Journey To Jaffna
Australian Cricket Tour To Sri Lanka 2025 | Journey To Jaffna | Confirmed Cricket Schedule
- Sea-Tea-Sea Jan 19-27 (8nts)
-
1st Test Galle Jan 29-Feb 2
- 1st Test Tour Jan 27 - Feb 4 (8nts)
-
2nd Test Galle Feb 6-10
- 2nd Test Tour Feb 4 - 12 (8nts)
- Journey To Jaffna Feb 12-17 (5nts)
- ODI Colombo Feb 13 (No Tour)
Tour: Journey To Jaffna
When: Feb 12 - 17 (TBC)
Stay: FOX Jaffna Feb 12, 13, 14
Stay: Rajarta Anuradhapura Feb 15
Stay: Regal Reseau Negombo Feb 16
Twin | Double*: A$2500pp
Single Room: A$3000pp
Book: Journey To Jaffna
Visit: SO Sri Lanka
- Call | WhatsApp: +61.402.222217
- Sri Lanka 2025
- Cricket In Colombo
- Cricket In Kandy
- Cricket In Galle
- Sea-Tea-Sea Road Trip
- Journey To Jaffna
- Match Tickets Package
*Pricing is land only. No travel to/from Sri Lanka included
**VISA FREE ENTRY TO SRI LANKA FOR AUSTRALIANS FROM OCT 1, 2024*
Journey To Jaffna
We always look for different things to do on every Australian Cricket Tour.
Starting our Australian Cricket Tour to Sri Lanka 2025 with our Sea-Tea-Sea Road Trip from Colombo to Arugam Bay, we end with an awesome 'Journey to Jaffna'.
Your Journey To Jaffna Includes:
- Flight to Jaffna After 2nd Test
- 3 Nights Jaffna
- 1 Night Anuradhapura
- 1 Night Negombo
- ALL MEALS
- All Entrance Fees
- All Sightseeing
- Sri Lanka Tourism Accredited Guide
- Transfer To Airport From Negombo
*We no longer offer twin-share unless you book to share a room with someone you know. If you are travelling alone, you must book SINGLE or phone a friend.
Two nights in Jaffna on our Four Points Road Trip 2022 was enough to know we wanted more time in this grand region completely detached from the unrest plaguing the rest of Sri Lanka in 2022.
Jaffna has a world of awesome things to see, foods to eat, history to absorb, and places to feel. In 2022, after crossing the Indian Ocean at Elephant Pass, the gateway to the north, we entered an entirely different world. When the rest of Sri Lanka was bereft of life due to shortages of fuel & essentials, Jaffna District was filled with vibrancy.
Rickshaws, cars, trucks, motorbikes, and buses travelled the streets of the city bustling with people, going about their business as if nothing was wrong. There was a very relaxed and cool vibe.
Jaffna wasn't wholly immune to the crisis with the fishing industry aground, and boats unable to ferry to the islands. So, much of our time in 2025 will be spent visting sights we couldn't in 2022.
Search Flights To Colombo Below:
Day 1, February 12 (TBC):
In a big change for domestic travel in Sri Lanka, we will fly* from Ratmalana (between Galle and Colombo) to Jaffna. This 30 minute flight will see you on Sri Lanka's north coast well-before lunch.
*We may have up to three flights
On arrival into Jaffna kick back on the beach waiting for later arrivals after which we enjoy a scrumptious Sri Lanka lunch on the ocean's edge before we tick the box on the Pedro Point (below).
Leaving Pedro, we go south to Jaffna city stopping at 'bottomless' Nilavarai waterwell, Mantri Manai; the protected ruins of King Sangiliyan's Minister's House, and stunning Nallur Kandaswamy Hindu Temple (below).
A brief drive through the city to point out places of interest to visit on your own steam will see us by the pool at the beautiful FOX Resort by 4pm, some 4km north of Jaffna City centre.
Day 2, February 13 (TBC):
After breakfast we drive back to the north coast and Kankesanturai and Keerimalai Springs.
From here we go west (yesterday was east) along the raw coast, lined with seemingly more catholic churches than Rome. Just a few hundred metres apart, church after chapel after stations and cemeteries line the peninsula.
