The Forgotten Gem Perched on the Indian Ocean
This is the latest installment of our twice-a-month series on underrated destinations, It’s Still a Big World.
I left my hotel in Jaffna at the golden hour. Off the typical backpacker’s itinerary, this quaint city is the seat of Tamil-Hindu culture in Sri Lanka. From candy cane-colored temples to oversize ice cream parlours, this creative hub offers a peek into Sri Lankan Tamil culture and the island’s colonial history.
Located at the end of Jaffna peninsula, the city’s location—a mere 50 miles from India—made it a key trading post on the Maritime Silk Road. For modern visitors, this translates to a cosmopolitan feel with cuisines, cultures, and architecture from around the world jumbled together.