5 Reasons to Visit Galle, Sri Lanka - A southern beach escape

The major attraction in this beach town is the Galle Fort. Being a huge structure that was built back during the Dutch ruling in Sri Lanka, this is a fabulous building and is one of the topmost attractions in the place. Everything you end up doing in the area revolves around the Fort. Most of the top hotels in Galle will also have a view of the spot, for instance. Fortress Resort and Spa. Some ramparts run throughout the Galle Fort and you can easily walk across the area. When walking on these structures the one right next to the cliff is the one that looks at the ocean and this will provide the best kind of sunset view for you at the end of the day.

This used to be an old storehouse and is now restored to be a museum representing the Maritime history of Galle. This is one of those places where you will be unimpressed by looking just from the outside but completely mesmerised as you step in. It looks like a very decapitated old building that has seen glorious days, but once you walk into the place, you will realise that you will be taken into a completely modern world. There are interactive screens, well-preserved relics, and video tutorials for you to take a look at. This place tells the history of Sri Lanka and specifically of, Galle. Follow the directions you will find inside the building and you will be able to walk through the ancient kingdoms and get the Portuguese period followed by the Dutch period and end the tour with the British colonisation period.

Being an island, almost all the coastal destinations you will go to in Sri Lanka will have attractions and most of them will definitely include you being on, in or under the water. The best thing you can do to explore the area is taking a boat ride down the Gin Ganga during the latter part of the day. While on the ride, a shade of trees will provide a canopy for you from the sunshine and you will be welcomed by the sweet melodies of birds as the sunsets. You can also opt to float down a river in a canoe.

The Jungle beach is not exactly in Galle, but is closer to Unawatuna - it is definitely a place you must visit if you like to hike. You will walk through a mini forest and then you will end up at this hidden alcove of a beach. The view here is unmatched and you definitely must time it so that you go there during the sunrise or the sunset.

You will experience the best of any town or city you are visiting only if you walk around it on foot. Thus, take some time to walk around the area and explore every nook and cranny Galle has to offer.