Things to see and do Mannar

You can't miss this impressive baobab located east of the market. It is the pride of the village and everyone will tell you about it. Despite the success of this tree, you should know that there are several others on the road leading to Talaimannar and that there are sixty of them between Mannar and Jaffna. The one in front of you is estimated to be 700 years old, measuring 19.51 m in circumference and 7.5 m in height. It is believed that baobabs were introduced by Arab traders and that their leaves were used as fodder for camels.

Giant's Tank Sanctuary is a nature reserve located about 20 km southeast of Mannar. Many species of waterfowl and wading birds are found in the sanctuary, as well as a few elephants. At the heart of the sanctuary is the Yodha Wewa, the Giant 's tank, considered to be one of the greatest creations of King Parakramabahu I. This tank is said to be one of the first human hydraulic installations on the island. Forgotten for a long time, it was reused when the British arrived.