There are a few hotels that leave you with a sense of wonder, and Thinnai Organic in Jaffna is of those few.
One of the Thinnai Hotel Group’s key properties, Thinnai Organic is the Northern Region’s pioneering agrotourism resort and is spread out over 10 acres of farmland just outside of Jaffna, 15 minutes away from the Thinnai Hotels Group’s flagship property, The Thinnai.
The Thinnai Organic concept
The Thinnai Organic concept involves giving guests an authentic ecotourism experience with a focus on agriculture. Thinnai’s accommodation consists of a two-bedroom farmhouse, a farm room, and nine glamping tents. The farmhouse can accommodate up to a total of nine people and is thoughtfully appointed for families and groups.
In addition to its accommodation options, Thinnai Organic also welcomes backpackers, offering them space to pitch their tents for a secure overnight farmstay.
Organic produce is also a cornerstone of the Thinnai Organic experience with its organic farm growing a variety of fruits, herbs, and vegetables. The Thinnai Organic farm also keeps cows for milk as well as free-range organic chickens for farm-fresh eggs. Another of its farms nearby has livestock, including grass-fed goats and free-roaming organic chickens.
In addition to sustaining the farm, Thinnai Organic also provides organic produce for delivery to their clients in Colombo including fruits, vegetables, herbs, chicken, and eggs.
Unique meetings and events are also possible at Thinnai Organic, with Arangaham, a dedicated space for small gatherings of up to 30 people, and the Saantham Ecepriecen Centre, which is capable of holding events for up to 500 people.
Thinnai Organic is certified by Sricert, which is the certification arm of the Lanka Organic Agriculture Movement; the Sri Lankan partner of the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements – the umbrella organisation for worldwide organic agriculture.
Thinnai Organic is recommended by Eco Club, the international ecotourism club, which is the first worldwide ecotourism portal and professional network, and is also listed in Organic Holidays, which lists eco-friendly accommodation worldwide.
Agrotourism activities at Thinnai Organic
Thinnai Organic provides its guests a multitude of agricultural activities and experiences that allow them to connect with nature and wildlife. Activities include cycling, fishing, yoga, meditation, and ayurvedic treatment. There are also kid-friendly activities like feeding the farm animals.
Guests at Thinnai Organic are given the opportunity to pick their own produce and engage with the chef on how they’d like it made.
Other experiences offered by Thinnai Organic include speciality treks where guests can see how local communities cultivate their produce and indulge in local beverages like palmyrah toddy and young coconut juice.
Excursions to Jaffna and surrounding locales and landmarks are easily arranged by the team at Thinnai Organic upon request.
Thinnai Organic as a hub in its community
In addition to functioning as a hotel and small farm, Thinnai Organic also works closely with farmers in the area. A project started to help cope with the demand for organic produce, Thinnai Organic, with the support of the Sri Lanka Department of Agriculture, works with nearby farmers, sharing knowledge with them to help them sustain and grow their individual livelihoods by growing organic produce.
Organic farming was something the Sri Lanka Department of Agriculture had previously been working on with some farmers. Thinnai Organic works with some of these farmers, monitoring systems and providing training and knowledge to help them grow premium-quality produce. Thinnai Organic also purchases this produce from the farmers directly, paying them prices above market value. The farmers Thinnai Organic works with are certified by the Sri Lanka Department of Agriculture.
This collaborative model has been very successful in producing organic fruits, herbs, and vegetables, and Thinnai Organic hopes to work with farmers in raising organic chicken and free-range eggs as well in the near future.
Thinnai Organic also works with the Jaffna College Institute of Agriculture, taking on students to work as trainees at Thinnai Organic as part of their studies.
The Thinnai: A more contemporary experience to Thinnai Organic
The Thinnai, which is the Thinnai Hotels Group’s flagship property, is an all-suite boutique hotel located in the heart of Jaffna.
With 39 suites, The Thinnai offers its guests a contemporary travel experience with the perfect ambience to relax, rejuvenate, or reunite.
The Thinnai offers a range of one or two-bedroom suites that can accommodate between three to six people. Each suite contains a well-furnished living room with a private verandah or balcony, with the more luxurious offering a private kitchen and jacuzzis as well.
The Thinnai also offers a range of cuisines and atmospheres for its guests, with its largest restaurant Amudham providing guests tantalising Jaffna cuisine, the Thulaa Restaurant and Coffee Shop offering a more casual dining experience, the intimate Saaral Pub for those guests looking to unwind over a relaxed drink, and also The Kottil, The Thinnai’s poolside juice and beverage bar, for the same purpose.
Experiencing Jaffna your way with Thinnai Hotels Group
The Thinnai Hotels Group’s key Jaffna properties, The Thinnai and Thinnai Organic, provide its guests with very different and unique experiences; from the cosmopolitan city dweller who wants to stay in the heart of things, to the discerning eco traveller who wants to become one with nature.
