This historic city of Sri Lanka is located on the country’s southwest coast, and is famous for its portuguese heritage and dutch colonial buildings. The best tourist places in Galle includes grand museums, mansions, churches and mosques. Offering the ocean and pretty sunsets, the beautiful city of Galle was founded by the portuguese in the sixteenth century, and you will find the city embracing its ancient heritage every inch. Galle will remind you of its dutch and portuguese lineage, a town famous for its rich Sri lankan cuisine, pepper pot towers and bastions. The city gives you a Mediterranean feel with its bright sunny skies, beaches and blue waters, rainforests of Kanneliya and Hiyare, the city’s narrow lanes lined with various shops that sell you everything from intricate jewellery to shoes and garments.
If you visit Galle between November and April, you can drop by a Mirissa to see the largest animal on the planet; a blue whale. For a beach lover who loves the ocean and the warm sun, there’s no better place to go other than this tropical retreat. The rainforests of Kanneliya and Hiyare are famous for the nature walks they offer, you will see small animals and an excellent diversity when it comes to the flora and fauna. To sum it up, the tourist places in Galle offers you a variety like no other place in the country.
You can explore historical buildings, relax at any beach, go scuba diving, go cliff jumping at Flag Rock, go for safaris, discover the city and its culture on foot, shop artefacts, go for nature walks, and simply relax at your hotel while enjoying the tropical spirit. You can even go on boat trips in the Indian ocean; you may be able to spot humpback whales, dolphins, blue whales, sperm whales etc. The Sri Lankan cuisine has been largely influenced by the Dutch cuisine, as you will find from the dishes.
There are certain things that must be kept in especially if you’re visiting Sri Lanka for the first time.
Safety and security: The political situation in Sri Lanka was slightly unstable earlier. Conflicts between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and the Sri Lankan army did end back in 2009 and no recorded incidents of terrorist violence have been detected – so there’s nothing to worry about as such.
Food and water: Travellers travelling to any destination in the whole have the potential of developing the travelers’ diarrhea. People consume contaminated water or food and fall sick. However, make sure that you have bottled water throughout your journey in Galle city.
Laws and regulations in the city: There are strict penalties for those found in possession, use and trafficking of illegal drugs. Moreover, smoking is prohibited in many of the indoor workplaces and public transports. As far as photography and videotaping is concerned, performing this activity in and around government and military installations is strictly prohibited.
Drinking laws: Sri Lanka as a whole has a very strong drinking culture. Therefore, alcohol is sold largely in this place and accessibility to the same won’t be troublesome for the tourists. However, remember that consuming alcohol in certain public spaces in prohibited. Thus, one must keep a check regarding the same. The night-life otherwise is quite great.
Visit the Galle fort and enjoy the great view: This is one those must-do things in Galle city. The Galle fort was built during the reign of the Portuguese. In fact, the Galle fort is the first fortification in the whole of Sri Lanka. This location is apt for those looking for a relaxed time as the fort is extended by the sea and there’s a great aerial view one can get from this place.
A peep into the old houses on Leyn-Baan street: There is a lot that one can do if they are looking for a less physically excruciating activity and just interested in gaining knowledge. There are numerous houses, streets and other structures that exist by their original name and state throughout Galle city. For instance, check out the Zeeberg street or the Moderabaay street while you’re walking around.
Visit the Dutch church: The Dutch Church was built in the site of a Portuguese Capuchin Convent back in 1640. As time passed by and the Dutch overtook, they manage to erect a thank-you offering by Gertruda Adrianna Le Grand, wife of the Commandeur Gasparus De Jong for the long-prayed birth of a son in the place of this structure. It hardly takes an half an hours’ time from the main city area for visitors to travel.
Appreciate the Antiquities of Galle: Among the various other structures that the Dutch built during their rule was the Government House, the Queen’s House, churches, the the Old Main Gate by the Fort and various other structures in and around Galle. The stone built tells visitors the story of the conquests that may have existed in the old city of Galle. Enjoy the artsy view of the lion and unicorn gateway as you stroll around the region.
Go cafe-hopping: Whether you’re a foodie or not, you’d surely want to explore the different flavours that represent the origins of a certain place. Same applies to Galle as well. Take a day out from your journey and go cafe-hopping through the streets of Galle. Some of the well-known cafes include: Heritage Cafe, Serendipity Arts Cafe, Mama’s Roof Cafe, Pedlar’s Inn Cafe among others. Take a look away from the traditional resort experience this time.
Antique jewellery and furniture shopping in Galle: Who doesn’t enjoy shopping? Imagine getting some of the most pricey and rare antiques at dirt cheap prices! There are several places in and around Galle that promise you just this experience. For instance, Barefoot or the Olanda’s Antiques offer visitors with hoards of products to shop from, all the way from jewellery to furniture.
Mansion-sightseeing in Galle: Well, the great thing about Galle is that it was always occupied by highly royal cultures. Be it the Dutch, the British or the Portuguese, they treated this place with great love and pride and thus built grandeur structures and buildings. There are numerous mansions too that they built, for instace: Closenburg Eddystone, Barthfield, Armitage Hill and the Nooit-Gedacht. While the names may sound fancy, these structures make up for a significant beauty Galle holds.
Adventure activities in Galle: The chief place wherein you will find activities that involve water sports is Unawatuna Bay. This place provides for safe swimming and snorkelling among other watersports activities. Get adventurous this season with Galle.
Government website:
Books to read on Galle: Colombo, Lonely Planet – Sri Lanka.
Spring is the best time to visit this tropical destination. Galle is best visited from February to April, so you can enjoy the sun and yet not feel the heat. This time is perfect for relaxing on the beach or by the pool, as there’s less rainfall too.
You can also visit Galle from October to November, as these months are cooler than the rest of the year. This is the time when monsoon moves northeast and there’s practically no rain in Galle, the sea becomes much calmer and is well-suited for beachside activities and going for a swim.
Galle has numerous places to visit for tourists, because this historic city has been around since the sixteenth century. Galle gives you that old world charm you are unlikely to find in any other city in Sri Lanka. Here are some places you can see in the city:
Some of the best resorts to stay in Galle are:
Here are some places where you can find Sri Lankan food in Galle:
Local buses in Galle are a good way to go around town. Although, Galle is best discovered on foot and smaller distances can be covered by taking a tuk tuk. If the distance you need to cover is quite a lot, take a bus.
Galle is famous for its spices, jewellery, garments etc. Here are some of the best places on Galle you can drop by for shopping:
Beaches are the best part of Galle, apart from its rich historical monuments, of course. So here are some of Galle’s iconic beaches you can visit to relax at:
For wildlife safari in Galle, you can go to:
Here are some of the best places for scuba diving in Galle: