A Dutch city inside the walls · UNESCO World Heritage
Galle Fort
Rampart walks at sunset, boutique hotels in 300-year-old villas, good coffee.
The Portuguese started the fort, the Dutch rebuilt it in the 1660s, and the British left it alone. Today it is the best-preserved colonial fortress in Asia and still a living town, with courtyard cafes, gem cutters and a lighthouse at the tip. We stay inside the walls.
What we do here
- Sunset rampart walk with a heritage guide
- Stilt fishermen and Koggala Lake by boat
- Day trip to Unawatuna and Jungle Beach
- Lace-making and gem workshops inside the fort
Worth knowing
- UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988
- The ramparts run for roughly 3 km and take an hour to walk at sunset
- Galle is 2 hours from Colombo on the Southern Expressway
- The Dutch Reformed Church of 1755 still has its original gravestone floor
