Trip Around the Sri Lanka

Our day trip to Delft Island (Neduntheevu in Tamil, or Neduntivu in Sinhala), 30kms off the Jaffna coast in Northern Sri Lanka, was long, arduous, yet the most unique on our trip to Sri Lanka.

The journey to Delft begins at Kurikadduwan harbour, about an hour south-west of Jaffna. After a bumpy, enclosed, hour-long ferry ride, you arrive onto the mysterious, isolated, outlying coral and limestone island.

With a long history dating right from the ancient Chola Dynasty through Portuguese, Dutch and the British Colonial periods, history tugs at your sleeve with every step you take on Delft. Amongst the swaying palms and gentle sea breeze, remnants of the island’s past are dotted throughout; quaint tiny villages, colonial ruins, winding dirt roads and coral walls hint at bygone eras and simpler times.

Although Delft has not yet fully embraced modernity, or indeed tourism (or maybe it's vice versa and tourists haven't yet embraced Delft), we feel it only adds to the rustic charm of the island. There’s plenty to see and do, the locals are wonderfully friendly, and it’s entirely possible to fill a day of sightseeing without any hassles. Just don’t arrive expecting to find food - despite the island’s 6,000 full time inhabitants, the island is devoid of any restaurants!

Delft island may not be your stereotypical postcard-worthy island, but that's part of its charm, and makes it one of our favourite things to see in Jaffna.