27 km
from city center 1 out of 7
Things To Do in Pasikuda

Bridge Market is a curated marketplace bringing together small-scale rural producers from Sri Lanka’s Eastern Province. Set beside the Batticaloa lagoon, this market is a community initiative where locally-grown, fully organic vegetables, fruits, ginger bee honey, curd, pickles, kithul treacle and other snacks are sold, alongside unique clothes, wooden carvings, heirloom embroidery and traditional instruments. All proceeds go to the farmers and producers.

28 km
from city center 2 out of 7
Things To Do in Pasikuda

Kallady is a very popular stretch of beachfront in Batticaloa, sharing white sands with casuarina groves. Besides having shady spots for picnics and hammocks, Kallady Beach is a serene balm for the weary traveller, as it is a frolicking hub for families on weekends. Enjoy a stroll along the seafront wooden walkways, go snorkelling, diving and swimming, or watch fishermen hurling in their nets at sunrise.

38 km
from city center 3 out of 7
Things To Do in Pasikuda

A short drive from Pasikuda, the Kokkadicholai Thanthondreeswarar Temple is Batticaloa’s most significant Shaivism Kovil. Among the region’s oldest shrines, this temple features a vibrant facade, pastel pillars, magnificent sculptures of Lord Shiva, and interesting trivia like a bull statue said to have chased away Portuguese soldiers in the past. Thousands of pilgrims attend the mid-August chariot festival and fortnight-long ceremonies here.

28 km
from city center 4 out of 7
Things To Do in Pasikuda

Erected in 1628, Batticaloa Fort has switched hands between several colonial powers under Portuguese, Dutch and British rule. This fortress flaunts four prominent bastions in the heart of town and is protected by Batticaloa Lagoon on two sides. Reimagine Batticaloa’s glorious past as an administrative and global trading stronghold by exploring the Dutch Fort complex on foot, where old cannons rest beside government offices that are still operational.

28 km
from city center 5 out of 7
Things To Do in Pasikuda

A sacred place to both Hindus and Sinhala Buddhists, Tiruchendur Murugan Alayam Temple offers a better understanding of the area's culture. Constructed in 1984 as a stopping point on the Pada Yatra pilgrimage to Kataragama, the temple's Lord Murugan image is said to have opened its own eyes before the painter could do the job. It has a colourful leaning tower or gopuram overlooking Kallady's Third Cross Street.

42 km
from city center 6 out of 7
Things To Do in Pasikuda

Batticaloa Lagoon is a very large estuarine lagoon separating Batticaloa from the Indian Ocean. The lagoon is popular for its “singing fish”, as clear but faint plucked guitar-like melodies are said to ascend from its waters along Kallady Bridge, produced by endangered marine life at full moon. Enjoy boating and cruising on the lagoon, past fishing villages, rice and coconut farms, Batticaloa Fort and Lighthouse, and stunning sunsets.

1 km
from city center 7 out of 7
Things To Do in Pasikuda

Perched along Batticaloa’s eastern coast, Pasikuda Bay flaunts an unspoiled 2-kilometre-long stretch of blond sands and sapphire, shallow sea. Touted as Eastern Province’s best beach, Pasikuda Bay is not only a world-class snorkelling destination with vibrant corals and marine life but also ideal for leisure pursuits and sunset walks. There are several swanky resorts, luxury cruises, speed boating tours and relaxed beach bars.