Guide to Vavunia

General information, recreation, infrastructure

Vavuniya (also Vavunya, Vavuniya) is a provincial town in the north of Sri Lanka 250 kilometers from Colombo and 230 km away. from the airport (see Vavuniya on the map of Sri Lanka). This is a fairly large city by local standards, its population is more than 70 thousand people.

Vavunia is not a resort or tourist destination, but for tourists it is an important transport hub through which bus and train routes pass from Colombo, Trincomalee, Anuradhapura and from other cities in Sri Lanka to Jaffna. There are also transfers to get from Jaffna to Trincomalee, Anuradapura and other cities.

But you do not necessarily have to make a stop and change of transport here, because almost all of these routes have non-stop transport. You will only have to make a stop in Vavunya if there are no direct flights or they do not fit you according to the schedule, or if you want to get acquainted with the typical provincial Sri Lanka. By the way, the city, although not replete with sights and entertainment, is very pleasant: the locals are incredibly friendly, happy to communicate and take pictures.

There is nothing much to do and see for tourists in the city. There is a large market and shops (of course, no modern shopping centers, as elsewhere in Sri Lanka); two bus stations and a railway station; a few simple attractions in the form of temples and monuments; banks and currency exchange; local cafes. Tourist infrastructure is not developed, but everything you need to find is not difficult.

Accommodation options in Vavunia are few – only a few hotels and guest houses with basic amenities.

You can find and book accommodation in Vavunia on these sites or through the search form. All sites have a Russian interface and Russian-language customer support, a lot of reviews from real guests.

• 🛌 Search for hotels in Vavunia on Yandex.travel
• 🛌 Search for hotels in Vavunia on Trip.com (💥 our choice)
• 🛌 Search for hotels on Ostrovok.ru

Weather in Vavunia, when to go

The weather in Vavuniya is of no fundamental importance, since this is only an intermediate point on the way to Jaffna. In turn, in Jaffna, the tourist seasons throughout the year are pronounced. In addition, Jaffna and the north as a whole is the hottest and driest region of Sri Lanka.:

• Dry season lasts from December to August, the driest months are from January to April. It is from January to April that it is best to go to the north of the country.
• Rainy season lasts from September to November, sometimes spanning August and November. In these months, the North can also be visited, but there is a chance to get under prolonged torrential rains and Solid Clouds.

Tourist seasons in northern Sri Lanka by month, when is the best time to go

Vavunia weather and forecast

How to get to Vavunia, transportation

Vavuniya is an important transport hub, intercity public transport is well developed here.:

• By bus

  

  A frequent bus service connects the city to at least Colombo, Jaffna, Trincomalee, Kandy, Matale, Bangalore. Buses arrive/depart from two bus stations:

  • CTB state bus station in the city center (bus station on the map). During our visit in 2019, very few buses left it, mainly to the nearest suburban destinations.
  • Intercity bus station on the outskirts of the city (bus station on the map). Most long-distance buses depart from here.

  Unfortunately, there is no online timetable and they depart quite frequently, especially to popular destinations in Jaffna, Trincomalee, Anuradapur and Colombo. You can simply arrive at the station and wait for the departure of the next bus, usually no more than 1 hour. Buses for departure are already waiting for passengers with open doors, and it is better to immediately take a seat, and not wait for the departure time, otherwise there may not be enough seating. Payment is made to the conductor, a ticket is issued.

• By train

  

  Vavuniya has a railway station on the Colombo–Anuradhapura-Vavuniya-Jaffna line (railway station on the map), all trains stop here. There are 4 trains daily.

  At the station there is a ticket office for the sale of tickets for the 2nd and 3rd Class (one hour before departure), and a ticket office for pre-booking tickets for the 1st Class (it is better to purchase at least a few days in advance).

  Train schedules are available online here - https://eservices.railway.gov.lk

Transport in the city, what to move

There is no public transport, you can only move on foot or by tuk-tuk. There is no car taxi. A tuk-tuk ride at a negotiated price, usually asking for 150 rupees (roughly 0.45 USD, see currency of Sri Lanka) for a short trip around the city, 250 for a trip from the railway station to the bus station or back, but you need to bargain.

Attractions, what to see

There are no iconic landmarks in Vavunia that would make it worth visiting the city. If you find yourself here, then the whole town and its interesting places can be seen in a couple of hours during a walk. To stay longer is only worth it in the colorful main market, which works in the morning. Here are the rest of the places to look:

• Clock Tower. A tower with a city clock. As with any city in Sri Lanka-this is the designation of the city center (tower on the map).
• Kudiirrpu Pillayar Kovil Temple. The main Hindu temple of the city (temple on the map). It is considered ancient, but there is no information about the history.
• Kandasamy Kovil Temple. The largest and most beautiful Hindu temple in the city, though not the most important (temple on the map).
• Church of the Holy Spirit. small very neat and beautiful Catholic Church, historical site (church on the map).
• Grand Jummah Mosque. The city's main mosque (mosque on the map).
• Vavuniya Kulam Lakes. a large lake with a good view from the kudiirrpu Pillayar Kovil temple (Lake on the map).
• Archaeological Museum. is small but has a good collection of rare artifacts dating back to the time of the birth of Buddhism in this region (railway station on the map). Admission to the museum is free, photos and videos are prohibited.