13 Top Tourist Places to Visit in Trincomalee

At a distance of 3 km from Trincomalee Railway Station, Koneswaram Temple is a Hindu Temple located atop Swami Rock inside Fort Fredrick in Trincomalee town of Sri Lanka. Overlooking the beautiful Gokarna Bay, it is one of the popular places of pilgrimage in Sri Lanka and among the prime places to visit in Trincomalee as part of Sri Lanka Tour Packages.

Koneswaram Temple or Thirukonamalai Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Surrounded by jaw-dropping scenery, the temple is believed to be one of the Panch Ishwarams (five abodes of Shiva) of Sri Lanka along with Ketheeshwaram, Munneshwaram, Naguleshwaram and the now destroyed Tenavaram. The site is a religious pilgrimage for the Hindus and is also known as the Kailasa of the South as it lies on exactly the same longitude as Mount Kailash. Koneswaram gets its name from the chief deity of the temple that is God Shiva.

A 17th century stone inscription in the temple states that .....

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At a distance of 600 m from Koneswaram Temple and 2.5 km from Trincomalee Railway Station, Fort Frederick is an ancient fort situated on the Swami Rock or Kona Malai in the port city of Trincomalee. It is one of the important landmarks in the history of Trincomalee and among the must include places in Trincomalee Tour Packages.

Also known as Trincomalee Fort, Fort Frederick was built in the 17th century by the Portuguese. The fort was built on the Swami Rock with the remains of the famous Koneswaram temple, which was also known as a temple of a thousand pillars. This fort was captured by a Dutch fleet under Admiral Westerwold in 1639 and in 1665 a new fort was built here by the Dutch to defend against the advancements of the British and the French. They renamed it, Fort Fredrick. The French captured Trincomalee in 1672 and was taken over by the British in 1795, and remained a British garrison till 1948. Today it remains garrisoned by a detachment of the Gajaba Regiment, Sri Lanka .....

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At a distance of 2 km from Trincomalee Railway Station, Pathirakali Amman Temple is a Hindu temple situated at the center of Trincomalee town. It is one of the noted pilgrimage places in Trincomalee and among the must-visit places in Trincomalee while holidaying in Sri Lanka.

Pathirakali Amman Temple is dedicated to goddess Bhadrakali, the benevolent form of goddess Kali Amman. Along with her, there are idols of Mahalakshmi and Mahasaraswati. The Pathirakali Amman Temple is a part of the temple complex of the ancient Trincomalee Koneswaram Temple compounds. The history of the temple dates back to the Chola kings from the 11th Century, and it has been attracting pilgrims ever since. King Rajendra Chola I expanded the shrine significantly during his reign, an inscription he left detailing this is displayed on the premises. The temple is mentioned in the book Birds of Prey (1997) by Wilbur Smith, set in the 1660s.

The temple is built in the classical Dravidian style of architecture .....

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At a distance of 2.5 km from Trincomalee Railway Station, the Maritime and Naval History Museum is a museum located at Trincomalee, Sri Lanka. Situated near Fort Frederick, it is one of the popular places to visit in Trincomalee during your Sri Lanka Tour.

The museum was opened in the year 2013 by then Sri Lanka president Mahinda Rajapaksa coincide with the country's 65th Independence Day celebrations. The museum has been established near Fort Fredrick in a Dutch Mansion where the Dutch first landed on the island in the 16th century. This beautiful colonial white building was the former residence of the Dutch Naval Commissioner from 1602 to 1795 and from 1795 to 1948 it had been used as the Urban Commissioner's residence. Seriously damaged during the war, it was fully renovated and restored to its former glory in 2013 with the assistance of the Government of the Netherlands under the direction of the Sri Lanka Archaeology Department and the Museums Department.

This informative .....

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At a distance of 5 km from Trincomalee, Uppuveli Beach is a serene beach situated at Uppuveli, Trincomalee. Along the coast of the Indian Ocean, it is one of the popular beaches in Sri Lanka and among the prime Trincomalee Tourist Places.

