Tourism in Sri Lanka
Galle
Southern Province, Sri Lanka
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Galle is a city on the southwest coast of Sri Lanka. It’s known for Galle Fort, the fortified old city founded by Portuguese colonists in the 16th century. Stone sea walls, expanded by the Dutch, encircle car-free streets with architecture reflecting Portuguese, Dutch and British rule. Notable buildings include the 18th-century Dutch Reformed Church. Galle Lighthouse stands on the fort’s southeast tip. Important natural geographical features in Galle include Rumassala in Unawatuna, a large mound-like hill that forms the eastern protective barrier to Galle Harbour. Local tradition associates this hill with some events of Ramayana, one of the great Hindu epics.
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GALLE
Dutch Fort
Galle Fort, in the Bay of Galle on the southwest coast of Sri Lanka, was built first in 1588 by the Portuguese, then extensively fortified by the Dutch during the 17th century from 1649 onwards. At present the Dutch fort which has gained much tourist attention has been modernized ad consists of street food and shopping stalls .
Galle Lighthouse
This is Sri Lanka's oldest light station, dating back to 1848,but the original 24.5-metre-high (80 ft) lighthouse built by the British was located about 100 metres (330 ft) from the current site; however, it was destroyed by fire in 1934. The existing 26.5-metre-high (87 ft) lighthouse was erected here in 1939. The original light was furnished with a glass prism lens floating in a bath of mercury (to reduce friction) and was powered by a weight driven machine.
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Hikkaduwa Coral Reef
Hikkaduwa is a small town on the south coast of Sri Lanka located in the Southern Province, about 17 km north-west of Galle and 98 km south of Colombo. The shallow water and the colorful coral reefs around the area has attracted many tourists to Hikkaduwa in the past decade. The area is very popular among tourists who prefer a good tan before leaving due to the lukewarm sunlight.