{{Short description|Bay in Eastern Province, Sri Lanka}} {{about|the bay|the port|Trincomalee Harbour}} {{redirect|China Bay|the airport|China Bay Airport|the railway station|China Bay railway station}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2019}} {{Use British English|date=May 2016}} {{Infobox body of water | name = Trincomalee Bay | other_name = Koddiyar Bay | native_name = {{ubl|{{native name|si|ත්රිකුණාමලය වරාය}}|{{native name|ta| திருகோணமலைத் துறைமுகம்}}}} | image = Bay of Trincomalee.jpg | caption = View of the bay | image_map = | caption_map = | pushpin_map = Sri Lanka | pushpin_map_caption = Location in Sri Lanka | coords = {{coord|08|30|N|81|14|E|type:waterbody_region:LK_scale:200000|display=inline,title}} | rivers = Mahaweli River | oceans = Indian Ocean | countries = Sri Lanka | length = {{convert|13|km|abbr=on}} | width = {{convert|10|km|abbr=on}} | area = | frozen = | islands = Round Island, Elephant Island, Clappenburg Island, Great Sober Island and Little Sober Island | cities = Trincomalee<ref name="GE">GoogleEarth</ref> }}
'''Trincomalee Bay''', also known as '''Koddiyar Bay''',<ref name="mapcartaA">{{cite web |url=http://mapcarta.com/14825382 |title=Koddiyar Bay |work=Mapcarta |accessdate=14 November 2016}}</ref> is a bay in the Eastern Province, Sri Lanka. The bay is located by Trincomalee town on the north-east coast of the island.
== Geography == thumb|left|250px|View of Round Island, located on the northern side of the bay's mouth. Trincomalee Bay is open towards the northeast and has three differentiated parts. The main bay, also known as Koddiyar Bay, is located in the south and southeastern side and fairly regularly shaped, as well as enclosed and deep, forming a large natural harbour in the shores of the Indian Ocean. The commercial harbour is located in the {{convert|5|km|mi|abbr=on|0}} long and {{convert|4|km|mi|abbr=on|0}} wide northern indentation, also known as China Bay, on whose western side lies China Bay Airport. Tambalagam Bay is a mostly shallow western indentation of the main bay stretching westwards for {{convert|8|km|abbr=on|0}}.<ref name="mapcartaC">{{cite web |url=http://mapcarta.com/14843960 |title=China Bay |work=Mapcarta |accessdate=14 November 2016}}</ref>
The bay is overlooked by terraced hills in the northwest and its entrance is guarded by two headlands.<ref>[http://www.ceylontoday.lk/22-31282-news-detail-trinco-harbour-will-be-developed-next-slpa-chief.html Trinco Harbour will be developed next – SLPA Chief], Ceylon Today dated 5 February 2013</ref> Trincomalee Bay has a length of {{convert|13|km|mi|abbr=on|0}} and a width of {{convert|10|km|mi|abbr=on|0}}, while the mouth of the bay is {{convert|5|km|mi|abbr=on|0}} wide.<ref name="Port Authority">{{cite web |title=Port of Trincomalee |url=http://www.slpa.lk/port_trincomalee.asp?chk=4 |publisher=Sri Lanka Port Authority |accessdate=19 January 2012}}</ref>
The bay includes a few islands: Round Island, Elephant Island and Clappenburg Island in the main bay, and Great Sober Island and Little Sober Island in China Bay. The latter two are wildlife sanctuaries<ref name="SI">{{cite web |url=http://islandsofsrilanka.blogspot.com/2014/05/8-elephant-island.html |title=Elephant Island |work=Small islands of Sri Lanka |accessdate=14 November 2016}}</ref> {{stack|thumb|340px|18th century map of Trincomalee Bay.}}
== History == Trincomalee Harbour, formerly a naval base of the Royal Navy, was taken over by the Sri Lankan Government in 1956 to be developed as a commercial port. The base in Trincomalee was fitted out to perform slipway repairs for the Sri Lanka Navy.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Sri Lanka Navy – Trincomalee Harbor |url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/sri-lanka/navy-trincomalee-harbor.htm |website=globalsecurity.org |accessdate=25 October 2015}}</ref>
== See also == * Kinniya Bridge * List of islands of Sri Lanka * Round Island Light, Sri Lanka
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * {{Commons category-inline|Trincomalee Bay}}
Category:Bays of the Indian Ocean Category:Bodies of water of Sri Lanka Category:Geography of Eastern Province, Sri Lanka Category:Bodies of water of Trincomalee District