Delft Island

Delft (Needunthivu in Tamil) is an island in Sri Lanka's Northern Province. It is Sri Lanka's most remote inhabited island and a place worth visiting for its history, quiet lifestyle and isolated beauty. == Understand == Delft Island is a poor and isolated place, despite its storied past. It was colonised first by the Portuguese, then the Dutch, then the British, with the result that (as John Gimlette wrote in 2013) "everyone has left a bit of themselves here". The Portuguese brought the first horses and built the first fort, which can still be seen in its ruined state today. Under Dutch rule, most locals converted to Catholicism and many buildings were built in the Dutch style. Even today, many local families have Dutch surnames. British rule focused on resource extraction, planting flax plants for the navy and breeding horses for the army. The most infamous British administrator was Edward Nolan, an army Lieutenant who ran the island from 1811-1824, credited with building the low, drystone coral walls throughout the island, in the style of his native Ireland. He is also credited with the preponderance of grey-eyed locals on the island today, a product of his outrageous dalliances with local women, for which he was tried (and found not guilty) for abuse of power in 1819. At 62 km², the island is about the same size as San Marino, but receives hardly any tourists. The provincial government has tabled reports recommending the development of the island for tourism, but as of 2025 the island is still incredibly rustic and desolate, which is a big part of the charm. Nearly the entire population of 4,800 people lives in the northern half of the island. The southern half is covered in scrub, unsuitable for agriculture. Aside from kitchen-gardens and nameless scrub, the island is dominated by the Palmyrah (Borassus) palm and aloe vera plants. == Get in == From Jaffna, take the 776 bus from the red bus stand outside the HNB Metro branch to the Kurikadduwan (often abbreviated KKD) jetty. Buses depart every 40 minutes (first bus at 06:40), journey time 1 hour, distance 32 km. Passenger boats leave from here to Delft. If you have your own car, there is parking near the jetty. There are four boats per day (two on Sundays) and sometimes there is not enough room for everyone wishing to board. Therefore, preference is given to local residents during busy times, especially on weekends and holidays. As of 2025, there are sporadic reports of foreign tourists being made to board last, or denied boarding when the boat is full of local residents. The boats are in a state of disrepair and the voyage is notoriously choppy. Tourists only make up around 5% of the passengers on these boats. There are two classes of ferries - the free ferry and the little cargo ferry. The free ferry is a horrible tube full of people throwing up, while the little wooden boats carrying cargo cost about Rs 200 (2025) and are a much more gentle ride in the open air. Definitely take the cargo boat unless it's raining. Your accommodation should have a more up to date timetable than the one below so check the times with them before heading to the jetty. Private boat transfers are also available, however choose your boat with care. == Get around == The main road is Maveli Periyathurai Road, which is paved and links the two main settlements. The larger of the two, an entry point via the ferry jetty on the north coast, is called Maveilturai, and the other settlement on the west coast is called Periyaturai. There are no cars on the island. You can usually hire bicycles from your accommodation, and this will be the way most travellers get around, as the island is quite small. Tuktuks provide transport between settlements, and buses can be hired for excursions into undeveloped areas. If you're lucky you might spot a tractor/trailer going in the right direction and be able to hop on. Recommended Tuktuk drivers include Komas (+94765389297) and Joseph (+94779321353). == See == Tuktuk drivers wait at the jetty to take day-trippers on a four hour tour of the island. If you're staying longer, hire a bike from your accommodation, some of which provide them for free. 1 Queen's Tower. This British-era trigonometric point for surveyors has become a tourist attraction due to its isolation and stark beauty, which breeds a certain romance and mystery. In this, it is a representation of the entire island. Just don't believe folks who tell you it was a lighthouse (it wasn't) or that you can see India from the top (you can't) and be aware it is a long windy ride to get here. However, there is a Navy-run kiosk which sells nice cold water bottles and a delicious aloe vera drink called Komarika for Rs 100 a glass to fortify you for the ride back. (updated Nov 2025) 2 Banyan Tree (behind a Hindu temple). A single banyan tree with multiple trunks covering an area of 60 x 30 m. (updated Nov 2025) 3 Baobab tree. An enormous, 500-year-old tree brought to