Galle

Understand

thumb|425x425px|Galle's old town lies within its historical fort Galle has been an important port for centuries. Long before European colonisers arrived, traders from Persia, Arabia, Greece, Rome, China, India, and Malaysia conducted business through Galle’s port. Around the 12th and 13th centuries, Sinhalese refugees escaping northern conflicts settled in the area. The famous Moroccan traveler Ibn Battuta stopped by in 1342, and in 1411, Admiral Zheng He left the Galle Trilingual Inscription—a tablet engraved in Chinese, Tamil, and Persian.

Portuguese sailors accidentally landed in Galle in 1502 after a storm pushed them off course. They later took control of the area and built the first fort in 1588. In 1640, however, the Dutch ousted the Portuguese and greatly expanded the fort into what visitors can see today. When the British seized power in 1796, they kept the fort intact, using it as an administrative centre.

The fort has survived centuries of use and even the 2004 tsunami, maintaining its charm and historical significance. Its community is vibrant and multicultural. In the fort area you’ll find cobblestone streets, colonial-era buildings, museums, shops, eateries, places of worship, beaches and ocean views.

Get in

thumb|Galle Central Bus Station From Colombo you can take one of many southern line trains to Galle, or the bus. Both routes follow the coastline and have beautiful views.

Get around

Tuk Tuk or on foot is your best bet if you are traveling in Galle or close by. The Old Town of Galle and its fortifications are within walking distance from the central bus station, so it's better to walk rather than to take a tuk-tuk.

The bus is an easy and cheap way to get to Matara, Unawatuna or Hikkaduwa from Galle.

See

thumb|All Saint's Church 300px|thumb|right|The south ramparts of Galle Fort

Do

thumb|The beach at Galle fort Walk around the ramparts of Galle Fort, wander the streets inside the fort shopping for gems and antiques Visit one of the turtle hatcheries along the coast If you're staying in the Fort, get a bit of exercise by walking around the ramparts first thing in the morning, as a lot of the locals do. The evenings are lovely too.

Eat

300px|thumb|right|Rampart Hotel, Galle Fort

Sleep

Galle has quite a few small boutique hotels, budget hotels and hostels and more seem to be cropping up after the tsunami. Within the Galle Fort there is Amangalla (within the renovated Oriental Hotel) and the Galle Fort Hotel. On the outskirts of Galle there is the Sun House.

On the road into Galle from Colombo there is the Lighthouse Resort designed by Bawa, famous architect.

Stay healthy

Chikungunya disease, a mosquito-borne viral infection, was reported by travellers in Galle in October 2025. Its symptoms are painful and long-lasting. Wear DEET-based insect repellent and cover your skin where possible.

Go next

There are buses to Bandaranaike International Airport from departing from the cricket oval at 06:30 and 16:30 daily, or when full. Unawatuna 5 km to the southeast on Route A2. A beautiful beach for swimming. Many places to eat. Buses run every 10–15 minutes in both directions, cost Rs 20, take 10–15 minutes. Can be very crowded and play loud music. Tuk-tuks ask for Rs 400–500, can usually be bargained down to Rs 250–300. Matara, end of railway line from Colombo, approximately 50 km south following the coastline. Mirissa, the tourist-friendly beachside town is easily reached by train, bus or tuk-tuk Hikkaduwa 20 km north following the coast Madu River, 40 km north following the coast across the Balapitiya area, Take a boat tour. This extraordinary estuary with a cluster of 64 small islands scattered along its impressive breadth, most of which are covered with mangroves and uninhabited, and is also a haven for crocodiles. Kanneliya Forest Reserve — (Galle district). The waterfall “Naranga Ella” is one of the highlights. There is a safe place for bathing in Nannikitha also close to the entry to the Forest Reserve. There is a nature trial to Kabbale Kanda Mountain. Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage — is home to the biggest captive herd of elephants in the world. Don't miss bathing times where the elephants are led to a nearby river. Sinharaja Forest Reserve — (districts of Ratnapura, Matara and Galle) is one of the least disturbed and biologically unique lowland ra…