Galle is the capital city of the Southern Province of Sri Lanka. It is located 199 km from Colombo and it is the fourth biggest city in the entire Sri Lanka. The majority (almost 73%) of the population is Sinhalese and the history of the city has a root that dates back to the 16th century (before the arrival of Portuguese). Furthermore, Galle represents the best example of a well-prepared city, which was built by the Portuguese in South and Southeast Asia. Let’s move forward and explore the city of Galle.
Things to see in Galle
Galle Dutch Fort: Galle Dutch Fort is one of the best tourist attractions in the city of Galle. This unique fort carries immense archeological reserves and cultural heritage. Also, it is the ancient fort in Asia and UNESCO has named this fort as a World Heritage Site. Within the fort, travelers will discover numerous alluring elements such as Dutch Museum. This museum is affluent in diversified paintings, images, and furniture of the refurbished Dutch Church. For accessing the fort easily, the Dutch had built this city on the peninsula. The Dutch Fort will be the place to visit in the evening because you will see the pictorial scenery of the sunset!
Koggala Museum: Koggala museum is situated in an adjacent place to the Galle town. The museum is extremely popular for Folk, Art, and Cultural collections and they were all built in memory of Sri Lankan writer, Martin Wickramasinghe. Apart from this, the Koggala Lake is another attraction that can also capture the attraction of several tourists.
Unawatuna Beach and Rumassala Mountain: The Unawatuna Beach has lots of admirer among the tourists for its marvelous sights and calm sea. With that said, the beach is very popular for swimming and snorkeling as well. The beach has affluent bio-diversity and it is considered a paradise for people who love to walk on the wonderful crescent on the sand. Other than the Unawatuna Beach, the Rumassala Mountain has got a fair amount of affection from the tourists as it was the place where Ramayanaya had hidden Queen Sita (according to Indian Legend). You can spot this place from the Unawatuna beach.
Things to do in Galle
Visit the Galle Dutch Fort: Visiting the renowned Galle Dutch Fort would be special, considering the fact that it is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The fort will offer you the splendid views of Indian Ocean. Also, the architecture loving people would be left in awe as the fort carries enormous architectural value. So, if you visit and take a pleasant walking tour of the most ancient fort in Asia, you will without a doubt be pleased with your choice.
Experience some adventure in Unawatuna Beach: The Unawatuna Beach offers several opportunities for adventure because there are great facilities for scuba diving, surfing, boogie boarding on closest beaches, and snorkeling. Also, if you love deep sea fishing, you will be presented with an opportunity to go deep sea fishing on the coastal area of Galle.
Explore the Temples and Churches: If you want to avoid the lust of seas and beaches, then discover the various temples and churches of Galle. Almost all these temples and churches carry ancient value and loads of tourists visit them on frequently. Additionally, this frequent visit from the tourists is coincided with lots of architectural designs of the ancestors, which left them in bewilderment. Moreover, tourists also visit the several lowland tea states in the district of Galle as these tea states bring something new to them.
Take a river cruise on the Koggala River: Koggala River offers the chance to go an extraordinary river cruise or a boat ride and both of these options are rightfully exciting to the tourists. With that being said you can also think of going to visit the small islands encircling the lake and among these lakes, the most renowned is ‘Madol Doowa.’
How is the weather of Galle?
The weather of Galle is tropical rainforest weather and actually, the city doesn’t feature any dry season at all. Though the month of January and February can be hotter, the average weather is still cool and rainy. Generally, the temperature doesn’t fluctuate frequently as it has an average temperature of 26 degrees Celsius, which is experienced throughout the year. Galle experiences heavy rain in the following months – March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, and December.
How to reach Galle?
You can reach Galle by the following options –
By Air: From the Bandarnaike Airport (closest airport to Galle), you can find taxi or bus to reach Galle.
By Train: From Colombo to Matara, the trains operate on a regular basis. Galle has a railway station, which is situated in between this route. Generally, there are 10 trains, which start from the Colombo Fort daily and reach Galle within two and half hours.
By Sea: There is an international seaport in Galle with passenger’s vessels are ferrying to and from several significant ports around the globe. So, you can reach Galle by sea as well.
By Road: A lot of CTB and private buses usually operate on the coastal highway route. All these buses start their journey in every 15 minutes and it will take three hours before the buses reach Galle from Colombo.
To sum up the guide, We would suggest you to travel to Galle because it is a magnificent city that offers a lot to the travelers and visitors. The surreal places with cool atmosphere along with the allure of some ancient attractions, Galle ticks all the boxes of a quality travel destination. So, pack your bags and fly off to Galle to be part of pure enjoyment and joy!
For inquires contact Olanka Travels.
