting to know this city truly is one of the best things to do in north Sri Lanka.

Read our complete guide to Jaffna

7. Learn more about Sri Lanka’s tragic recent past 

North Sri Lanka was the epicentre of the country’s gruesome, 3 decade-long civil war. The protracted bloody conflict played a big role in not only the development of the north but was a defining feature of the country for an extended period of time. 

We’re big proponents of responsible travel, so understanding what happened here (notably the apocalyptic finale) will help you get a lot more out of your Sri Lankan experience. This is not only one of the best things to do in north Sri Lanka, but the whole country.

Sadly, official remnants of the war are quickly vanishing as the army ensures no physical reminder remains.

However, you can still take an insightful tour with Sri Lanka Click Travel Mate which will guide you around some of the more notable sights and provide thoughtful stories to put them in context. 

8. Ice cream for days!

Sri Lanka loves ice cream, but in north Sri Lanka, it’s taken to the extreme. There’s ice cream everywhere and it’s cheap, delicious and always creative. Combos with fruit salad, different jellies, wafer crackers, peanuts, and oh yeah, on Casuarina Beach you can even eat it in a mock airplane! Need we say more? 

For a true local experience, head to Rio Ice Cream in Jaffna. We guarantee you won’t be disappointed with this thing to do in north Sri Lanka.

Want to get really off the beaten track? Visit Mini World’s End in Riverston

9. Less tourists, more locals

The vast majority of the tourists to Sri Lanka never make it past Anuradhapura, which is all the more reason to go! Perhaps excluding Riverston and the Knuckles, north Sri Lanka is as off the beaten track in Sri Lanka as you can get. Visiting north Sri Lanka is a way to experience Sri Lanka removed from the smoothie bowls and banana pancakes of the south. 

We spent a week in north Sri Lanka and saw 4 other tourists. This meant we had so many other meaningful interactions with locals (including an impromptu sunset photoshoot at Jaffna Fort!).

If you’re looking for an authentic, insightful experience, head to north Sri Lanka.

Want more off-the-beaten-track destinations in Sri Lanka? Read Sri Lanka’s best hidden gems

10. Friendly people

Sri Lanka is hands down one of the friendliest places on the planet, and they’re even friendlier up north! Bold statement, we know. 

Don’t believe us? You’ll just have to come up here and see for yourself ;). 

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