| Year and Month | 2017 March 19th |
| Number of Days | One day |
| Crew | 05-Amila, Ashan, Neranjana, Nuwan and My self |
| Accommodation | Previous day night at Jaffna Patinam Hotel |
| Transport | Van and boat |
| Activities | Photography and just visiting |
| Weather | Sunny |
| Route | Kandy->Jaffna->Mankumpan Jetty (මන්කුම්පාන් ජැටිය)->Palaitivu (පලෙයිතිව්)->Back to Mankumpan Jetty->Jaffna->Polonnaruwa |
| Tips, Notes and Special remark |
Special thanks to Amila. If you wouldn’t have arranged things our journey would be difficult. |
| Author | Niroshan |
| Comments | Discuss this trip report, provide feedback or make suggestions at Lakdasun Forum on the thread |
St. Anthony is the saint of worship among catholic population at coastal areas of Sri Lanka. There are annual festivals to worship St. Anthony at Kochchikade, Katchatheevu and Palaitivu churches.
As Katchatheevu and Palaitivu islands are out of bound for general population, festival season is the only opportunity to visit there. Usually Katchatheevu festival occurs in March and Palaitivu festival would be held on following Sunday. As Katchatheevu is a debatable island, the festival last only for two days and south Indians also participate. But Palaitivu Island festival last for seven days and opened only for Sri Lankans.
Where is Palaitivu situated
| Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  |
History of Palaitivu Island church
It doesn’t have a long history like Katchatheevu. The church was established by locals 50 years ago. ( Source: Jaffna Bishop House)
Last year when I visited at Katchatheevu, got to know about Palaitivu Island and it’s festival. We were waiting for a year to do this visit. Ashan, Neranjana and Nuwan also joined with us for this journey.
Thanks for Amila, he has arranged everything nicely for this visit. Myself and Nuwan arrived Jaffna from Kandy and other two reached there from Colombo. It was a sleepless night for Amila as both parties arrived in early morning in two occasions. Our journey was planned at 5am and we have reached Mankumpan jetty at that time.
We had to travel by a water jet and we were only five civilians with two other government workers. It was the last day of annual festival and maximum crowd has reached the island to participate the morning mass.
The journey took around 1hour and surrounding was beautiful with rising sun. We have reached the island by 7’o clock and hundreds of boats were roaming around the Island.
According to the Navy officer total number of 5000-6000 devotees has come to the island for morning mass. Navy has supplied drinking water for all devotees. We spent few minutes at morning mass and started to hang around.
Palaitivu festival market was luxurious and can be seen large variety of goods. We also bought some Thosai and Chinese rolls. After walking through the market we decided to get into the island.
We had to cross a nice grassy land and human droppings were found there. After jumping over human droppings we reached the beautiful beach. This beach extends around the island and shallow sea was ideal for bath. A coral reef is margined the island about 500m away from beach. It creates a shallow sea around the island. After having the bath we again walked further around this island. Island doesn’t have large trees only bushes can be seen around.
We came back to Navy camp around 10.30am and had the breakfast they prepared for Navy officers and priests.
Our return journey also happened by same water jet but it spent much time as boat has to avoid fishing nets.
It was a nice short visit to Palaitivu Island.
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Early morning view of Mankumpan jetty |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Just before dawn |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Team except me at Mankumpan jetty |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Water jet has arrived to the jetty |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Nicely woven mat |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Happy faces |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  View of sun rise from the boat. Click credit goes to Amila. |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  I had nice clicks with sun rise |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Going to hear morning mass |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  It is not safe to travel without life jackets. |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Different kind of boats around the island |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Different kind of boats around the island |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Different kind of boats |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  They are sailing towards island |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  View of Palaitivu Island church from sea. |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  View of Palaitivu Island church from sea. |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  We have reached Palaitivu Island jetty |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Boats around the island |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  SL Navy base at Palaitivu Island |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  St. Anthony shrine at Palaitivu Island |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  St. Anthony shrine at Palaitivu Island |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  St. Anthony shrine at Palaitivu Island |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  St. Anthony church at Palaitivu Island. |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  They were around the church. |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  They were around the church. |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Devotees at morning mass. |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  St. Anthony church at Palaitivu Island |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  The place for light lamps… |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Part of massive crowd around the church. |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  This little lady is also hearing the mass. Click credit goes to Amila |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  At Palaitivu festival market |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  At Palaitivu festival market |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  At Palaitivu festival market |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  At Palaitivu festival market |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  You can have a hot Thosai here |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Skinning of a chicken |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Fun time of young crowd |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Temporary shelter of devotees |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Get into the grassy land. |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  They were captured over grassy land. |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  It made nice pictures in my camera. |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  It made nice pictures in my camera. |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Beautiful shallow sea around the island. Bottom was full of live corals. |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Beautiful shallow sea around the island. We have walked in the sea. |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Corals at bottom of the sea |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Found at beach |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Found at beach |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Found at beach |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Found at beach |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Found at beach |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  They are posing |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Walking around the Island |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Another special feature of this island is having shrines everywhere of the island. |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Walking around the island |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Walking around the island |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Don’t know how it has reached here |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Don’t know how it has reached here |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Don’t know how it has reached here |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Don’t know how it has reached here |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Back to land side |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Back to land side. Tractor path used by Navy. |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Grassy land |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  The tower situated at Palaitivu jetty. This was renovated in 2009 by SL Navy. This tower also has the purpose of light house. |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Similar tower situated at Mankumpan Jetty. |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Google view of the island when we were there |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Google view of the island when we were there |
Thank you for reading. Have a safe journey