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Galle Southern Sri Lanka: Best Places to Visit

Galle is a beautiful coastal district located in the southern province of Sri Lanka, both touristically and historically important. Galle district, which occupied an important position during the Portuguese, Dutch, and English colonial periods, is now one of the major cities located in the southern province of Sri Lanka. A trading and shipping port since before the Portuguese and Dutch colonial period, Galle Port remained the main port of Sri Lanka for about two centuries until the British chose Colombo as the main port of Sri Lanka. 

Galle city is one of the must-visit areas in Sri Lanka with several beautiful beaches as well as many tourist spots. The buildings and houses built in Portuguese and Dutch architecture as well as the narrow streets add a different beauty to the city of Galle.

Touring the city of Galle allows you to experience the beauty of the Galle Fort by bike and the narrow lanes that pass through houses built during the colonial period.

There are opportunities to experience the surrounding beauty by strolling along, enjoying the sunshine from the southern Sri Lankan coast, watching blue whales, and many other tourist attractions.


This image is Galle Lighthouse in Sri Lanka


Tourists places around Galle


Galle is a beautiful city with many tourist attractions like beautiful beaches, historical places, and religious places. Galle tourist destinations include,

  • Rumassala mountain & jungle beach
  • Galle old Fort
  • Galle Lighthouse
  • Old houses built during colonial times
  • Unawatuna Beach
  • Boat Safari on the Madu River
  • Kanneliya forest
  • Galle whale & dolphin watching
  • Museum of Maritime Archaeology
  • Galle Fishing Port
  • Japanese Peace Pagoda Temple

Old Galle Fort 


Located in the Galle area, Galle Fort was built by the Portuguese colonialists and is a marvelous creation. Later it was modernized by the Dutch colonialists and today it is a beautiful historical place that has a history of about four centuries.
Designated as a World Heritage Site, Galle Fort showcases Dutch and Portuguese architecture and is an important place for Sri Lanka both historically and touristically. The view of the surrounding sea and a fort with a rich history from the top of the Galle Fort is a fascinating sight.
Galle Fort is about a kilometer away from the Galle Bus Stand and can be reached by two routes.

Rumassala mountain & jungle beach 


Rumassala mountain is a must-visit place in Galle, rich in natural beauty, located in the Galle area. Also, there are many popular legends among the locals regarding the history of Mount Rumassala.
Rumssala beach is found when traveling along a jungle footpath through Rumssala mountain and this beach is famous among tourists by the name (jungle beach). The jungle footpath across the Rumassala mountain is quite difficult but the view of the beautiful beach at the end of the journey will make the difficulty go away.
From the Galle bus station, on the road from Galle to Matara, after going about five and a half kilometers, you will come across Mount Rumassala. It is usually about a 15-minute journey.

Old houses built during colonial times


Various constructions belonging to the Portuguese architecture built by the Portuguese who first colonized Sri Lanka in 1505 AD can be found in many parts of Sri Lanka and among those places, Galle has a special place. Galle city was modernized by the Dutch who came later and the British who colonized Sri Lanka for the last time maintained the Galle area as the main headquarters.
As such, various constructions built by the Portuguese, Dutch, and English are located all over the city of Galle.
You will be able to see the houses and various constructions built during the colonial period in the area around Galle Fort as well as when visiting Galle city.

Unawatuna Beach


Unawatuna beach located in the Galle area is a beautiful beach that has attracted local and foreign tourists. A legend related to the time of King Ravana, who is considered to be a past king of Sri Lanka, is behind Unawatuna getting the name "Unawatuna" and various other legends are associated with the Unawatuna area.
One side of the beach is shallow and calm due to the coral reef located in the sea near Unawatuna beach. The beautiful light blue sea at Unawatuna beach and the beautiful coconut groves around it is a fascinating sight for tourists.

Among the beaches located in the southern province of Sri Lanka, the beautiful beaches of Unawatuna can be called one of the most popular beaches among local and foreign tourists. Due to the popularity of Unawatuna Beach and the constant throng of tourists, there are many restaurants and tourist hotels located around Unawatuna Beach. Therefore, tourists who come to Unawatuna beach have the opportunity to enjoy the beauty of the beach and enjoy a fresh meal after bathing in the sea.

Boat Safari on the Madu River


Located in the Galle area, Madu Ganga and its surrounding area can be known as a tourist destination rich in natural beauty and biodiversity. This beautiful tourist area is located between the Balapitiya and Karandeniya areas of the Galle district. Located about 45 kilometers from Galle city, this Madugaga tourist area is a must-see tourist destination during a visit to Galle. 

A boat ride on the Maadu  River will make you realize what a beautiful experience it is to take a boat ride along the tunnel-like canals lined with mangroves. The attractiveness of this beautiful Mandu Ganga ecoregion, which consists of about sixty-four islands, has been praised in past literary sources. For example, there is a mention of the area called Balapitiya where this Maduganga is located in the old message poems of Sri Lanka. If you come to see the beauty of the Mandu Ganga Ecoregion, you will be able to experience many beautiful tourist activities. Tourist activities include  fish therapy, learning about the cinnamon production process in Sri Lanka, visiting the monastery on Koth Duwa Island, and camping.


Roads to Galle


If you wish to go to Galle from Colombo city, you can reach Galle by two Methods. Accessible by Southern Expressway and Rail.
Along Baseline Mawatha from near Pettah, Colombo. Galle can be reached by coming to Colombo Katunayake Expressway from Danister de Silva Mawatha and joining the Southern Expressway through it. The distance is approximately 146 km.
If you are looking to reach Galle by train from Colombo city, there are trains from Petakotowa main station to Galle.

Useful links and info

Sri Lanka Railway Seat Booking Website

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