GALLE The Southern Delight in Sri Lanka – By Leelananda Ihalagamage
Galle is best known among tourists as well as local travelers as a paradise of sea and sun, with plenty of enjoyment available in the gleeful nature in the city and surroundings.
The city of Galle is a major tourist attraction in Sri Lanka. The Dutch Fort of Galle is arguably the most interesting among both local and foreign travelers. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in Sri Lanka, it has a long and colourful history. Lorenzo de Almeida led the Portuguese who captured Galle in the early 1500s and later built the Galle Fort in 1588. Foreign traders such as Greeks, Arabs and Chinese have been visiting Galle Fort trading from 125 – 150 AD and downwards through centuries.
Galle combines colonial era history with the tropical feeling and climate. Most of the embracing colonial buildings here including the UNESCO protected Fort were built by the Dutch. The natural harbour at Galle is one of its prominent landmarks. Other key landmarks include the National Museum, St. Mary’s Cathedral and Shiva Temple. Galle Fort is the best example of the fortified city built by the Portuguese in South Asia and later improved by the Dutch.
You must not miss when you are travelling to Galle, Koggala beach, Martin Wickremasinghe Memorial, Rumassala beach, Unawatuna, Dutch Reformed Church in Galle, Dutch hospital and Museum. Other attractions at the Galle City are Galle Fort Temple, Galle Fort Mosque, Galle Fort Light House, Maritime Museum, Fort Library and the Anglican Church.
Koggala Martin Wickremasinghe Museum : Koggala is located in the South of Sri Lanka. The Koggala Museum is the home of the famous Sri Lankan writer Martin Wickremasinghe. Koggala city has a valuable culture, customs and folks. It is an ideal place for travelers to learn Sri Lankan culture and traditions. This Museum has wooden furniture, traditional masks and costumes of folk dancers of the South. Visitors can enjoy the boat trips in the lagoon and Koggala Lake to explore other tiny islands and the bio-diversity in a large unspoiled lake, a few kilometers away from the city. Bird watching is a special delight. The lagoon is teemed with prawns and birds with hundreds of numbers that are coming to roost at evenings.
Rumassala in Unawatuna – Green and Beach Delight : The Portuguese gave it the name as “Bouna-Vista” which literally means “Pleasant View”. The epic “Ramayana” reveals the beautiful folklore. When King Rawana and the Indian deity King Rama were in the battlefields in Lanka, over the Indian Princess Sita, many soldiers of Rama’s Army were injured. He requested the monkey King “Hanuman” to bring a few medicinal herbs from Himalayan Mountains. Hanuman acted fast, but he could not identify the four special Ayurvedic healing herbs that were wanted. As such, he took a part from the Himalayan Mountains with medicinal herbs and crossed over to Lanka and the part of the Himalayan Forest he carried had been fallen down, where today it is the part of the Himalayan Mountains that had fallen to Sri Lanka is known as Rumassala.
There are a vast number of medicinal plants in the area rich in fauna. Over 80 species of birds and 75 species of butterflies have been found here. There is hidden pleasure at Rumassala with pleasant walks on the hills and the close touch with nature in the green surroundings. Rumassala is a delightful place of nature moving up from the base to the higher rocky areas.
Rumassala also offers visitors the pleasure of a sandy beach, with the nearby forest cover giving another name as the Jungle Beach. Both foreigners and locals enjoy swimming in the warm sea. Rumassala is a special photo location, with its scenic beauty that combines the sea, sandy beach the greenery of forest cover of trees and climbing vines.
Galle Harbour : Galle harbour is a natural harbour located in Galle on the South Western Coast of the country, and has been one of the most active regional ports for more than nearly three centuries in the colonial period and also a key trade location for Chinese and Arab traders from long before. It was developed as a commercial harbour by the Dutch in the 17th century.
