Galle

Galle is in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka. Galle's old town with its fortifications have been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Get in
From Colombo you can take the train in the direction Mirissa or bus. Both travel along the coastline and have beautiful views.

There are 2 options for bus transport between Colombo and the main bus station in Galle: private a/c minibus and luxury Southern Expressway bus.



Trains travel several times every day and can be crowded:



From Ella/Badulla:

There is one public bus in the morning from Badulla at 6:30AM and Ella around 7AM to Galle. From Badulla the ticket costs Rs 346 (as of May 2018).

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.

Do

 * 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 brisk exercise by walking around the ramparts first thing in the morning, as a lot of the locals do. The evenings are lovely too.
 * If you're staying in the Fort get a bit of brisk exercise by walking around the ramparts first thing in the morning, as a lot of the locals do. The evenings are lovely too.
 * If you're staying in the Fort get a bit of brisk exercise by walking around the ramparts first thing in the morning, as a lot of the locals do. The evenings are lovely too.
 * If you're staying in the Fort get a bit of brisk exercise by walking around the ramparts first thing in the morning, as a lot of the locals do. The evenings are lovely too.
 * If you're staying in the Fort get a bit of brisk exercise by walking around the ramparts first thing in the morning, as a lot of the locals do. The evenings are lovely too.

Others
You will find the best tourist shopping inside the Fort. But you will need to go into town if you want fresh fruits and veggies or clothing
 * There is a good gift shop on Pedlar Street called Shoba - it is opposite the Peddlar's Inn and stocks a large range of handmade goods which are direct from the craftsman/women who have made them. It is a good alternative to the large retail chain "Barefoot" which you will find is often crowded with tourists. The owner is very nice and will stop and chat to you about the very interesting history of Galle if you are willing to listen. Their website says that they offer traditional craft courses (Dec 2012).
 * There is a good gift shop on Pedlar Street called Shoba - it is opposite the Peddlar's Inn and stocks a large range of handmade goods which are direct from the craftsman/women who have made them. It is a good alternative to the large retail chain "Barefoot" which you will find is often crowded with tourists. The owner is very nice and will stop and chat to you about the very interesting history of Galle if you are willing to listen. Their website says that they offer traditional craft courses (Dec 2012).

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.

Splurge




Go next

 * Unawatuna 5 km to the southeast on Route A2. A beautiful beach - take a swim; enjoy the best eating places. 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. - Bathing times (10AM and 2PM) are a particular treat, as the elephants are led down to the nearby river.
 * Sinharaja Forest Reserve — (districts of Ratnapura, Matara and Galle) is one of the least disturbed and biologically unique lowland rainforest in Sri Lanka. A World Heritage Site since 1989.
 * Yala National Park — (141 km away) is open to the public, and is mostly made up of parkland and scrub jungle but also contains beaches, lagoons, freshwater lakes, rivers, enormous rocky outcrops and dense jungle.
 * Ratnapura — Udawalawe National Park near Ratnapura is an area just over 308 km2 and consists of dry lowland forest, thorny scrub jungle and grassland; several areas of the park have been planted with teak. One of its main attractions is the majestic Udawalawa Reservoir. There are also several large herds of Asian elephants, and species of large animals such as deer and buffalo.