Delft by Arab traders (updated Nov 2025) 4 Dutch Hospital. (updated Nov 2025) 5 Dovecote (Pigeon Nest). This Dutch-era pigeon nest of unusual design was used to house carrier pigeons which carried information between Delft and Jaffna, a practice which was continued into the British colonial era. (updated Nov 2025) 6 Dutch Fort (Meekanam Fort). This now-ruined fort was built by the Portuguese out of coral, and inherited by the Dutch, who did not improve it (unlike Jaffna Fort), which explains its small size. It is at the original harbour, which is now silted up. There is an old Catholic cemetery on what was once the other side of the bay. (updated Nov 2025) 7 Free-roaming horses. These horses, which roam the interior (particularly on the east side of the island) are descendents of horses brought by the Portuguese, Dutch and British colonisers. They were left on the island after British Army cavalry horse breeding programs ceased in the early 20th century. The island's difficult environment has promoted their proliferation of smaller-statured horses, although they are not true 'ponies', as they are often called. They are also not truly feral, as they all have branding on their sides, indicating they belong to someone, but are left to roam the island. Still, they are very photogenic and a big drawcard bringing tourists to the island. (updated Nov 2025) == Do == Swim at the beach. The best beach with nice soft sand is the one near the main settlement, to the west of the ferry jetty. The other beaches on the island have less sand and more broken coral. Bring reef shoes to avoid cuts. Note that there are no facilities at any of the beaches. == Eat == Prices are somewhat higher than in the rest of Northern Sri Lanka due to the difficulty of transporting goods here. 1 Kathir Restaurant. (updated Nov 2025) 2 Island Hut. Seafood (updated Nov 2025) Your accommodation will probably also be able to provide meals. Just ask! == Drink == The only bar on the island is at the Samudra Hotel. You can also buy palm toddy from the 1 Delft Palm Development Co-operative Society. (updated Nov 2025) == Sleep == 1 Delft Village Stay, ☏ +94771024032. Environmentally-friendly accommodation with a communal atmosphere minutes from beach. Most beds are in tents covered by huts, all with power, lights and a fan. Tommy runs this place with passion and care, encouraging guests to converse by offering delicious communal meals around a big table. The 4 open air showers have great pressure and the toilets are kept clean. Cash or bank transfer only. Dorm bed Rs 2500, tent accommodation Rs 3500-5000, A/C room Rs 4500 per night. (updated Nov 2025) 2 Samudra Hotel, Maveli Periyathurai Road (300m from jetty), ☏ +94212215282. A/C rooms with comfortable beds. Also has a popular restaurant and bar. (updated Nov 2025) 3 Nsquare Delft Guesthouse, ☏ +94760799098. Basic rooms right near the beach (updated Nov 2025) 4 Arckaa Beach Resort, ☏ +94779392426, resortarckaa@gmail.com. Beachfront villas (updated Nov 2025) 5 Beach Cottage Homestay, ☏ +94773691955, sebastiampillai63@gmail.com. Cute, basic homestay metres from the beach (updated Nov 2025) 6 Mikki Homestay (Across the road from Delft Village Stay), ☏ +94778348686. Ultra-basic tiny rooms with shared facilities arranged around a central courtyard (updated Nov 2025) 7 Pradeshiya Sabha Guest House, ☏ +94774290560. One of a chain of government-owned "rest houses" throughout Sri Lanka. Shared bathrooms. Basic and no privacy but great value for groups. Prices per room: 4 bed fan Rs 2600, 4 bed A/C Rs 4500. 8 bed fan Rs 4800, 8 bed A/C Rs 7500. (updated Nov 2025) There are many other homestays on the island, but most have no online presence. For the ultra-adventurous, travellers have reported camping on the soft sandy beach near the Nsquare guesthouse. == Connect == All networks provide mobile phone reception on the island. 1 Post Office. (updated Nov 2025) == Stay safe == Crime is very rare on Delft. Venomous snakes exist so be wary of venturing into the scrub. The island has a 2 Clinic. (updated Nov 2025) but it is under-resourced and understaffed. The nearest hospital is in Kayts. The Navy will likely be able to facilitate medical evacuation, ask a local. In July 2025 a privately-operated boat carrying 14 people including 12 tourists sank while returning to Kurikadduwan from Delft. The boat began taking on water and seemingly was not equipped with a radio as crew members resorted to raising a white flag to get attention. Luckily, a passing ship came to their aid and all 14 people were rescued safely. If you choose to take a private vessel to or from Delft, ensure there are radios and life jackets on board. == Go next == Being the most remote of the islands, the only place to go is back to Kirkadduwan, where you can get a ferry to Nainathivu or a bus back to Jaffna. There is no onward passage to India, or anywhere else for that matter. Congratulations, you made it to the end of Sri Lanka.