National Museum : The Galle National Museum is located in the oldest Dutch building of the Galle Fort, constructed in 1656. To make the public aware of cultural heritage of Southern Sri Lanka, this was developed by the Department of National Museum and opened to the public on 31st March 1986. The Galle National Museum displays a wide range of archaeological and anthropological objects of the South of Sri Lanka. Collections of traditional masks used in various rituals, ornamental objects made up of turtle shells, ancient wooden carvings and ‘Beeralu’ – lace weaving collection are important exhibits here.
Dutch Records : The influence of Dutch is depicted by the equipment used in Dutch ships that came to the Galle harbour. Large water vessels, V.O.C. Porcelain objects, arms and weapons used by the Dutch soldiers are among the exhibits here.
National Maritime Museum : The National Maritime Museum in Galle, situated within Galle Fort, was opened on 9 May 1992 and is located in a 1671 Dutch Warehouse above the Old Gate of Galle Fort. It has very interesting records and historic images of the presence of the Dutch Naval services in Galle, which was an important location for the Dutch in South Asia.
Dutch Church : The Dutch Church is an important piece of history, attractive to many tourists and students of history, too. It shows the dominance of the Dutch Christian faith in the port city of Galle, during Dutch colonial rule, in largely Buddhist southern Sri Lanka. Within the church is an organ loft which once held a cumbrous Dutch organ hatchments on the walls and engraved tombstones on the floor, and of great interest is the orthodox pulpit, the finest specimen found in any church in Sri Lanka hexagonal in shape and finely grained calamander wood with panels of satin wood.
Lighthouse : The current Galle Lighthouse structure was built in 1939; erected within the walls of the medieval Galle Fort, with a height of 26.5m (87 ft). The light station stands at a strategic location at the southern end of the promontory; built approximately 6 m above the road level on the ramparts of the Fort, at a place known as the Point Utrecht Bastion. This affords it an undisturbed view across the seascape and allowing any incoming ships to see its guiding light.
Mansion Museum : The Mansion Museum in Galle is located within the Galle Fort and is a private museum initiated by Abdul Gaffer, which preserves the history of Galle under the Portuguese, Dutch and British. It was built similar to such a historic museum in India. Housed in the grandeur of an old Dutch colonial house, it is the largest private museum in Sri Lanka.
In a building of Dutch architectural features, it displays the rich collection of historical and artistic objects from the days of the Portuguese, Dutch and British, with more of the Dutch heritage. Interestingly, it is also a good shopping centre for handicrafts, art work, jewelry and other attractions for tourists.
Mirissa Beach : The main attraction at Mirissa is Whale watching. A delightful beach with an enticing sea is the draw for those who wish to enjoy Whale watching. Crystal clear waters, delightful scenery, and a little night market await you at Mirissa Beach. Not too commercial or touristy, the beach offers peace and quiet as you lie down the sun beds lined up along the coast. Rougher waters make for great body surfing, and the rock harbour some marine life to observe while snorkeling.
Whales and dolphins – even giant blue whales – live in the water off this beach, so keep your eyes open. During the evening, tables with fresh produce line up along the coast, so be sure to take your pick from the delicious options available.
For travelers who use our online itinerary creator, Mirissa holidays become easier to arrange, with rips to the Mirissa Beach and other attractions mapped out and timetabled, with special sailing to the sea to watch the Whales, a truly memorable experience.
Hikkaduwa : Hikkaduwa, a beach town before Galle when coming from Colombo, is a very attractive site for tourists, especially for its coral sanctuary. The colourful coral reef runs just off shore and is populated by exotic fish and sea turtles.
Sea Turtle Hatchery : Sea turtle hatchery situated in Habaraduwa, admired by nature lovers, is a nonprofit organization, very popular among tourists. Habaraduwa, 5 km from Galle at the Galle – Matara Road conserves turtles and other special marine species. The small hatchery started in 1986, is favourable breeding spot of the sea turtles.
Pix by Leelananda Ihalagamage
