Trincomalee, located on the northeastern coast of Sri Lanka, is a historic port city known for its stunning natural harbor—one of the largest and deepest in the world. Rich in cultural and religious heritage, Trincomalee is home to the ancient Koneswaram Temple, a revered Hindu shrine perched atop Swami Rock, offering panoramic views of the Indian Ocean. The city has long been a strategic maritime hub, attracting colonial powers such as the Portuguese, Dutch, and British. Today, Trincomalee is also famous for its beautiful beaches, such as Nilaveli and Uppuveli, and its vibrant marine life, making it a popular destination for tourism, diving, and whale watching. Despite its history of conflict during Sri Lanka’s civil war, Trincomalee has emerged as a peaceful and scenic coastal city that reflects the island’s cultural diversity and natural beauty.
Koneswaram Temple or Tirukoneswaram Kovil is situated on top of Swami Rock. This temple is dedicated to the Hindu God Shiva, and it is one out of five such temples situated around Sri Lanka. It is believed that this Kovil has been in existence in the past 2500 years ago and was renovated by the South Indian Chola King Kulakottan and maintained by other Sinhala Buddhist Kings. In 1622, the Portuguese destroyed this temple which they referred to as the temple of a thousand columns by shoving the temple over the edge of the cliff into the deep blue seas below. The revered Shiva lingam (mark of Shiva) was subsequently rescued by divers. The Portuguese used the building materials of the temple in the construction of Fort Fredrick.
At the bottom of the hill which leads to Swami rock is in an ancient stone inscription with the symbol of King Kulakottan – the dual fish. The prophecy states that after 1500 years, Westerners with different eye colors will rule the country for 500 years. At the temple you can take part in the evening or morning pooja (prayer service) or obtain a blessing from the swami (priest) at the kovils. The temple is also worthwhile visiting for its gorgeous views of the natural habour as well as the Indian Ocean
Sri Lanka is home to two Marine National Parks, one of which is the Pigeon Island Marine Sanctuary. The Pigeon Island Marine Sanctuary extends up to 471.4 hectares in total of which 9 ha cover the landmass and the rest encompass the coral beds which is the border line of the Marine National Park. Located just off the coast if Nilaveli, this tropical paradise offers visitors a chance to dive into the turquoise waters and experience some of the most vibrant coral reefs in the country.
The Pigeon Island National Park is 312 km from Colombo and can be reached by travelling via the Puttalam-Anuradhapura-Trincomalee Highway. The estimated travel time by car is 5 hours 55 minutes.
The name Pigeon Island has come about after the hundreds of endemic Blue Rock Pigeons that inhabit the island. It is situated in the Eastern Province, north of Trincomalee, one kilometer off the Nilaveli coast; a stretch of beach known as the most beautiful in the island. The Pigeon Island Marine Sanctuary is a unique natural phenomenon made up of two Islands called the Large and Small Pigeon Islands. It was designated as a Marine Sanctuary in 1963 and was selected as a National Park in 2003. On entering the Island visitors can see hundreds of Blue Rock Pigeons, an endangered species nesting and breeding amongst the rocks.
Located on the East Coast of Sri Lanka, known the world over for its beautiful soft white sand beaches which slope gently into clear shallow seas, the vast Indian Ocean which washes on to the shores of this coastal resort holds a treasure chest of dreams just waiting to be opened. Nilaveli Beach Here you could swim around the multi-hued reef protecting the island like so many layers of ribbon cake – turquoise, ochre, salmon pink, smoky grey, sandstone and cobalt blue – and revel in an underwater world of colorful translucence, feasting your eyes on shoals of jewel-hued fish darting among the surrounding coral and rocks.
The Nilaveli Beach on the East Coast is “the other side of the island”, one that remains pristine, pure and very private even today – it is undoubtedly the best in Sri Lanka and one of the premier beaches in Asia.
