The Kanniya Hot Springs are a set of hot wells found near Trincomalee, Sri Lanka. In total there are seven wells to be found here and each of them are full of bubbling hot water that’s been drawn from a number of streams that flow through here. Each well contains around 10-15 buckets worth of water and you’ll have to wait a while for them to slowly fill in again when they are empty.
In the vicinity of the hot springs, you’ll find the dilapidated ruins of an old monastery. These can make for a fascinating session of exploring during your visit and can yield some interesting insights into the history of Kanniya Hot Springs as well as the ancient Sri Lankans who visited it all those years back. You’ll also find an old stupa that can be traced all the way back to the 1st century here! Inscriptions found on this construct reveal that the water from the five major tanks found in the region was reserved for the usage of Buddhist monks that resided in the now ruined monastery.
The site is not only important to the island’s Buddhists, but its Hindu population as well. Here, a number of rituals dedicated to loved ones that have passed away are performed by several Sri Lankan Tamils. References to the Kanniya Hot Springs can be found even in the Hindu epic the Ramayana. It is believed that the site was frequented by Ravana – the king of Sri Lanka and the main antagonist of the story. With this site ben steeped in such legends and religious significance, you would be remiss to not visit the hot springs during your tour of Trincomalee.
