10 Things to Do in North Sri Lanka: Book & Get UPT0 30% Off
Tour
Tours
1559822703 shutterstock 358158176
Top Sellers Of Sri Lanka

Activities to do in North Sri Lanka

Glamping in Wilpattu National Park, Exploring fort Jaffna, Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil, Taking the local train to Vavuniya, Safari in Kaudulla National Park, Chundikulam National Park and many more.

Exploring the unique city of Jaffna, dolphin watching tours in Kalpitiya, wildlife and bird watching in the lush green landscapes of Wilpattu National park, North Sri Lanka has endless opportunities to explore. With so many things to do in North Sri Lanka you will be on your toes throughout your journey. Snorkeling at the beaches is a popular activity and the beaches in Negombo and Trincomalee provide for amazing spots to enjoy this unique activity in North Sri Lanka.

For the explorer, there are so many activities to do in North Sri Lanka. A tour to the Jaffna city, tourists will find a glimpse of Indian culture blended in its day to day life. The fort Jaffna is one of the most spectacular sights spread across vast landscapes. Another beautiful structure to visit in the city is Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil, a 15th century temple built to worship Lord Murugan.

A journey made with Sri Lanka Holiday Packages to the northern province is incomplete without taking the local train to Vavuniya - friendly faces and scenic route will keep you entertained all the way. Enjoy the gorgeous landscapes and heritage of North Sri Lanka in its entirety with so many places to visit.

Here are some of the best things to do in North Sri Lanka :

Image description
Bigger Group? Get special offers upto 50% off!
We create unforgettable adventures, customised for your group.
Connect with a group tour expert
Full Name
Email
Phone number
Travel Date
Traveller Count
Message
Activities To Do In Sri Lanka Explore All (47)
Explore All (47)
01

Exploring Fort Jaffna

Send Enquiry

Jaffna is a unique town, with a major influence of Indian culture. Recovered from a 30 year war, today the town is blooming again and one of the things to do in North Sri Lanka is visiting this site. Exploring fort Jaffna is a great way to understand the history and culture of Jaffna and the northern regions. Built in 1968 by the Portuguese rulers, the fort has been a seat of power for Dutch and British companies in India and is now made of corals.

The fort is scattered on vast lands and includes various buildings like the Governor's residence, Queen's House, Jaffna, the Garrison Parade Ground and the Police quarters. The fort has undergone restructuring and now attracts tourists from around the world to witness the marks of history it carries.

Also Explore & Book: Srilanka Honeymoon Packages

Send Enquiry
02

Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil

Send Enquiry
The Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil is one of the most gorgeous temple structures in Jaffna and also holds a lot of significance amongst the Hindu's in Sri Lanka. As the most important temple dedicated to worshipping God Murugan, this 15th century structure was rebuilt in 1734.

Visiting the gorgeous temple is definitely on our list of activities to do in North Sri Lanka. The beauty of the grand airy space shelters, the intrinsic murals, the pillared halls, golden ochre, stepped well of holy water - the temple is a mesmerizing structure. Every year during the months of July or August the temple hosts a 25 day Hindu festival, which is spectacular and ends with a day of parade of floats.
Send Enquiry
03

Taking the Local Train to Vavuniya

Send Enquiry
Taking a local train in Sri Lanka is definitely something that you shouldn't miss. While exploring the northern regions, Taking the local train to Vavuniya is one of the most mesmerizing things to do in North Sri Lanka.

It takes you on a journey to the deepest parts of the lush green landscapes of Vavuniya and is for sure an incredible experience. The scenic view in the background and friendly locals around you is what makes the entire ride amazing. However, the trains do not have digital signs so keep an eye out for the name of your destination at the platform.

Price:
$13 USD (approximately)

Must Read: Best Things To Do In Galle
Send Enquiry
Best Selling Sri Lanka Tour Packages Explore All (66)
Explore All (66)
04

Time Out on the Beach at Trincomalee

Send Enquiry
Trincomalee is a beautiful port city that has the most beautiful beaches in the northeast coast. Take a time out at Trincomalee, spend 2-3 days relaxing and enjoy other activities like snorkeling, scuba diving, swimming or just sunbathing.

The beaches of Trincomalee offer a great number of things to do in North Sri Lanka and are major tourist attractions in these regions. The best time to visit this tourist destination is between May and October. Take a boat trip to watch the spinner dolphins and blue whales among other marine life.

