Trincomalee is a great little town on the east coast of Sri Lanka. Trincomalee offers beautiful white sand and is one of the best beaches of Sri Lanka. The east coast is upcoming and way more quiet than south, which is a perfect reason to plan a visit. Trincomalee is surrounded by wildlife, hilltops and rock formations. Take about 2 or 3 full days in this town because there are quite some great things to do in Trincomalee.

Quick links:

• Things to do in Trincomalee
• Restaurants in Trincomalee
• Where to go after Trincomalee
• Hotels in Trincomalee

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1. Nilaveli Beach

Rent a motorbike for your whole stay (±1500 LKR per day) and go explore the nearby beaches. The east coast is much quieter than other parts so driving here on a motorbike isn’t a problem.

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Nilaveli Beach is a beautiful beach area where you just can chill for the day. In the weekend, locals from all over the country also like to visit Nilaveli because of its white sand. It’s even better to just spot some small roads towards the beach because this brings you the untouched spots!

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2. Whale Watching

Trincomalee is famous for Whale Watching. Which is also one of the popular things to do in Mirissa in the opposite season. The whale season in Trincomalee runs from March until August.

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3. Chill at Fernandos

One of the most laid-back bars in town is Fernando’s. Located right on the beach this chill out bar offers some good drinks and music. Enjoy the last moments of the sunset in a hammock. Just skip lunch or dinner here, go to one of these restaurants in Trincomalee.

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4. Visit Sri Pathrakali Amman Kovil

This beautifully colored Hindu temple is located in town and easy to visit. It even might be your lucky day to experience a real ceremony.

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During your little trip through town towards the temples or Fort Frederik, you might pass loads of dried fish stalls. Trincomalee town is full of real local life, where they don’t necessarily have to live from tourism which is completely different from the south.

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5. Visit Fort Frederik

Fort Frederik is an old fort built by the Portuguese. These days it is used by the Sri Lankan military but its open for visitors. Within the fort, you can see many deer and escape the heat of the day because most of the fort is covered by trees.

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6. Enjoy the bay view at the Koneswaram Temple

From Fort Frederik, you can follow the road until the viewpoint area and Hindu temple Koneswaram. From this area, you can drink a coconut with a view over the whole Trincomalee bay. The temple is built on a great location with an insane drop into the ocean. Make sure the visit the back of the temple area.

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7. Snorkel at Pigeon Island

A 10-minute boat rides out of Nilaveli Beach is a small island with super clear water and a small white sand beach. Pigeon Island is great for a morning or afternoon tour. Don’t forget your snorkel gear.

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Best restaurants in Trincomalee

There are loads of fantastic restaurants in town. We have rated them by yummy (♥️) rating.

Cafe on the 18th – ♥️♥️♥️♥️
Gomesz’s Pasta Hut – ♥️♥️♥️♥️
Nero Kitchen (Pizza) – ♥️♥️♥️
Rice ‘n’ Curry Restaurant – ♥️♥️

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Where to go after Trincomalee?

From Trincomalee, you have some great options to continue your route through Sri Lanka.

1. Do a 2-day road trip along the east-coast of Sri Lanka
2. Visit Surfers paradise Arugam Bay
3. Jaffna, the most northern province of Sri Lanka
4. Climb up Sigiriya’s Lion Rock

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Colombo to Trincomalee by car

Arranging a taxi from Colombo will usually get you high prices. PickMe is an Uber-like service for long distances. Their prices can be directly calculated from their website. From Colombo Airport to Trincomalee is a 6-hour drive and will cost you around $75 dollar. This ride includes an English speaking driver, new car with aircon, and pick up from the airport.

➳ Discount! Use the discount code SALTYTAXI while booking your ride!

Where to stay in Trincomalee

We found the best area to stay in Trincomalee just outside the city’s center near Fernando’s bar. You will have plenty of great restaurants around and can easily visit Nilaveli + Pigeon Island or the other side of the city like Fort Frederik.

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Orion Beach

Silaa Cabins