Target Travels blog

Best time to visit the East Coast/Trinco, Sri Lanka

Monsoon seas in the north and east is November to February. The best time to visit in May to September when the rest of the country is experiencing the southwest monsoon. For Surfers, April to October is the best time to visit Arugam Bay. Whale Watching season is December to April but the Naval vessels do operate off the coast of Tricomalee in from May onwards and regular sightings are reported.

Getting to the East Coast/Trinco, Sri Lanka

By Air:

Expo Air (www.expoavi.com) flies several times daily between Colombo and Jaffna. Sri Lankan Airlines’ Air Taxi service operate scheduled flights up to Dambulla in the North Central region of Sri Lanka.

By Rail:

Several services daily (plus overnight sleeper trains) from Colombo to Trinco (appro. 7 to 8 hours) and Batticaloa (8 hours). Rail services between Colombo and the north extends only as far as Vavuniya (about 140km/90 miles south of Jaffna).

By Bus:

Trinco from Colombo (7 hours), Batticaloa from Colombo (6 to 7 hours) and local buses along the coast road from Trinco to Pottuvil via Batticaloa. Jaffna from Colombo (8 to 10 hours).

Getting Around East Coast/ Trinco, Sri Lanka

Getting around in public transport with the North & East of Sri Lanka will certainly be a challenge. The buses, three wheelers are not as common as it would be in the west of Sri Lanka and within Colombo region.

If you are planning a holiday to the part of the region, its best to look out for hired taxis, hotel transport, or the services of a professional travel agent.

However, three-wheelers, local buses and taxis operate in and around Trinco and Jaffna and along the coast. Boasts operate across Jaffna lagoon and to the outlying islands in the region.