Price: Whale and Dolphin Watching Tour - $31 USD and onward for one person

Popular Read: Places In Colombo For Couples
Send Enquiry
05

Spotting Blue Whales and Snorkelling With Turtles

Send Enquiry
One of the fun activities to do in North Sri Lanka or just anywhere with a beach in Sri Lanka is - Snorkeling. Recently the country has emerged as a major attraction for Snorkeling, scuba diving and other water sport activities.

While at the Trincomalee coast, you will find many beaches that will provide you the experience, but travel to the Pigeon Island where you will see the best of marine life underwater. If you wake up early, you can also enjoy a boat ride tour to spot blue whales before snorkeling with turtles.

Price:
$36-$41 USD (Boat ride + snorkeling equipment rent)

Recommended Read: Kandy Visiting Places
Send Enquiry
06

Chundikulam National Park

Send Enquiry

Sri Lanka is rich in flora and fauna, offering great views with a number of national parks and wildlife sanctuaries. A safari tour to the Chundikulam National Park is one of the most exciting and thrilling things to do in North Sri Lanka for nature lovers and bird watchers. You can also try your hands at photography and enjoy the sightings of animals in their natural habitat.

Price:
$15 USD for adults $8 USD for children age 6-12

Also Read: Beautiful Places In Galle

Send Enquiry
Top Sellers Of Sri Lanka Explore All (6)

People Also Ask About Sri Lanka

  1. Which are the best places to visit in North Sri Lanka ?

    1. Delft: the Forgotten Island: Dleft is situated in the remote corners of Sri Lanka and is nothing less than a magical Island. The entire island is made of corals and lies between the northern regions of Sri Lanka and a province of Tamil Nadu India. It has a magical glow of the sun and the best way to explore the island is a guided jeep tour on the bumpy roads.

    2. Jaffan:
    This city is known for the religious culture and spiritual atmosphere. The Nallur Kovil is one the most beautiful and prestigious temples of the Hindu God Murugan and therefore attracts thousands of visitors from all around the world. The city has more influence from Indian culture than anywhere else in Sri Lanka.
    In addition to its spiritual atmosphere and temples, the city has a grand fort - which is made entirely of coral. The fort gives an insight about the history of this region and everything it has seen in the past.

    3. Trincomalee City:
    The coastal city is a popular tourist spot offering amazing things to do in North Sri Lanka. It's many beaches are great for enjoying adventure activities and watersports in addition to boat rides for catching a glimpse of dolphins, whales and some other amazing marine life creatures. Tourists also like indulging in scuba diving, surfing, snorkeling and other activities.
  2. Which are the best national parks to visit in Sri Lanka ?

    1. Yala National Park: A Wildlife Safari tour to the Yala National Park is one of the most liked things to do in Sri Lanka by tourists and visitors. It's Sri Lankan Elephants and leopards are the highlight of this beautiful landscape, which includes sandy beaches, thorn forests, and grasslands. The national park also has two famous pilgrimage sites, Sithulpahuwa and Magul Vihara. If you are lucky, and due to their plenty numbers in the park - a leopard sightseeing will hopefully make your day.

    2. Udawalawe National Park:
    The lush green landscapes of this National park are dominated by plains and marshes with a few mountains creating a gorgeous backdrop. The entire place brings together a very beautiful view, with birds in the sky, Sri Lankan Elephants wandering in their natural habitat and the gorgeous hilly backdrop.

    3. Wilpattu National Park:
    The Wilpattu National Park is an untouched and untamed territory that provides tourists with a raw mesmerizing experience of the wild. With 60 lakes in its boundaries, the place has perfect conditions for flourishing flora and fauna. Take a tour to watch the Sri Lankan Elephants, leopards, water buffalo, and sloth bear roaming through the dense forest.
  3. How many days are enough to visit North Sri Lanka ?

    If you are looking forward to exploring the untouched and less crowded Northern region of Sri Lanka, keep your itinerary of at least 5-6 days to enjoy every corner of this beautiful land. Amazing wildlife and beautiful beaches, laid together with a plethora of historical architecture, cultural heritage and activities to do in North Sri Lanka - the province is opening its doors for travelers and tourists.
  4. What is North Sri Lanka famous for ?

