Destinations

Overview

In this costal town, the Dutch presence is still visible. Galle was an ancient port (said to be the legendary Tarshish of the Bible), and our first international commerce and trade centre.

Today, Galle is the bustling provincial capital and administrative centre of the south.

It is famous for its lovely Unawatuna Bay, where the sea is reef protected and therefore safe for swimming.

The old Dutch ‘Star’ fort (a World Heritages Site) covering 36 hectares, the well-preserved Groote Kerk (Dutch Church), Dutch Government House, the New Oriental Hotel (built in 1684) old bell tower and a tide-based Sewage-System, also introduced by the Dutch.

In Gale they still make the Dutch ‘pillo-lace’ and do fine ebony-carving and gem-polishing.