Mannar Island

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Mannar Island is connected to the mainland via a 30 kilometre long causeway, and covers an area of 126.46 km², which is, in fact, mostly white sand, palm trees and vegetation. Once a prospering pearling industry, the island is today a major fishing point and consists of plenty of wildlife, such as unique birds, donkeys and even fishing cats, a rare species.

The island is abundant with numerous heritage sites to explore. Towards the northwestern coast of the island is the Adam’s Bridge, a mythical bridge said to be connected to India and known to be one of the key Ramayana sites in the country.

You can also discover various crumbling colonial architectures and monuments dating centuries back to the British, Dutch and Portuguese eras. Also being a stronghold of the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) during the Sri Lankan Civil War, Mannar Island is, no doubt, a place of great historical significance.

Getting about in Mannar is quite difficult due to the lack of transport means. However, there are quite a few tuk-tuks and buses frequenting the location. You can also take a comfortable ferry ride from Rameshwaram to the island.

Northern Sri Lanka, and of course Mannar Island, is common for its sunny weather. It is best avoided during the summer period from April to June, where the weather can get extremely hot. July to September and December to February are most preferable.