Understand
[edit]Trincomalee, once known as Gokarna, has been a key center of Tamil culture for centuries. The Koneswaram Temple, dating back to at least the 7th century, is a major landmark. Thanks to its natural harbor, traders from Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia have been stopping by for generations.
Trincomalee has one of the largest natural deepwater harbours in the world, which has led to it being fought over as a prized and strategic place from which to project naval power. When the Portuguese invaded in the 17th century, they destroyed the Koneswaram Temple and used its materials to build a fort. Over the years, the city changed hands between Dutch, French, Danish and British forces, with the latter taking control in 1795. During World War II, Trincomalee was bombed by the Japanese in 1942 because of its naval importance.
After Sri Lanka’s independence in 1948, the British held onto the harbor until 1957. The city was the site of heavy fighting during the Sri Lankan Civil War. In December 2004, Trincomalee suffered serious damage when the Indian Ocean tsunami hit, and hundreds of lives were lost.
Today, Trinco (as it is often called) is being developed as a tourist destination thanks to its incredible history and beaches.
Get in
[edit]
By plane
[edit]- Cinnamon Air, a domestic airline in Sri Lanka, operates flights from Colombo to Trincomalee. The duration of the flight is 45 minutes. One-way fare per person starts at US$142.
By bus
[edit]- The bus station is across the street from the clock tower and the market. Buses to Kandy leave at 04:00, around 9:15, 10:15, 13:45 and 14:45. The bus at 09:15 is supposed to be A/C and needs to be pre-booked, all other buses are standard non-A/C government buses.
- Private bus company Superline runs a night bus every evening from Colombo (Pettah) departing at 22:00 and arriving Trincomalee 05:00. Rs 2300.
By train
[edit]The train station is about 1 km north of town. Both day and night trains are available.
- The Night Mail departs Colombo Fort at 21:30 and arrives at Trincomalee at 05:30 the next morning. This train has 1st class sleepers as well as 2nd and 3rd class "sleeperettes" which are reclining seats. 2nd class (Rs 520) has arm-rests, 3rd class (Rs 325) does not.
- There are also two day-time arrivals into Trincomalee daily. You must leave Colombo Fort on the 06:05 train to Galoya. Tickets are Rs 450 for 2nd class, Rs 285 for 3rd class. It should arrive at 11:36 so you can transfer to the Trincomalee train which departs at noon and arrives at 13:40. If you miss this connection, there is a second Trincomalee train departing Galoya departing at 14:35 and arriving at 16:12. These trains have 2nd (Rs 140) and 3rd class (Rs 80) unreserved seats.
Get around
[edit]Trincomalee is a very compact town, so you can get around on foot. For longer trips, rickshaws are available at nearly every corner. Negotiate your fare before boarding if there is no meter — a rule of thumb is around Rs 50 per km. Some tuktuks take several people and go for a flat price person, e.g. Nilaveli. The PickMe app works very well for booking tuk-tuks locally.
Several places in Uppuveli rent bicycles for around 800 Rp per day which is a nice way to explore.
See
[edit]- Pigeon Island
- Fort Frederick. Fort Fredrick is an old Dutch fort located on a peninsula North East of the town center. It still has a strong military presence from the war, but still a great place to explore. There is a nice Hindu temple atop the cliff at the end of the peninsula with spectacular views.
- 1 Salli Muthumariamman Kovil (temple), in Uppuveli (a coastal resort town 6 km north of Trincomalee). This is a beautiful Hindu kovil that provides a good view of Trincomalee town, and of the fishing boats in front of it. It is an important temple to the local Hindus, who regularly visit it for prayers and festivals. During festivals, it is common to see men with pierced tongues and women holding pots of milk. Drummers and dancers are also a common sight.
Beaches
[edit]Beaches are now full of plastic and probably only get cleaned during high-season.
- 2 Uppuveli beach. Uppuveli beach is about 6km north of the town.
- 3 Marble Beach. 15km south of Trincomalee.
- 4 Nilaveli beach. The sleepy village of Nilaveli is located 14km north of Trincomalee. Because of the beach there are many hotels there.
Do
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- 1 Kanniya Hot Wells. An interesting place with 7 hot wells, each of which you are supposed to take a bucket from and pour the warm water over you. They are popular among locals who use the clear hotspring water in the various "wells" for bucket showers. The facilities are badly maintained though, so bring a large towel to change your clothes. Rs 100 for foreigners.
- 2 Snorkelling. A snorkelling trip to Pigeon Island is a must. There are local boats that will take you to this island for a fee of about US$30 (return). Snorkelling is a great way to see the abundant sea life. Sadly the coral is not respected by the locals. Snorkelling should be done with great caution as some areas are very deep, up to a thousand metres in depth. There is also dolphin and whale watching available from most of the guest houses on Uppaveli beach. Only in high season.
- Dolphin and whale watching. There is dolphin and whale watching available from most of the guest houses on Uppaveli beach.
Buy
[edit]Eat
[edit]Most guesthouses will want to cater for you.
- Green Park Beach Hotel - North Indian food
- Jeffry's Restaurant
- JKAB Park Hotel - Sri Lankan buffet
- Nina (Sarvodaya Road, Uppuveli, 300 m from main road) family-run restaurant serving local and western food. Some specials every day. Smoothie bowls available.
- 1 Cheapest Café in Sri Lanka (Fort). Run by the army and supercheap. They have curry, snacks and drinks.
Drink
[edit]Coffee
[edit]Cafes with Italian style espresso coffee are in short supply in Trincomalee but do exist. These include beachside Cafe on the 18th in Uppuveli. Also in and around town, there is The Coffee and Piccadilly Parlour which also sells waffles with ice cream, in an air-conditioned and comfy indoor cafe near the beach.
Sleep
[edit]- Nilaveli Beach Hotel, 11th Milepost, ☏ +94 262 222 071. Great hotel nestled right in front of Nilaveli Beach.
- 1 Methodist Church Nilaveli, 9th Milepost, Nilaveli. Absolute cheapest. Abandoned orphanage on the church grounds, outside shower and toilet. Very basic but good value for money. Rotating fans. Beach nearby. Rs.250 per person.
- Pigeon Island Beach Resort, 11th Milepost, Nilaveli, ☏ +94 26 49 20 633. It offers 36 rooms (some of them have A/C), all of which have Internet, and there are satellite TV facilities as further entertainment. Some of its amenities include a yoga centre and spa and fitness centre for adults, and play room, reading corner, and a secure outdoor playground for children. Best rates on official website start at US$68.
- 2 Trinco Blu by Cinnamon, Sampalthivu Post, Uppuveli, ☏ +(94) 262222307, [email protected]. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: noon. A high-end beachfront resort. It provides spacious accommodations with a freshwater pool, 3 dining options and free Wi-Fi. Starting from US$87.
There are tons of guesthouses along the beach at Uppaveli and Nilaveli. Shop around as the prices vary greatly.
There are also an increasingly large number of guesthouses to the South of Fort Fredrick on the beach. Once again shop around as prices vary greatly.