Hammenhiel Fort

Between the islands of Kayts and Karaitivu on the Jaffna Peninsula is the historic Portuguese-Dutch fort Hammenhiel – which strangely translates to ‘heel of the ham’. The small octagonal fort was used as a jail right up until the 1970s and if the walls could speak they’d have a fair few stories to tell. The place is worth a trip just for the novelty values, but it also has great views across the lagoon.