Casuarina Beach
A shallow calm beach on Karainagar island off Jaffna, shaded by the casuarina trees it is named for.
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Casuarina is the beach the Jaffna peninsula goes to: a stretch of pale sand on Karainagar island with casuarina trees planted along the back giving the only shade for a long way, and water so shallow that it stays waist deep a long way out, which makes it unusually safe by Sri Lankan standards. It is reached by causeway. At weekends it fills with families from Jaffna and the food stalls open.
What you actually see
- The shallow water - waist depth a long way out, calm and safe.
- The casuarina trees - the planted shade the beach is named for.
- The causeway - the road across the shallows to Karainagar island.
- The weekend crowd - Jaffna families filling the beach on Sundays.
When to go
December to March is the most comfortable. Weekends are busy and weekdays almost empty. Summer is severely hot.
Honest expectations
Facilities are basic and litter after busy weekends is a problem. There is no lifeguard, though the shallow water makes it safer than most. Shade is limited to the tree line.
Nearby
Jaffna town is southeast, and Keerimalai is northeast.
What to pack for Casuarina Beach
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
