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Trincomalee

Trincomalee (Trinco) sits on one of the world’s finest natural harbors. This historic city is old almost beyond reckoning: it’s possibly the site of historic Gokana in the Mahavamsa (Great Chronicle), and its Shiva temple the site of Trikuta Hill in the Hindu text Vayu Purana. It makes a great stop over on the way to the nearby beaches of Uppuveli and Nilaveli.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

Kandasamy Kovil
Trincomalee
This revered temple at the summit of a rocky outcrop is one of Sri Lanka’s pancha ishwaram, five historical Hindu temples dedicated to Shiva and…
Fort Frederick
Trincomalee
Occupying the neck of a narrow peninsula, Fort Frederick has been a defensively important site for centuries. A fortress was initially constructed here by…
Seruwawila Rajamaha Viharaya
Trincomalee
One of the holiest Buddhist monuments in Sri Lanka, founded in the 2nd century BC, but only rediscovered, and reconstructed, in the 1920s. This stupa…
Marble Beach
Trincomalee
About 17km south of Trinco, there's a turn-off on the left for Marble Beach (signposted just before the Kinniya bridge), a glorious cove bookended by…
Maritime & Naval History Museum
Trincomalee
A grand 18th-century Dutch colonial building has been renovated and turned into a museum. Displays on the ground floor cover Sri Lankan naval history back…
Dutch Bay Beach
Trincomalee
Right in the centre of Trinco is the attractive and picturesque Dutch Bay. Swimming is possible despite sometimes dangerous undertows. However, it’s more…
St Mary’s Cathedral
Trincomalee
Of the city's churches, the 1852 Catholic St Mary’s Cathedral is particularly attractive, with a sky-blue neo-baroque frontage and a tiled, towered rear…
Manayaweli Cove
Trincomalee
Manayaweli Cove is an appealing curl of fishing beach with clean sand where you can also swim in the clear water; reach it by strolling past Manayaweli…

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