A large, calm lagoon whose name means 'the sea of conches', ringed by mangroves and birdlife and marking the site where Sri Lanka's civil war ended in May 2009.

Overview

Nanthikadal is a broad, shallow lagoon separated from the Indian Ocean by the narrow spit of land on which Mullaitivu town sits. Fringed by mangroves and fished by local communities, its still waters attract egrets, herons, cormorants and other wading birds, and it makes a serene spot at dawn and dusk. The lagoon is also a place of profound national memory, as it was on its shores that the final battle of the civil war was fought in May 2009.

History

The lagoon's Tamil name, Nanthi Kadal, translates as 'the sea of conches'. It is fed by small rivers including the Per Aru. In May 2009 the shores of Nanthikadal became the site of the last stand of the LTTE and the end of the nearly three-decade civil war, giving the lagoon a solemn place in the country's recent history.