Uppuveli is a long, sandy beach with clear emerald waters. It attracts a bigger crowd than Nilaveli Beach as there is more going on in the area. Uppuveli Beach is lined with lots of restaurants and bars. This makes it the perfect place to head to for the day and enjoy a meal and drink by the ocean.

This laidback paradise is perfect for swimming, whale watching, volley-ball or simply relaxing by the sea. The waves here are non-existent, and the flat waters provide better conditions for snorkeling. Apart from this sport, visitors can also try other adventurous water sports such as Water-skiing and Wakeboarding which are even more exhilarating.

Timings: 6 AM - 6 PM

Entry: Free

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At a distance of 12 km from Trincomalee Railway Station, Velgam Vehera is an ancient Buddhist site situated in Kanniya near Nilaveli. It is one of the prominent Buddhist temples in Sri Lanka and among the prime places to visit in Trincomalee.

Also known as Vilgam Rajamaha Viharaya, Velgam Vehera was one of the important Buddhist temples in the country, worshiped by both Sinhala and Tamil Buddhists. This temple is believed to be built during the reign of King Devanampiya Tissa (307-267 BC). Later, it was renovated by King Bathiya I, Agkbo II, Vijayabahu I and Parakramabahu I. Although many other Buddhist temples in the country ruthlessly destroyed during the Chola invasion in 993 AD, Velgam Vehera was renovated by the invaders by adding their own structures and renamed it Rajarajaperumpalli, after King Rajaraja I. Following the collapse of the Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa Kingdoms, the temple was abandoned and fell into ruins.

The abandoned temple was discovered back in the .....

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At a distance of 1 km from Nilaveli Beach and 24 km from Trincomalee Railway Station, Pigeon Island is a marine national park situated off the coast of Nilaveli. It is a popular getaway from the city of Trincomalee and among the popular places for scuba diving & snorkeling in Sri Lanka.

Undoubtedly one of the best places to visit near Trincomalee, the Pigeon Island National Park was declared a marine sanctuary way back in 1963 and designated as a national park in 2003. This national park is the 17th in the country and one of the two marine national parks in Sri Lanka, the other being Hikkaduwa. The pristine and beautiful Pigeon Island National Park comprising of two small islands - Large Pigeon Island and Small Pigeon Island. Pigeon Island is one of the several protected areas affected by the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004.

The national park is home to the vibrant marine life, stunning rock formations, and endangered rock pigeons, based on which the national park gets its name. .....

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At a distance of 5 km from Trincomalee Railway Station, Trincomalee War Cemetery, also known as Trincomalee British War Cemetery is a British military cemetery in Trincomalee, Sri Lanka. Located on Trincomalee-Nilaveli Road, it is one of the prime places to visit in Trincomalee.

Trincomalee War Cemetery is the final resting place of the British and local soldiers who laid down their lives during World War II, is a quiet solemn place. Set in a well-maintained garden, this is one of the six Commonwealth war cemeteries in Sri Lanka. After the Japanese defeated Singapore in World War II, Trincomalee was a strategic Naval & Air-Force Base of the British and Allied Powers in South Asia. On April 9th, 1942, the Trincomalee port came under attack by the Japanese. A British warship anchored in the harbor was destroyed during the attack, killing 368 soldiers and injuring many. Some of those bodies lie in this small cemetery. On the withdrawal of the British Forces from Ceylon it became the .....

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At a distance of 44 km from Trincomalee, Seruwila Mangala Raja Maha Vihara is an ancient Buddhist temple situated at Seruwawila in the Trincomalee district of Sri Lanka. It is counted amongst the holiest Buddhist sites in Sri Lanka and one of the top places to visit near Trincomalee.

Seruwila Mangala Raja Maha Vihara was built during the reign of King Kavantissa (2nd century BC). It is believed that three viharas existed at this particular spot that was built during the periods of three former Buddhas named Kakusandha, Koṇagamana, and Kassapa with their relics enshrined. Gautama Buddha had personally visited this place and offered eight handfuls of 'sapu' flowers, then wished that the temple which constructing in the future should be named as Mangala viharaya. The stupa containing the Lalata Dathun Wahanse (sacred forehead bone) of Lord Buddha and is among the sixteen holiest Buddhist shrines (Solosmasthana) in Sri Lanka.

