Travel to Galle

a major historic port during the spice trade

The historic port of Galle is located on the southwest coast of Sri Lanka.

Although there were much older trading settlements in this location that were known to ancient Greek and Roman writers, Galle is best known for the fort that was built here by the Portuguese following their arrival on the island in 1502.

Galle quickly rose to become a major port on the ‘Ocean Silk Road’, which connected the spice islands of the Orient with the markets of Europe.

In 1649 the Portuguese surrendered Galle to the Dutch East India Company, who greatly increased the fortifications of the fort by adding a huge encircling wall with three bastions.

When the British took over the country in 1796, they preserved the fort, leaving the main structure largely unchanged, but adding to the collection of impressive European-style buildings and landmarks.

Today the old fort at Galle is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a really pleasant place to explore, with an unusually relaxed atmosphere and a good selection of hotels, stores and restaurants.

Highlights include the National Maritime Museum (which is contained within an old spice warehouse), St Mary’s Cathedral, various Shiva temples and the famous Galle International Cricket Stadium.

There are some pleasant beaches along this stretch of the coastline, the best known of which is Unawatuna, just to the south. One particular feature of note are the stilt fishermen, who perch up high about the surf in the evenings, making for a picturesque and much-photographed scene.

Of course the modern city now extends well beyond the walls of the old fort, notably including some pleasant leafy colonial-era suburbs immediately to the east, where there are further accommodation options.

If you enjoy spending time in historical locations, then a couple of nights here in Galle can be a real treat and so much more accessible than the inherently larger and more busy capital of Colombo.

The best time of year to visit the Galle area is generally considered to be during the Jan-Mar southwest dry season and, to a lesser extent, the Jun-Aug northeast dry season.

Temperatures are more or less constant year round, with daytime temperatures around 28C/82F, whilst the nighttime low temperatures up at a potentially uncomfortable 24C/75F.

The main issue is rainfall, which is highest Sep-Nov and has another smaller peak Apr-May. These periods are therefore usually best avoided, although the rain is sporadic and there are plenty of sunny spells in between.

Getting there

The Galle area is usually reached by road. For our guests, this means combining it with various other locations on the island in a private guided overland safari, travelling in the company of an expert driver-guide. Popular connections include …

Colombo : 2-3 hours
Nuwara Eliya : 3-4 hours
Yala : 2-3 hours

The Galle area also has a train service, connecting from Colombo. If you specifically want to include a rail journey in your trip, then it should be possible for you to take the train, whilst your driver-guide drives on to meet you at the far end.

Where to stay

Accommodation in the Galle area falls into three main categories …

The first option is to stay at one of the authentic properties inside the impressive Fort Galle itself and spend a couple of days exploring the local streets and beaches.

The second option is to stay at one of the lodges along the beaches to the north and southeast of Galle itself and perhaps pop into the town on a day trip.

The third option is to stay inland, where there are some lovely peaceful lodges, from where you can do day trips to both the old town and the various beaches.

some really interesting and authentic lodges