Jaffna Emerges as a Must‑Visit Destination as Condé Nast Traveller India Celebrates Sri Lanka’s ‘Final Frontier’

COLOMBO (News 1st); Jaffna has been thrust into the international tourism spotlight after Condé Nast Traveller India published a richly detailed feature positioning the northern peninsula as Sri Lanka’s final frontier—a destination shaped by history, culture, resilience and remarkable natural beauty.

In the article, writer Kalpana Sunder traces Jaffna’s evolution from a region long scarred by war into one of the island’s most compelling cultural landscapes.

She describes that by the time one arrives in Jaffna, also known as Yalpanam, “it feels like a different world,” perched at the northern tip of the island after decades of civil‑war isolation until 2009.

The feature highlights Jaffna’s deep historic roots as the capital of a 13th‑century Tamil kingdom and a longstanding centre of Tamil culture and literature. Today, after more than twenty‑five years of conflict and the devastation of the 2004 tsunami, the region is slowly reclaiming its identity and welcoming travellers eager to experience a Sri Lanka vastly different from the south.

Venturing beyond the city, the writer describes the region’s vast network of causeways, sandy roads and island landscapes dotted with palmyra trees. She highlights Delft Island, known for its wild ponies, baobab tree and white‑sand beaches; Nainativu, home to both Hindu and Buddhist pilgrimage sites; and Kayts, where banyan trees reclaim war‑damaged homes and churches.

Jaffna’s cuisine stands out as a defining part of its identity. What truly defines Jaffna is its food “Cooking here reflects generations of local wisdom: nutrient-rich red rice, palmyra-based dishes found nowhere else and a distinctive curry style that favours aromatic spices over heat.

For travellers planning a visit, January to September is considered the best time.

Through its wide‑ranging narrative, Condé Nast Traveller India not only showcases Jaffna as a place of sights and experiences but frames it as a region reborn—one that blends history, resilience, faith and unfiltered authenticity.