Over the years, the stupa fell into ruins under .....

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At a distance of 20 km from Trincomalee, Nilaveli Beach is a pristine palm-fringed beach situated at Nilaveli. Along the coast of the Indian Ocean, it is one of the popular beaches in Sri Lanka and among the prime Trincomalee Tourist Places.

Stretches over 1 km, Nilaveli Beach is a calm, serene white sandy beach surrounded by lush, green vegetation on both sides. The beach itself was really clean with no rubbish and the water is clean and calm ideal for swimming. Water sports such as windsurfing and diving are very famous among tourists and even locals. Totally unspoiled by the onslaught of tourism, this palm-fringed beach is perfect for a lazy, rejuvenating day by the sea.

Across the beach, about 1 km into the ocean one will see the famous Pigeon Island, named due to rock pigeons roosting on it. It is a famous spot for snorkeling and diving. The reef there provides a perfect place to explore the ocean.

Timings: 6 AM - 6 PM

Entry: Free

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At a distance of 8 km from Trincomalee Railway Station, the Kanniya Hot Springs is a site with hot wells located at Kanniya in Trincomalee, Sri Lanka. It is one of the popular places to visit near Trincomalee while holidaying in the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka.

Kanniya Hot Springs are the natural wonders of the area. There are 7 square wells located quite close to each other. They are quite shallow just about 3-4 feet deep and one can clearly see the bottom of the wells. The depth of the well is such that the water will run out by drawing 10-15 buckets from it. The temperature is considerably high but varies slightly from one spring to another.

According to the legend, this is the place where King Ravana carried out the last rites of his mother. When he was unable to find water to duly perform the rites, he pierced his sword into the ground seven times in anger which has later emerged into the hot springs. These hot springs get the name 'Kanniya' after his mother. The very .....

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At a distance of 16 km from Dambulla, 62 km from Polonnaruwa, 75 km from Anuradhapura, 90 km from Kandy, 100 km from Trincomalee, 176 km from Colombo and 181 km from Nuwara Eliya, Sigiriya is an ancient city in the northern Matale district of Central Province in Sri Lanka. It is probably the most visited tourist destination of Sri Lanka as part of Sri Lanka Tour Packages.

Sigiriya sits right in the middle of Sri Lanka's Cultural Triangle made up of Kandy, Anuradhapura, and Polonnaruwa. Also known as the Lion's Rock or Lion Mountain, Sigiriya is a popular stop for tourists who are interested in archeological ruins as it is home to the ruins of the world recognized ancient Sigiriya Rock Fortress situated on top of a massive 200-meter high rock surrounded by the remains of an extensive network of gardens, reservoirs, and other structures. The rock itself is a lava plug left over from an ancient long extinct volcano.

Excavations at Sigiriya indicate that the area was occupied .....

Distance (From Trincomalee): 100 Kms
Trip Duration (From Trincomalee - Including Travel): Full Day
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At a distance of 66 km from Dambulla, 75 km from Sigiriya, 106 km from Trincomalee, 107 km from Polonnaruwa, 139 km from Kandy, 194 km from Jaffna and 202 km from Colombo, Anuradhapura is an ancient city in Sri Lanka. It is the capital city of North Central Province and also the capital of Anuradhapura district. It is the most popular heritage place in Sri Lanka and among the must include destinations in Sri Lanka Tour Packages.

Located on the banks of Malvathu River, Anuradhapura is the first ancient capital of Sri Lanka. The city was the center of Theravada Buddhism for many centuries. Famous for its well-preserved ruins of an ancient Sinhala civilization, Anuradhapura is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world and one of the eight World Heritage Sites of Sri Lanka. The city is also home to one of the largest and most sacred Bodhi trees in Sri Lanka, believed to be a descendant of the original Bodhi tree .....

Distance (From Trincomalee): 106 Kms
Trip Duration (From Trincomalee - Including Travel): Full Day
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