Jaffna named in Lonely Planet’s Top 25 global destinations for 2026

Popular travel magazine “Lonely Planet” has named Jaffna as one of their Top 25 global destinations in 2026!

The list includes cities, islands and countries, with Jaffna standing tall amongst renowned travel destinations including Peru, Finland, Botswana, Cartagena in Columbia, Mexico City and many more.

Jaffna, a city & peninsular located on the northern most tip of Sri Lanka, is celebrated for its deep-rooted Tamil heritage, cuisine, historic landmarks, and vibrant cultural atmosphere.

It has remerged as a tourist destination after a three decade long brutal civil war which lasted till 2009. The city still remains largely unknown as a global tourist destination despite Sri Lanka topping many travel guides.

A short boat ride away from the southern Indian states of Tamil Nadu & Kerala, Jaffna is also gateway to untapped natural beauty across the islands north and eastern mainland provinces, and neighbouring isles.

Jaffna International Airport began receiving flights from Chennai & Southern India this year, with plans in the pipeline to expand the airport for better global connectivity.

Timeout Magazine’s recommendation of top places to visit includes Jaffna Public Library & Nallur Kandasamy Kovil. Visited Jaffna, if so what are your top places to visit in Jaffna?