Walk the ramparts of the old Fort.
Visit Yatagala Temple, a rock-sheltered shrine surrounded by rice paddies and panoramci views (© Amangalla)
I could be describing virtually any evening in Sri Lanka’s Galle Fort. Encircled on three sides by the Indian Ocean, the UNESCO-listed fort is one of the most atmospheric destinations in Sri Lanka. First built by the Portuguese in 1588, it was expanded by the Dutch in the 17th century, who added the massive stone walls, ramparts and bastions. The British took over in 1796, using the fort as an administrative centre until Sri Lanka gained independence in 1948.
But what sets Galle apart from other heritage destinations is that it very much remains a living, working community. Among its wonderful collection of Dutch-colonial buildings are working offices, courts and export companies. Among its churches, mosques, museums and temples is a growing collection of boutique shops, cafes, restaurants, hotels and art galleries.
I was lucky enough to live in Sri Lanka for just over a year, managing a trio of villas to the east of Galle. Our accountants were officed within the streets of the old fort and I never missed an opportunity to pay them a visit, rewarding myself after with a walk around the ramparts. Here are my suggestions for what to see and do in Galle and the surrounding area.
Explore the modern and historical wonders of Galle.
Take part in a turtle conservation programme.
Learn about the colonial history of the city.
Take high tea at Amangalla.
Best things to do in Galle Fort
Walk the Walls
The ramparts are a beautiful place for a dawn or dusk walk. For the best sunset views, head to Flag Rock at the southernmost end of the fort. During Dutch rule, signals were sent from here to alert approaching ships to the hazardous rocks below, giving the landmark its name. Today, daredevil locals hurl themselves from the walls into the water below. While it’s free to explore both the ramparts and streets, I recommended a guided tour to bring the history of the fort to life.
Catch a Cricket Match
Sri Lanka’s love for cricket is visible almost everywhere. The fort’s northern bastions loom above Galle’s international stadium, providing an excellent vantage point from which to watch a match. Although it’s free to sit on the ramparts, an ‘entrepreneur’ may appear asking for a ‘donation’. For big games, hawkers arrive selling beers, snacks and ice creams.
Browse the Boutiques
The shopping within the fort is among the best in Sri Lanka, with an ever-evolving roster of boutiques to browse in. Barefoot is renowned for its handloomed clothes and accessories, all in bold, bright colours. Tallentire House offers ceramics, cushions, fabrics and home accessories, all exclusively designed by British textile designer Lindsay Taylor, printed in India and stitched in Sri Lanka. Exotic Roots provides locally sourced art, clothing, jewellery and homeware, with a focus on Sri Lankan designers and artisans. Equally trendy is KK Collection on Pedlar Street, housed in a converted villa with a pond in the courtyard.
For beautifully packaged Ayurvedic luxuries, including incense candles, natural oils, toiletries and balms, head to Spa Ceylon on the corner of Lighthouse and Pedlar Street. For a more unusual souvenir, Stick No Bills is famous for its vintage posters and boasts an impressive collection of rare travel and film posters from the late 1800s through to the early 1980s.
Source a Sapphire
Galle is one of the best places in Sri Lanka to buy jewellery and precious stones, especially Ceylon sapphires. At the last count there were at least 30 jewellery stores within the walls of the fort alone. Serious shoppers should take their time, visit several and compare prices. I can personally recommend Lihiniya Gems on Hospital Street, who designed and made my wife’s engagement ring. There is also a great selection of individual cut stones and beautifully finished pieces at the Historical Mansion Museum on Leyn Baan Street.
High Tea at Amangalla
The grande dame of Galle Fort hotels, Amangalla is the best of two worlds – both the height of modern luxury and an authentic testament to colonial finery. Whenever we needed a break from the bustle, my wife and I would call in for high tea on the veranda, complete with homemade scones, clotted cream baked in the hotel kitchen and strawberry jam made using fruit from the highlands of Nuwara Eliya.
Day Trips from Galle
Handunugoda Tea Estate
It’s well worth visiting this coastal tea plantation in the hills above Koggala, about a 40-minute drive from Galle, especially if you haven’t time to reach Sri Lanka’s more celebrated Hill Country tea estates. The estate produces one of the world’s most expensive teas, Virgin White Tea, which pound for pound is more expensive than silver. On the guided tour, you’ll learn about the plantation, enjoy a brew and a piece of cake in the colonial plantation house, then be guided around the factory, discovering the different stages of the tea-making process. The factory is a fascinating mix of old and new, with machines brought from Belfast 150 years ago working side by side with state-of-the-art laser sorting equipment. After the tour you can sample and buy more than 25 varieties of Sri Lanka’s most famous export.
