The Bus Station is located directly in town across the street from the clock tower and the market. The main cities serving Trincomalee are Dambulla and Anuradhapura (via Bus 835) to the west, as well as Kalmunai via Batticaloa to the south. There are even frequent buses from major cities such as Colombo(LKR300) and Jaffna in the north (line 88). From Dambulla or Batticaloa it costs about LKR150-200 to get here. Passengers flag buses to get on – so it can get rather cramped.The Bus Station is located directly in town across the street from the clock tower and the market. The main cities serving Trincomalee are Dambulla and Anuradhapura (via Bus 835) to the west, as well as Kalmunai via Batticaloa to the south. There are even frequent buses from major cities such as Colombo(LKR300) and Jaffna in the north (line 88). From Dambulla or Batticaloa it costs about LKR150-200 to get here. Passengers flag buses to get on – so it can get rather cramped.
The Train station is about 1km North of town. Even though the train is an option, the bus is faster due to straight and flat roads (no mountains). Train journey from Colombo could take up to 9 hours. Two trains per day: 06:05 & 21:30. The day train changes at Gal oya Junction for the last two hours. You can book 1st(on the Night Mail) and 2nd class tickets in advance but these usually go fast. You may need to book days in advance
An Airbase is located about 7km south west of the town. The Helitours wing of Sri Lankan Air Force operates commercial flights from Colombo (Ratmalana) to Trincomalee (China Bay), there are also private seaplane operators flying the Colombo- Trincomalee route – see below.
Air Taxi Cinnamon Air, a domestic airline in Sri Lanka, operates flights from Colombo Bandaranaike International Airport to Trincomalee. Along the way, it makes a stop at Sigiriya. The total duration of the flight is 1 hour and 15 minutes. One-way fare per person is USD 227 (without tax).
See
- Fort Fredrick is an old Dutch fort located on a peninsula east of the town centre. It still has a strong military presence from the war – the whole peninsula is basically a military base – but it is quite friendly and a nice place to explore. There is a nice Hindu temple named Koneswaram atop the cliff at the end of the peninsula with spectacular views; the rock nearby is called ‘Lovers Leap’ and has a story attached to it.
- Uppuveli beach is about 6km north of the town. To reach the beach take the bus north and get off at the church on the west side of the road 5-6km north of Trincomalee (watch the Kilometre Posts along the road). Directly after the church there is a side road leading directly to the beach along which there are lots of hotels, guesthouses and restaurants. Alles Garden Road (Sarvodaya Road) is the epicentre of the scene, north of it is e.g. Cinnamon Blu hotel.
- Nilaveli, slightly farther north, is similar to Uppuveli but less crowded. There is a big military base right in the middle of Nilaveli, but the nice beaches make up for it. The main Nilaveli beach is long and pristine with no crowds.
- Pigeon Island national park, 1km offshore, can be reached with local tour operators (just ask your hotel or guest house) and is preferred for its white sand, rock pigeon breeding grounds and shark sights. It should be about LKR2000-3000 for the boat, National Park entrance, processing fee and VAT.
- Marble BeachGet the Mutur bus to Kinnia and ask for the Marble Beach Junction just before the bridge to Kinnia., 40ruppees or so. Ask the conductor to tell you when to get off. You must travel the rest of the way by tuk tuk – there is an army checkpoint and they will not let you walk the 2k to the beach.It is a set 150rupee fare and the ride takes you through beautiful countryside with monkeys peacocks and water buffalo. You will be stopped again at the Airforce checkpoint where you pay 20 rupees and they will give you a receipt. Keep this because you will need it about .5k further on when you get to the beach car park. There is a public beach to the right or you can get your tuk tuk to drop you at the spa to the left. All you have to do is order lunch and you can use the changing and showering facilities along with the beach shelters and sun-beds. Beautiful bay, shallow safe swimming with marker buoys for safety. Well worth the 1200 for fish and chips – which can be served at your sun shelter or in the restaurant once you have changed. To get back to the main road ask for a tuk tuk from the duty airforce soldier who took your ticket at the car park, he will call for one for you.
- Some interesting Temples can be found in Trincomalee, one close to the bus station on Dockyard Rd before the cemetery, and one on the inner harbor side along Custom Rd parallel to Post Office Rd (Kachcheri Rd). The latter temple is famous for its giant phallus symbol.
- Deer are a very distinct and local attraction in Trincomalee. They are visible everywhere on the Fort peninsula and close to the bus station.
- Kanniya hot springs These are the most popular hot springs of the island, a group of seven springs each with different water medicinal qualities and temperature. One uses a bucket to extract water and then pour over the needed body parts. It is advisable to take your own (metal) bucket, your accommodation can hopefully lend you one. Please do not wear swimsuits etc as this may cause offence. T-shirts and shorts or a beach wrap maybe a better bet.
