Galle & South West Coast

Tucked away in the southwestern corner of Sri Lanka is Galle Fort, which over the centuries has experienced Dutch, Portuguese and British influences and has played an important role as a trading post. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this small fortified town has been growing in popularity over the past years and is now a very fashionable place to be. Along her cobbled streets, boutique stores rub shoulders with delightful small hotels and somehow the authenticity and atmosphere of the town has been retained despite an increasing number of visitors to the area. A stay within the Fort itself is highly reccommended for at least two nights. Stay longer if you can and there willl certainly be plenty to do in the area from cultural experiences to active options.

Within a short distance from Galle are some glorious accomodation options too, from picturesque properties overlooking lakes or tea plantations to numerous stunning, small and intimate beach retreats. The coastline that heads eastwards is home to some heavenly beaches, where palm-lined shores meet the might of the Indian Ocean. Sea swimming can be tricky in this region as the currents and waves can be strong, however there are some sheltered coves where swimming is fine. There are also some wonderful spots on the west coast too, north of Galle heading towards Colombo including Hikkaduwa, Balapitiya and Bentota, the latter offering a good array of watersports on the lagoon.

Whether you spend your entire time in Sri Lanka in the south west or just a few days, you will most certainly fall in love with the area and never want to leave.