01
Adam's Bridge (Rama's Bridge)
The chain of sandbanks reaching toward India, steeped in legend and birdlife.
Mannar
A baobab-dotted island on the ancient land bridge.
What makes Mannar.
Mannar is a remote, windswept island in the north-west, linked to the mainland by a causeway and famous as the Sri Lankan end of Adam's Bridge — the chain of sandbanks and shoals that once connected the island to India. Its dry, sun-bleached, palmyra-dotted landscape is unlike anywhere else in the country. The island is studded with ancient baobab trees brought by Arab traders, ringed by a star-shaped Dutch fort, and ranks among the country's most important sites for migratory birds, including vast flocks of greater flamingos in the lagoons. The historic Thiruketheeswaram temple and the old Talaimannar pier add further reasons to make the long, atmospheric trip.
A baobab-dotted island on the ancient land bridge.
- December – March (peak migratory bird season)Best time
- 6Spots to see
- ~60KVisitors / year
What to see
Where to explore in Mannar.
The landmarks and corners worth carving out time for. Each one a reason this place earns its place on the route.
02Baobab trees
Ancient African baobabs, brought by Arab traders centuries ago, dotting the island.
03Mannar Fort
A four-bastioned Dutch fort guarding the causeway to the mainland.
04Flamingo lagoons
Shallow coastal lagoons that fill with greater flamingos and migrant waterbirds.
05Thiruketheeswaram Temple
An ancient and revered Hindu temple, one of the island's historic Shiva shrines.
06Talaimannar pier
The weathered old jetty that once served the ferry to India, at the island's tip.
Find Mannar on the map.
Where Mannar lies within the Northern Province, and the landmarks clustered around it, so you can picture how it threads into the rest of a tour.
Keep exploring
More of the Northern Province.
Our tours through Northern Province.
Make Mannar yours.
We weave it into a private, tailored trip around how you want to travel.