Galle Fort and the south coast, the back story

About Galle Fort and the south coast, the back story

By the ULTIMATE Sri Lanka Editorial Team

Galle Fort, built by the Portuguese and greatly expanded by the Dutch in the 17th century, is the best-preserved European fortified town in South and Southeast Asia, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Fort

The “Old Town of Galle and its Fortifications” has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1988. Inside the ramparts are narrow streets of Dutch-era houses, churches, a mosque, temples, the lighthouse and boutiques, cafés and hotels.

The beaches

East of Galle the coast is one beach after another: Unawatuna in its sheltered bay, Weligama with its gentle surf for beginners, Mirissa for whale-watching boats and beach bars, and the long, quieter beaches around Tangalle.

Inside the walls of Galle, people still live, worship and work: it is a town, not a museum.

When to go

The south and west coasts have their best weather from about December to April; the southwest monsoon brings rougher seas from about May to September.

Our advice: stay at least one night inside the Fort, walk the ramparts at sunset, and swim only where locals do: currents can be strong.

Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Galle Fort and the south coast, the back story before you go.