Pallai (Sinhala: පල්ලෙයි), also spelt Palai, is a small town in the Kilinochchi District, Northern Province, Sri Lanka. It is located near the coast on the northern peninsula, approximately 40 kilometres (25 mi) south-east of Jaffna. In 1861 the Church Mission Society sent Rev. John Backus to Pallai to establish a Christian community in the town. This led to the construction and dedication of St. Andrew's Church on 30 November 1895. In 1921 the government declared a 4.25 square kilometres (2 sq mi) area adjacent to the town as a forest reserve.