Palmyrah House Mannar

Mannar Hotel Overview

This luxury boutique hotel, consisting of fourteen rooms, all elegantly furnished for maximum comfort. Naturally all rooms are air conditioned, with their own private deck, adjoining bathrooms with hot-and-cold showers and having access to Wi-Fi. One of the guest building houses six bedrooms, with two on the upper deck and four on the lower deck. In addition, there are four chalets, with two rooms each as well as adequate housing for the staff. 

All meals are provided and dishes can be tailor-made to your taste with a little prior notice. However, it's recommended that visitors try the acclaimed local menu. Meals can be taken either at the restaurant (capable of seating 40 people), or at your own private deck. The food is prepared from the freshest ingredients from each day's ocean bounty as well as the best organic produce from Totum Farms. Guests should also try our homemade palmyrah jaggery and chili paste. 

Guests can rent a boat to visit the legendary Adam’s Bridge. Sea bathing at the luxurious private beach is also another popular option. Visitors can go fishing around the magnificent Giant’s Tank or go snorkeling amongst the beautiful coral reefs or the seagrass beds found in the surrounding waters. As the winds are strong around Mannar, activities like windsurfing and kitesurfing are highly recommended.
Birdwatching is very popular, particularly from November through to February, during which time the Northern hemisphere winter migrant species make the long hard journey across thousands of kilometers to enjoy the tropical climate of Mannar. For our more active guests, bicycles can be hired for a trip around the island. For all activities, a guide can be provided to supplement the exploration with in-depth information about Mannar’s rich culture and history.

Explore the sights which give Mannar its unique character. As visitors explore and become more familiar with the surroundings, flagship names like Adam’s Bridge, Mannar Fort and Doric House will soon become a part of the jargon. Mannar provides the diversity of sights that any visitor would hope for, meshing the unique facets of local tradition and history with the effortless abundance of nature's gifts. 

The Adam's Bridge is a 30km long expanse of 18 sand banks, which connects the island of Sri Lanka to India, as well as separating the Palk Strait and the Gulf of Mannar. This iconic natural formation is famed for both its part in the legend of Ramayana, as well as being a resting stop for many migratory birds annually. The waters around these islets are home to the rare and elusive dugongs.

Built over 450 years ago, Mannar Fort was built to monitor the Talaimannar Strait, one of the few places where large ships could safely pass through. It was a vital area for the ancient maritime Silk and Spice routes.

The Lady of Madhu Church was built in 1872, which houses the revered shrine for the Lady of Madhu, which is two centuries older. The Lady of Madhu is one of the few remaining relics that survived the Dutch Protestant persecution in the 17th century. Every 15th of August, a large festival is held to celebrate the Day of Assumption, drawing Catholics from all over Sri Lanka.