    The untouched and fascinating lands of North Sri Lanka have a very vast history and rich cultural heritage. The beautiful landscape and wildlife of the Northern Province is still untamed and offers a scenic tour.
  5. How to reach North Sri Lanka ?

    The Northern Province of Sri Lanka is not connected to the other countries by direct flights or any other means of transport. To reach there, you will have to take a flight to Colombo from where the Northern Province is 290kms approximately and can be reached by train.
  6. What are the various day & night tour packages that you can book with Thrillophilia?

Newly Added Sri Lanka Experience
Mohini Chattopadhyay Sri Lanka Package From Mumbai
Excellent
It was amazing tour of Srilanka.Everything arranged was on time and was proper from food to stay to transfers. I will surely recommend to everyone.
Chandraayan Bharadwaj Srilanka Tour Package From Kerala
Excellent
Amazing, all the spots were beautiful, the boat is nice. Snorkeling was great too. Overall it was an amazing tour.
Chandrabhaga Varrier Sri Lanka Package From Delhi
Excellent
I use to book with this trustworthy company ( Thrillophilia ) for my short tours but this was my first booking for the long tour ( International package ) I knew about the company policy and service which is why I'm comfortable...The agent helps me with many options packages which I choose with this one...The representative already waited for us at the airport before the time gave...The picked-up transport was good, spacious and comfortable, the hotel they provided was very good, We start the trip as per itinerary which is well planned and we follow according to it, the entire places we visited was lovely, the place has its amazing scenic beauty for sure will give you a good photograph... it was hard to describe each place in details as words were less to describe the beauty of it...A nice tour guide who was detailed about each place...Now I'm ready for the next tour...
Suma Agarwal Sri Lanka Tour Package From India
Excellent
Amazing holiday package by Thrillophilia, My family and I had a great experience and we really enjoyed a lot the whole trip, the arrangement was totally excellent, the hotels were very comfortable and the transport too, the meals there was truly delicious especially seafood. To be honest from the beginning till the end we didn't face any difficulty at all...and one thing we really like about was the service we get from this company when we had any questions we just called the support number and the agent instantly took actions on it, the places in Sri Lanka was truly paradise, the scenic beauty of the place worth recommending lots of pictures we took, We were very glad that we didn't miss anything on this tour...The most fun which my kids like it so much was the visit to Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage which they had a great time feeding and bathing the innocent creatures. the Sacred Tooth Relic is well-maintained and the art was just lovely... At Bentota, we enjoyed the sightseeing of the place, beach, and many watersport activities...and lots more...the place really amazed us with its beauty... we learn a lot about the place and its culture...Worthwhile tour
Dhana Ganaka 7 Days Sightseeing Tour of Sri Lanka
Excellent
Using Thrillophilia for the first time and the team plans our best vacation for 7-days in Sri Lanka that's without any hassle, and it turns out to be a fantastic experience from the beginning to the end...We got picked up from the airport on-time by the professional driver, the team who helps out us the entire trip was responsive, and communicative throughout the trip...The hotel we stayed it was well-maintained with amazing hospitalities and services along they served us with delicious breakfast every morning...The sightseeing-spots we covered were all the major highlights of the place our highlights of the trips were the visit to Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, and thrilling and fun at Bentota beach, and as well amazing city tour ( Colombo )...I will definitely be checking in with you when we are getting ready to go on our next-international trip to a new-destination
Akshaj Talwar Srilanka Tour Package From Bangalore
Excellent
The environment and surroundings of the places are awesome and worth visiting. We loved the whole itinerary and its execution and the team was also friendly enough.
Aarya Agarwal Sri Lanka Package From Delhi
Excellent
This was the first time I had booked our holiday from an online vendor and I am extremely satisfied with the services of Thrillophilia. It was truly a great deal to crack at the time when everything was pricy.
Puneet Menon Sri Lanka Tour Package From Hyderabad
Excellent
I booked a tour to Sri Lanka from Hyderabad, I went with my colleagues, it was a fun tour with full pleasure and joy. We visited various ancient architectural places. We were very enchanted by the facilities provided to us by the team, the tour made was very comfortable and satisfying. It was one of a best decision to select Thrillophilia as our tour planner.
Kumari Desai Srilanka Tour Package From Chennai
Excellent
This summer I planned a tour to Sri Lanka, but I got puzzled due to the subsequent procedures. So then I was advised by my friend about Thrillophilia and it was a blessing as everything was well organised and quite easy. It was fun knowing about the mythological culture of our neighboring country. I am grateful to the team for such a wonderful experience and quality services provided. Cheers to Thrillophilia.
Bhisham Deshpande Sri Lanka Tour Package From India
Excellent
I booked a tour to Sri Lanka from Jaipur, which was an excellent experience.The tour comprised of various sightseeing places and happening activities. The country has places enriched with bio-diversity. It was convenient booking with Thrillophilia, as it was pre-planned.Thanks Thrillophilia.