Turtle Hatcheries, Habaraduwa
There are two turtle hatcheries in Habaraduwa, founded to help reverse the sad decline in Sri Lankan sea turtles. Eggs are collected and incubated in the sand to protect them from poachers. The new-born turtles are then cared for by the volunteer staff before being returned to the beach to make their way to the ocean. If you’re lucky enough to visit on a release day, then for a small donation you can release them yourself – a very special experience and especially good for children.
Whale Watching
From December to April, the waters off Mirissa are some of the best in the world for catching sight of blue whales, the largest animals on Earth. Measuring up to 30 metres long and weighing up to 170 tonnes, these giants of the ocean are an incredible sight to behold. We recommend chartering a private boat with a responsible operator. Trips normally depart early in the morning, allowing time to look for whales before sailing back towards shore to go snorkelling or paddleboarding.
Sigiriya by Sea Plane
Initially set up as an air taxi service to beat the traffic, Cinnamon Air now offers private-charter sightseeing flights by sea plane. Take off from Koggala Lake and fly north to soar above Sigiriya Rock, marvelling at its ancient ruins and stunning gardens from the air. Rising 200 metres straight up from the surrounding plain, the 5th-century fortress is one of eight World Heritage sites found across the country.
Geoffrey Bawa’s Lunuganga Estate
Once the country retreat of renowned Sri Lankan architect Geoffrey Bawa, Lunuganga is a fascinating blend of tropical gardens, carefully composed landscapes and architectural surprises. Developed over decades as a living experiment in Tropical Modernism, the estate is now a boutique hotel about an hour and a half from Galle. Led by those who knew Bawa personally, guided tours bring the gardens to life, revealing tucked-away sculptures and unexpected viewpoints.
Top House Cinnamon Estate
Top House is a beautiful, working cinnamon estate just inland from Weligama, with spectacular views of dense jungle to the north and the ocean to the south. The British owners lead tours of the estate personally, explaining how the prized spice is cultivated and harvested, from the careful stripping of its fragrant bark to the preparation of cinnamon quills and the extraction of oil at the purpose-built distillery. The tour includes tea at the plantation house or a home-cooked lunch, also hosted by the owners.
Idle Bikes
Idle Bikes have been delighting visitors with their back-country bike tours since 2004. Routes can be tailored to your level of fitness, from a two-hour loop around flat, emerald rice fields to full-day tours into the hills behind Galle. They’re a great opportunity to explore life away from the beach, pedalling with a guide through palm-shaded villages and along quiet country tracks, stopping as and when to drink from fresh king coconuts. Guides are warm, well-spoken and eager to point out kingfishers, monkeys and monitor lizards. And with bikes available for all ages and sizes, plus baby seats and tag-alongs, it’s something the whole family can easily enjoy.
Surfing
Sri Lanka is a firmly established surfing destination with breaks to suit all ages and abilities, plus a raft of options for inexpensive lessons and board hire. Head to Weligama’s sandy bay if you’re a beginner, or Kabalana and Midigama for more serious surfing. The southern surf season is from late October until the end of April, after which the winds turn onshore and the focus turns to the breaks of the east coast.
Temples near Galle
Temples are found everywhere in Sri Lanka and are a very important part of the country’s cultural identity. About 10 minutes from Galle, Yatagala Temple is a lovely one to visit, surrounded by paddy fields and panoramic views. Its rock-sheltered shrine houses a 9m reclining Buddha, while colourful murals in the Kandyan style adorn the walls. Founded in 1840, Kathaluwa Temple near Koggala is renowned for its 19th-century murals, which combine traditional Buddhist imagery with intriguing details of colonial-era life, including European dress, horse-drawn carriages and British soldiers. Further away but well worth the drive is Weherahena Temple near Matara, known for its towering 39m Buddha statue and unusual underground shrine. A long, painted tunnel winds beneath the complex, its colourful murals illustrating Buddhist teachings and stories of the Buddha’s past lives.
How to Plan Your Holiday to Sri Lanka
Our specialist are on hand to help, so please do get in touch to discuss including Galle in your tailor-made Sri Lanka itinerary. For further inspiration and to see how Galle can fit into a wider exploration of Sri Lanka, take a look a look at our Signature Sri Lanka Journey.
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