Hi,
For those of you who are familiar with the road conditions from Colombo to Jaffna, please help.
Towards the tail end of our trip to Sri Lanka in Feb 2013, we are planning a trip to Jaffna for 3 days. Up trip will be by the coastal route (Negombo – Chilaw – Puttalam – Tirukketiswaram – Pooneryn – Jaffna) and down trip by the inland route (Jaffna – Kilinochchi – Vavuniya – Anuradhapura – Puttalam – Chilaw – Negombo); or at least that's the plan.
The Sri Lankan Consulate here (in Canberra) indicates that certain areas in Kilinochchi and Mullaittivu are not accessible due to de-mining activities, also that a permit from the SL Ministry of Defence may be required.
Q: Are we better off taking the coastal routes both ways to avoid the mined areas? Also, if we avoid the two areas mentioned in the consulate website, do we still need a permit (as we have heard conflicting experiences from some who say that the road block guards still demand paperwork and permits)?
Any information from anyone on the ground there would assist us greatly in our planning.
Thanks very much.
Road Trip to Jaffna (tips wanted)
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Hopefully Mohammed will see this. He lives in Colombo and will know about the issues involved in getting to Jaffna.
Road from Puttalam via Silvaturai and Pooneryn to Jaffna is an obstacle course that can be very muddy and impassable in wet weather, however it can be interesting and scenic. Feb is likely to be dry.
Regular Jaffna route via Killinochi is fine.
AFAIK no special passes needed by foreigners to travel on either route.
Land mines are only a concern of you venture on foot well of the roads and into the jungles on foot. Hundreds if not thousands travel these routes daily!
Thanks Mohammed. According to my dates, we are scheduled to make the road trip right at the end of Feb, so hopefully we'll escape the wet.
I stay with our planned coastal and inland route, and discuss the finer points with the local driver once we get there, in case the weather is really wet.
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