Galle

Galle Hotels & Galle District Travel Guide

Let’s see what we can do in Galle. Galle is a major city in Southern Province. Galle postal code is 80280.

Galle offers a range of Galle Beach Hotels and accommodation options, from budget-friendly guesthouses to luxurious resorts. You can book Galle hotels from hotelexpress.lk, and also check out Galle tours. So let’s continue, best tour guide.

Galle Weather.

Temperatures average 29–32°C (84–90°F) throughout the year. Relative humidity averages 80–83% throughout the year. The highest rainfall, averaging over 140–200 mm per month, occurs between May and November. From May to September, winds are generally strong, the seas are rough, and humidity and rainfall increase. This period coincides with the southwest monsoon.

The way from COLOMBO to GALLE.

The bus journey from Colombo to Galle takes 1 hour and 30 minutes to 2 hours through the Colombo Galle Highway.
Trains depart from Colombo Fort Railway Station to Galle Railway Station, taking about 2 hours.
Traveling by car or taxi takes about 1 hour and 45 minutes.

GALLE Places to visit.

There are many historical and scenic attractions for tourists to see in Galle. Let’s see what there is to see in Galle.

Galle Dutch Fort.

Galle Fort is a fort built by the Portuguese in the Galle district of Sri Lanka. This fort has a history of 400 years. Built by the Portuguese in 1588, this fort was renovated by the Dutch in the 17th century. This Galle Fort is a wonderful creation gifted to the world by the Portuguese. The ancient, architectural, and archaeological value here is indescribable. Galle Fort has also been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Galle Fort is a great place to watch the sunrise and sunset. This is a must-see place in Galle city.

Sea Turtle Farm, Galle Mahamodara.

The sea turtle farm can be reached in a few minutes from Galle city. The main purpose of establishing this place is to protect the endangered turtle species. All five species of sea turtles, such as green, olive ridley, loggerhead, leatherback, and hawksbill turtles, can be seen here. The turtles that are injured due to the misdeeds of fishermen are mostly taken care of. The endangered turtles are also bred and released back to the sea properly. There are currently about forty turtles living in this center. As soon as you visit this place, you can see the turtles up close and get to know them in detail. We must protect these innocent sea creatures that are under threat of extinction.

Galle Fort Lighthouse.

The Galle Lighthouse in Galle can truly be called an icon of the city. This is a very beautiful place. This lighthouse was built in 1939 under the leadership of the British engineer Kenneth De Kretser, the General Director of The Government Factory Company. The lighthouse is about 26 meters high and consists of 5 floors. There are no stairs in the lighthouse, and separate ladders have been placed on the 5 floors to go up. When you go to the top, you can see a distance of about 47 meters. This lighthouse is controlled by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority and issues messages and signals to ships and boats in the waters around Galle.

Unawatuna Beach.

Unawatuna Beach in Galle is a popular destination for locals and tourists. This beach offers recreational activities such as swimming in the calm waters, jet skiing, banana boat rides, windsurfing, and paddleboarding. It is a golden sandy beach and is the perfect place to relax and watch the stunning sunrise and sunset. You can also enjoy delicious seafood at the various restaurants and cafes located near this beach.

Madol Duwa.

Madolduwa Island is a small, scenic island located in the Koggala River in Sri Lanka. It can be reached by boat in 15 to 20 minutes from Koggala town. The island has a rock called "Sekku Gala". The island is surrounded by a lush mangrove forest, and there are activities such as kayaking, bird watching, and hiking. The waters around the island are calm, and the surroundings are very beautiful. The island is home to a variety of flora and fauna.

Sinharaja Rain Forest.

Sinharaja Tropical Wet Evergreen Forest, a unique creation of nature, is located on the border of Galle city. Sinharaja Forest is located in an area of 11187 hectares. There are several mountain peaks, such as Kosgulana, Sinhagala, Mula Wella, Hinipitigala-East, and Hinipitigala-West, and due to the good rainfall, several beautiful waterfalls, such as Brahmana Ella, Duvli Ella, and Ura Paradu Ella, have been created. There are about 340 plant species in Sinharaja Forest, of which 192 are endemic to Sri Lanka. Of these, 15 can only be seen in Sinharaja Forest. A wide variety of animals can be seen in this forest, including mammals such as elephants, Sambar deer, green leopards, and deer, as well as many species of birds such as the grey-headed laughingthrush, Ceylon Magpie, and the Spotted-Winged thrush. In 1988, it was declared a national heritage site in recognition of its national importance, and a year later, in 1989, UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site.

