Exploring Galle - 5 things you don't want to miss

When you stand on the ramparts of the famous Galle Fort, you will catch a glimpse of an island a little way off. One that seems to be little more than dense forest. This is the Rumassala Hill, a piece of the island that is steeped in legend. According to the legend, Rumassala is a piece of land broken off from the Himalayas, dumped in the ocean by Hanuman during one of his many adventures. Located on the top of the Rumassala Hill is the Japanese Peace Pagoda. It was built in 2004 and is a pure white pagoda that embodies peace and serenity. You need to do a bit of a climb to get to the pagoda, which can be reached only via a boat.

Although it is located within the Galle Fort, very few people make the effort to visit the Galle National Museum. It is a small, building that extends the length of the Church Street. More often than not, visitors are distracted by the imposing structure of the Maritime Museum that the National Museum is overlooked. But it is a place well worth a visit if only for the history it houses. The place houses both anthropological and archaeological artefacts. The only problem is that the Museum is usually closed on Sundays. So make sure you check the open hours before making plans.

With the tourist industry seeing a surge in Galle, the number of hotels in Galle has also increased quite significantly over the years. The best part about these hotels, though, is that they tend to outdo each other using their style and architecture. If you walk through the Galle Fort itself, you will come across many hotels that are absolutely stunning in their architecture. Most of these places would look nothing remarkable at the first glance, a simple door that is among the many others lining a narrow cobbled street. But once you step through the doorway, you will be transported to a world of art and architecture.

Luxury hotels and higher end tourist town also mean there are many ways to pamper yourself. One of the best things to try is a spa treatment. You can opt to go to one of the popular spa chains or look for resorts with spas such as Fortress Resort and Spa. There are many treatments for you to choose from. Considering you are spending time on a tropical island in South Asia, it would be fitting to select an Ayurveda treatment. However, all the spas in the area offer a wide range of treatments for you to choose from.

If you think of Galle as being limited to the Fort, you will not get much of the beach time that is so popular in Sri Lanka. Instead of just walking the cobbled streets, venture outside the town towards the smaller areas to discover stretches of golden sand and clear blue water. You can even go snorkelling in Galle!