Delft Island

Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka

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Delft Island, also known as Neduntheevu, is the largest island in the Palk Strait in northern Sri Lanka. It is roughly oval-shaped, about 8 kilometers long and 6 kilometers wide, and features flat terrain that is often wind-swept, creating a soothing atmosphere.

The island is inhabited mainly by Tamil people living in small coastal settlements, while much of the interior consists of semi-arid vegetation like dry shrubs and tall palm trees. Delft is notable for its unique natural features including shallow coral beaches, brackish groundwater, and a rare African baobab tree.

Historically, it was named by Dutch colonists after the city of Delft in the Netherlands and contains ruins of a Portuguese fort built from coral and limestone. The island also has feral ponies descended from horses left during colonial times, and it remains a quiet, sparsely populated area with cultural and ecological significance.