Popular Nearby Places Around Sri Lanka

More Things to do in Sri Lanka

Popular Related Destinations

Currency Picker
Commonly Used Currencies
INR -
Indian Rupee
USD - $
United States Dollar
EUR -
Euro
SGD - $
Singapore Dollar
AUD - $
Australian Dollar
GBP - £
British Pound
AED - د.إ
United Arab Emirates Dirham
All Other Currencies
ALL - L
Albanian Lek
AMD - դր.
Armenian Dram
ARS - $
Argentine Peso
AWG - ƒ
Aruban Florin
BBD - $
Barbadian Dollar
BDT -
Bangladeshi Taka
BMD - $
Bermudian Dollar
BND - $
Brunei Dollar
BOB - Bs.
Bolivian Boliviano
BSD - $
Bahamian Dollar
BWP - P
Botswana Pula
BZD - $
Belize Dollar
CAD - $
Canadian Dollar
CHF - CHF
Swiss Franc
CNY - ¥
Chinese Renminbi Yuan
COP - $
Colombian Peso
CRC -
Costa Rican Colón
CZK -
Czech Koruna
DKK - kr.
Danish Krone
DOP - $
Dominican Peso
DZD - د.ج
Algerian Dinar
EGP - ج.م
Egyptian Pound
ETB - Br
Ethiopian Birr
FJD - $
Fijian Dollar
GHS -
Ghanaian Cedi
GIP - £
Gibraltar Pound
GMD - D
Gambian Dalasi
GTQ - Q
Guatemalan Quetzal
GYD - $
Guyanese Dollar
HKD - $
Hong Kong Dollar
HNL - L
Honduran Lempira
HRK - kn
Croatian Kuna
HTG - G
Haitian Gourde
HUF - Ft
Hungarian Forint
IDR - Rp
Indonesian Rupiah
ILS -
Israeli New Sheqel
JMD - $
Jamaican Dollar
KES - KSh
Kenyan Shilling
KGS - som
Kyrgyzstani Som
KHR -
Cambodian Riel
KYD - $
Cayman Islands Dollar
KZT -
Kazakhstani Tenge
LAK -
Lao Kip
LBP - ل.ل
Lebanese Pound
LKR -
Sri Lankan Rupee
LRD - $
Liberian Dollar
LSL - L
Lesotho Loti
MAD - د.م.
Moroccan Dirham
MDL - L
Moldovan Leu
MKD - ден
Macedonian Denar
MMK - K
Myanmar Kyat
MNT -
Mongolian Tögrög
MOP - P
Macanese Pataca
MUR -
Mauritian Rupee
MVR - MVR
Maldivian Rufiyaa
MWK - MK
Malawian Kwacha
MXN - $
Mexican Peso
MYR - RM
Malaysian Ringgit
NAD - $
Namibian Dollar
NIO - C$
Nicaraguan Córdoba
NOK - kr
Norwegian Krone
NPR - Rs.
Nepalese Rupee
NZD - $
New Zealand Dollar
PEN - S/
Peruvian Sol
PGK - K
Papua New Guinean Kina
PHP -
Philippine Peso
PKR -
Pakistani Rupee
QAR - ر.ق
Qatari Riyal
RUB -
Russian Ruble
SAR - ر.س
Saudi Riyal
SCR -
Seychellois Rupee
SEK - kr
Swedish Krona
SLL - Le
Sierra Leonean Leone
SOS - Sh
Somali Shilling
SVC -
Salvadoran Colón
SZL - E
Swazi Lilangeni
THB - ฿
Thai Baht
TTD - $
Trinidad and Tobago Dollar
TZS - Sh
Tanzanian Shilling
UYU - $U
Uruguayan Peso
UZS - so'm
Uzbekistan Som
YER -
Yemeni Rial
ZAR - R
South African Rand
JPY - ¥
Japanese Yen
VND -
Vietnamese dong