The back story
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The back story
Galle Fort and the south coast, the back story
A Dutch fort town on a headland, then a string of beaches: Unawatuna, Weligama, Mirissa and Tangalle.
Region guide · about 1.5 hours from Colombo
Galle Fort & the South Coast: Our Favourites
The UNESCO-listed Dutch fort of Galle, then the beaches of Unawatuna, Weligama, Mirissa and Tangalle, and some of the island’s finest hotels.
What's onThis week in Sri Lanka
What to see
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Dutch walls on the ocean
Galle Fort & the ramparts
The 17th-century Dutch fortifications around the old town of Galle, with the lighthouse and ocean views.
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In a Dutch building
National Museum, Galle
A small national museum in one of the oldest Dutch buildings in the Fort.
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Dutch church
Dutch Reformed Church, Galle
An 18th-century Dutch church inside Galle Fort, its floor paved with old gravestones.
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Sunset point
Galle lighthouse and Flag Rock
The white lighthouse on the south-eastern rampart and Flag Rock bastion, the best places for sunset in the Fort.
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In a Dutch warehouse
National Maritime Museum, Galle
A maritime museum in the old Dutch warehouse by the Fort’s main gate.
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Village life
Martin Wickramasinghe Folk Museum
The birthplace of the writer Martin Wickramasinghe (1890–1976), with a folk museum of southern village life.
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Iconic image
Stilt fishermen of Koggala and Ahangama
The fishermen perched on poles in the surf, one of the best-known images of Sri Lanka.
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Low-country tea
Handunugoda Tea Estate
A low-country tea estate and factory near Ahangama, home of Herman Teas and its rare white tea.
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Cave temples
Mulkirigala rock temple
A cluster of cave temples on a rock north of Tangalle, reached by a long climb of steps.
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December to April
Whale watching from Mirissa
Boat trips from Mirissa harbour to see blue whales, sperm whales and dolphins, best from about December to April.
Beaches
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A sheltered bay near Galle
Unawatuna
A curved bay a few minutes east of Galle, with calm water in season and the Jungle Beach on the headland.
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Whales from November to April
Mirissa
A palm-backed beach and harbour, the main base for whale-watching boats on the south coast.
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The quieter south
Tangalle
Long, quiet beaches and coves on the deep south coast, home to some of the island’s finest resorts.
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Swimming cove
Jungle Beach and Rumassala
A small, sheltered cove below Rumassala hill, next to Unawatuna, with the white Japanese Peace Pagoda on the hill above.
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Photo spot
Coconut Tree Hill, Mirissa
A palm-covered headland at the east end of Mirissa beach, one of the south coast’s best-known photo spots.
Where to eat
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Views over the ramparts
A Minute by Tuk Tuk
A colourful Sri Lankan restaurant in Galle’s Old Dutch Hospital, with views across the ramparts to the sea.
Old Dutch Hospital, Galle FortExplore View on map
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Fort café
Pedlar’s Inn Café
A popular café on Pedlar Street in Galle Fort, with a gelato shop a few doors away.
92 Pedlar Street, Galle FortExplore View on map
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Fresh and healthy
Poonie’s Kitchen
A café in a Fort courtyard, known for fresh salads and lunches.
63 Pedlar Street, Galle FortExplore View on map
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Since 1980
Wijaya Beach
A family-run beach restaurant at Dalawella, south of Unawatuna, open since 1980 and known for its pizzas.
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Ocean view
Ocean Bistro by Starbeans
A sea-view restaurant in Galle Fort from Starbeans, the café group behind The Barn in Ella.
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Pizza by the surf
Surfing Wombats
An Italian-run pizzeria at a surf hostel in Midigama, between Ahangama and Weligama.
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On the beach
Serendipity Mirissa
A beachfront restaurant and boutique hotel in Mirissa, with fresh local ingredients and cocktails.
Where to stay
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The old New Oriental Hotel
Amangalla
Aman’s hotel inside Galle Fort, in a Dutch-era building that was for generations the New Oriental Hotel.
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A merchant’s mansion, 11 suites
Galle Fort Hotel
An 11-suite boutique hotel in one of the grand mansions of the Fort, around a courtyard and pool.
Church Street, Galle FortExplore View on map
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Villas above the bay
Cape Weligama
A Resplendent Ceylon resort of villas on a headland above the Indian Ocean, near Weligama.
Abimanagama Road, WeligamaExplore View on map
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30 suites on a crescent beach
Amanwella
Aman’s beach resort near Tangalle: 30 suites with plunge pools in a coconut grove above a crescent beach.
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A clifftop beach resort
Anantara Peace Haven Tangalle
A large resort on a rocky headland and beach east of Tangalle, with pool villas and a spa.
Matara-Hambantota Road, TangalleExplore View on map
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By Geoffrey Bawa
Jetwing Lighthouse
A hotel by Geoffrey Bawa on the rocks just north of Galle, with a famous spiral staircase sculpture.
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Inside the walls
Fort Bazaar
A boutique hotel in an old merchant’s house on Church Street, inside Galle Fort.
28 Church Street, Galle FortExplore View on map
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Beachfront
The Fortress Resort & Spa
A beachfront resort at Koggala, east of Galle, inspired by the architecture of the south.
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Among the paddy fields
Jetwing Kurulubedda
A boutique hotel set among paddy fields inland from Galle, with villas and a pool.
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Hilltop house
Sun House
A boutique hotel in a 19th-century merchant’s house on a hill above Galle harbour.
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Surf town
Salthouse Weligama
A relaxed hotel in Weligama, part of the Sri Lanka Rest House Collective.
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Horseshoe bay
Praia Bay Hiriketiya
A small hotel by Hiriketiya, a horseshoe-shaped surf bay near Dikwella.
Shopping
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Boutiques in old houses
Galle Fort lanes
Church Street, Pedlar Street and Leyn Baan Street are lined with boutiques, jewellers, galleries and cafés.
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Sri Lankan luxury toiletries
Spa Ceylon
A Sri Lankan brand of Ayurveda-inspired bath and body products, with boutiques across the island and abroad.
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Silk-making demonstration
Natural Silk Factory
A silk workshop and shop near Galle, with live demonstrations of how silk is made.
Getting there
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Colombo to Galle in about 1.5 hours
Expressways
Toll expressways link the airport, Colombo, Galle and the south, and part of the way towards Kandy.
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The Kandy–Ella line
Trains & Sri Lanka Railways
The national railway, including the famous hill-country line from Colombo and Kandy to Nanu Oya (for Nuwara Eliya) and Ella.
Share your Galle & the south coast tips
Been there? Share your experience and tips with other visitors.
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