Martin Wickramasinghe Folk Museum.

Born on 29 May 1890, Martin Wickramasinghe made a great contribution to the development of Sri Lankan literature. In order to always remember and appreciate him, the house where he lived on an 11-acre plot was turned into a museum in November 1981. Religious items, aspects related to the art of writing, rural agriculture, fishing industry,dance/drama/music(Upcountry/Lowland/Sabaragamuwa), traditional sports, Sinhala medical systems, women's and men's ornaments, various ritual methods, kitchen utensils, brass industry, ginger, cinnamon, coconut industry, etc., are available to see in this museum. The place has become famous as a wonderful place for tourists to relax.

Hikkaduwa Coral Reef.

Hikkaduwa Beach is a beautiful 4 km long beach in Galle city. The Coral reef covers an area of 102 hectares, which is a prominent shallow-fringed reef with an average depth of about 5 metres (16 ft). The reef is highly biodiverse, with over 60 species of hard corals such as green montipora, muweku, elkhorn, gourd, brain, mesa, and star corals. Along with other marine life such as tunicates, sponges, and turtles, it also hosts over 170 species of reef fish belonging to 76 genera. It was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1979 and designated a national park in 2002. This beach is famous for surfing, snorkeling, scuba diving, glass-bottom boat tours, and swimming.

Roomansala Sanctuary.

The Rumassala sanctuary is located in the Galle district. There are many stories about this sanctuary. It has aquatic ecosystems such as beaches, coral reefs, swamps, and streams, and terrestrial ecosystems such as rocks and slopes. There are nearly 150 species of rare medicinal plants here.

Dutch Reformed Church.

The Dutch Reformed Church, built by the Dutch in 1755, is located in the Galle Fort in Galle, Sri Lanka. It is located near the entrance to the fort. This church is one of the oldest Protestant churches. Several changes were made to this church during the British era. It is a must-see place to see the architecture of the Dutch era.

Galle attractions.

Beaches and Lagoons:

Bentota Beach, Thalpe Beach, Mihiripanna Beach, Akurala Beach, Hikkaduwa Beach, Koggala Beach, Dalawella Beach, Unawatuna Beach, Lighthouse Beach, Dewata Surfing Beach, Galle Jungle Beach, Boossa Beach

Hiking places and Islands:

Madol Duwa, Roomassala Mountain, Flag Rock

Waterfalls and Rivers:

Kaludiya Pokuna Waterfall, Andahelena Ella, Neluwa Duwili Ella, Malamura Waterfall, Anagimale Waterfall, Madu Ganga, Koggala Lake

Fort:

Galle Dutch Fort

Historical Places:

Galapatha Raja Maha Viharaya, Kathaluwa Ranwalla Old Temple, Seenigama Sri Dewol Viharaya, All Saints’ Church, St.Mary’s Cathedral, Yatagala Raja Maha Viharaya, Japanese Peace Pagoda, Sri Sudarmalaya Buddhist Temple, Groote Kerk, Dutch Reformed Church

Lighthouse:

Lighthouse Galle

Sanctuary:

Roomassala Sanctuary

Forest:

Kanneliya Rain Forest, Kottawa Reserve Forest, Sinharaja Rain Forest

Museum:

Ariyapala Masks Museum, Underwater Museum Galle by Navy, Martin Wickramasingha House and folk Museum, Galle National Museum, National Maritime Museum, Historical Mansion Museum

Leisure:

Benthota Beach Park, Sea Turtle Hatchery, Whale Watching, Stilt Fishing

Others:

Sea Turtle Farm and Hatchery Koggala, Hikkaduwa Coral Reef, Old Dutch Hospital, Sea Turtle Hatchery Center Mahamodara, Galle Fort Flag Rock Bastion, Galle Fort Clock Tower, Galle Public Library, Galle International Cricket Stadium

Cities in the Galle District.

Ahangama
Ahungalla
Akurala
Ambalangoda
Baddegama
Balapitiya
Batapola
Bentota
Boossa
Elpitiya
Galle
Habaraduwa
Hiniduma
Hikkaduwa
Imaduwa
Karandeniya
Karapitiya
Koggala
Kosgoda
Mapalagama
Nagoda
Neluwa
Pitigala
Rathgama
Thawalama
Udugama
Uragasmanhandiya
Unawatuna
Wanduramba
Yakkalamulla

Are you ready to visit the Galle District ?

Although there are several things to do in the Galle District, your involvement in such activities during your visit to the Galle District will surely become an unforgettable experience for a lifetime.