Casuarina Beach

Casuarina Beach is the most visited beach on the Jaffna peninsula, a stretch of pale sand on Karainagar island (connected to the mainland by causeway) with calm, shallow turquoise water that is safe for swimming for most of the year — an unusual quality among northern beaches which are generally rough and rocky. The beach takes its name from the row of casuarina (ironwood) trees along the shoreline that provide natural shade. The sea here is noticeably calmer than the open northern coast due to partial protection from the Karainagar landmass, and at low tide the water is extremely shallow far from shore. Infrastructure remains basic: a handful of small food stalls and no formal facilities, which contributes to the undeveloped, quiet character that many visitors find appealing after the crowded beaches of the south and west coast.