Keerimalai Springs and Nilavarai Well
A freshwater spring pool beside the sea at Keerimalai, tied to a Shiva temple and several legends, plus a deep limestone well at Nilavarai that is called bottomless.
What Keerimalai and Nilavarai actually are
Keerimalai lies on the coast north of Jaffna near Palaly, about 25 km out of the city. Its pool is a freshwater spring that surfaces right beside the sea, separated from it by a wall. Despite the common name ‘hot spring’, the water is not hot. Hindus regard it as healing, and it sits next to the Naguleswaram Shiva temple. Legends differ: one has a sage cured of a mongoose-like face, another a Pandyan princess cured of a horse-shaped head.
There are separate bathing areas for men and women, facilities are basic, and mornings are quieter. Afternoons bring busloads of visitors and pilgrims.
Nilavarai is a different place: a natural limestone sinkhole in Puttur, about 14 km from Jaffna town. Local tradition links it underground to Keerimalai and calls it bottomless. It is not: early surveys put the bottom at about 44–46 m, and a later navy dive at about 52.5 m. Today the site is described as overgrown, the water stagnant and unsuitable for bathing, with a cement wall and steps. It is a short stop, not a destination.
Worth your attention
The spring pool
A freshwater pool walled off from the sea. It stays fresh next to salt water, which is why it is considered special.
Naguleswaram temple
The Shiva temple beside the spring is an important pilgrimage site; one source says the Portuguese destroyed it and it was rebuilt in the 19th century.
Separate bathing areas
Men and women use different enclosures. Check before changing and dress modestly.
Nilavarai well
A deep, steep-sided sinkhole with water about 4 m below ground level and steps down to it. Look, do not swim.
Before you go
Do this
- Go early to avoid the afternoon crowds.
- Bring a towel and a change of clothes; facilities are basic.
- Dress modestly and respect the temple next door.
- Mind slippery stone around the pool.
- Visit Nilavarai on the same trip but expect to look only.
Know this first
- The water is not hot. The name misleads.
- Facilities are basic and cleanliness varies according to reviewers.
- Nilavarai is not bottomless and is not suitable for bathing.
- Both sites are religious or traditional places; behave quietly.
Getting to Keerimalai Springs and Nilavarai Well
Most people see Keerimalai Springs and Nilavarai Well as part of a stay around Jaffna. Our Jaffna guide covers where to stay, how long to give it and what else is nearby.
Coming straight from the airport, the relevant run is Colombo Airport to Jaffna — fixed price per vehicle, driver waiting inside arrivals with a name board.
Read the full Jaffna guideFrom Colombo Airport
Car up to 3 passengers; vans quoted on the route page. No night surcharge.
Keerimalai Springs and Nilavarai Well — frequently asked
What is Keerimalai Springs?
A freshwater spring pool next to the sea near Palaly, north of Jaffna, beside the Naguleswaram temple. It is considered sacred and curative by Hindus, though the water is not hot.
Is Nilavarai Well really bottomless?
No. A mid-19th-century survey put the bottom at about 44–46 m and a navy dive later measured about 52.5 m. ‘Bottomless’ is local tradition.
Can you swim at Keerimalai?
People bathe in the pool, in separate areas for men and women. Dress modestly, mind the slippery edges, and bring your own towel.
Are Keerimalai and Nilavarai connected?
Local belief says yes, by an underground channel more than 10 km long. That is tradition, not verified geology.
Also worth stopping for around Jaffna
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