Crossing Karainagar Causeway we visit the sweeping arc of Casuarina Beach. If you want a dip in the soothing shallow waters, bring your togs!
Aside Casuarina, the primary attraction to Karainagar is the lighthouse, tobacco insulated houses, and the 17th century Dutch Fort Hammenhiel on the south eastern tip of the island, at the entrance to Jaffna Lagoon.
As we like to do, you can explore the fort's bastions and ramparts, whilst straining your eyes to see India in the distance from the walls. Or, you can tuck straight into lunch included at the fort.
Fort Hammenhiel is popular for sunset dining, but as it is one hour's drive back to the hotel, and with early-ish starts each day, the last thing we want is to get back to the hotel at 9pm or later.
We loop back to Karainagar Causeway to drive the southern peninsula coast to Jaffna. We will be back to the hotel by 3pm where you can flop by the pool, or jump in a rickshaw to Jaffna City or a few hours of self-exploration.
Your explore should include Jaffna Clocktower, marina, library, St Mary's Cathedral, St James' Church, and street markets in the cooler afternoon before returning to the hotel for dinner.
Day 3, February 14 (TBC):
After breaky, we adventure by bus and boat to Sri Lanka's remotest inhabited island of Delft, in the Gulf of Mannar. It's a very low-key day, to a somewhat low-key island, but because it was closed-off in 2022 we are visiting this time.
We first drive around Kayts island where traces of the civil war are still visible in the beautiful but dilapidated houses abandoned by their owners. This drive features views of Fort Hammenhiel, a 19th-century church, and Kayts’ own Portuguese fort.
It will be 90mins to Kurikkatuwan Jetty from where we take the fishing boats to Delft for a casual drive around this remote outpost, home to Sri Lanka's own 'Brumbies', a famed Baobab tree, and ruins from european occupation
A swift lunch will see us back to the boat, bus, and blue waters of the pool by 4pm for refreshment and dinner, which is, as a reminder, included.
Day 4, February 15 (TBC):
Reaching Negombo can be done in a day, but it would be a very long day, so leaving Jaffna we'll stop halfway in Anuradhapura.
Checking out after breaky we drive to Thayaladi in the north east purely to see Sri Lanka's longest beach. You wouldn't otherwise go, would you?!
From there it's a short drive to famous Elephant Pass Railway Station (above), Gamini Kularatne Memorial (below), and War Memorial at the gateway to the south.
Elephant Pass is quite a remarkable and eeirly peaceful place to visit, the station rebuilt thanks to donations of Rs2 (A$0.01) from children across the nation!
From there we lunch in Vavuniya, before continuing to sacred Anuradhapura, established around the 'tree of enlightenment', the Buddha's fig tree.
After checking-in the afternoon is yours to explore the palaces & monuments of this once political & religious stronghold of Ceylon, before it was abandoned in 993 and rediscovered in 1912.
Or you can laze by the pool, waiting for dinner, which is included.
Day 5, February 16 (TBC):
After breaky, we check out to visit said 'tree of enlightenment'. Brought to Sri Lanka in 288 B.C., at 2,300 years old, it is the oldest living human-planted tree with a known planting date.
This will be a relaxed morning of sightseeing before a slow drive to Negombo stopping for a coastal lunch in Puttalam, and Negombo by 4pm.
This coastal resort mecca, 11km north of Bandaranaike International Airport, is a thriving place to camp before, what is for many, a late night departure.
After check-in, head to the roof and relax in the pool for your flight later that night (Feb 16), if not the following night. An excellent dinner is included, once again.
Day 6, February 17 (TBC):
Check out of the hotel will be pushed as late as possible.
If you are flying out late tonight (Feb 17) the hotel knows many people need a room but not breakfast & dinner and so offer discounted rates for evening use.
Though we hate rushing, we will see a lot in 4 full days in this eye-opening region that includes all travel, hotels, meals, & sightseeing.
If you've questions about our Australian Cricket Tour to Sri Lanka 2025, ask!
Australian Cricket Tours:
Book Sri Lanka 2025: