Long Weekend | 36 hours in Galle, Sri Lanka

Galle. (Photo: Chathura Indika via Unsplash)

Just two hours south of Colombo’s Bandaranaike International Airport and down the scenic Southern Express Highway is one of Sri Lanka’s most fascinating travel destinations. Galle has been a magnet for traders and explorers for centuries. It featured on Ptolemy’s world map (125-150 AD) and was also visited by Ibn Battuta. Almost two millennia later, it’s still one of the best spots in Sri Lanka to slow things down. Galle’s streets are steeped in history and packed with little nuggets waiting to be explored.

Day One

Slow it down and turn back the clock

The first lesson you will learn in Galle is to slow down the pace. Even though many travellers come here for short, one- or two-night visits, it’s still best to discover this destination at a leisurely pace. Galle’s tryst with colonial powers began with the Portuguese who constructed the iconic Galle Fort in 1588. The Dutch edged the Portuguese out in the 17th century and made Galle their very own. They fortified the town with their distinct architectural style, visible to this day; large parts of this town are still frozen in time. It earned Galle UNESCO World Heritage status.

Galle lighthouse and Meeran Jumma Masjid. (Photo: Samal Nadeeshan via Wikimedia Commons)

One of Galle’s most photogenic spots is a whitewashed lighthouse that rubs shoulders with tall coconut palms. Galle was home to Sri Lanka’s oldest (built in 1848) light station. The current lighthouse was built in 1939 after a fire destroyed the original. It’s adjacent to Flag Rock, a rocky outcrop that the Portuguese used to spot approaching ships from. Just across the road is the snow white Meeran Jumma Masjid, a Dutch-era mosque with subtle Dutch architectural touches. The fort’s ramparts extend around the old quarter and are also a great spot for sunset. The trails around Galle fort will take you through historic landmarks like the Dutch Hospital and the Dutch Reform Church.

Local flavours

Whether you’d like an all-day breakfast or laidback lunch experience, you will be spoilt for choice. Sugar Bistro is a popular stop and offers a contemporary take on Sri Lankan cuisine. Local seafood comes to the fore at Fort Printers an old colonial mansion that’s morphed into an intimate boutique hotel. There’s also tuna and crab if you need your sushi fix.

Retail and spa therapy

Shobha Display Gallery on Pedlar Street hosts a gallery selling beautiful hand-made local crafts made by local women, you can also make a stop at their café for traditional Sri Lankan food. You will find Sri Lanka’s popular local brands as you walk through the streets including Spa Ceylon and Odel — great for local teas and handicrafts. Three by TPV is worth checking out for home accessories and designer wear. Amangalla is a favourite hotel in Galle. This 17th-century colonial mansion is also a great pitstop to cool those weary heels. Amangalla’s Spa and Baths include two hydrotherapy suites with hot and cold plunge pools, steam rooms and saunas.

One of the world’s most scenic cricket stadium

Galle International Cricket Stadium. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

The Galle International Stadium may not boast of the traditions or cricketing history of Lord’s but is easily one of the most beautiful venues to host an international cricket game. Try and time your visit around an international game and take in a panoramic view — flanked by the Indian Ocean and the historic Galle fort, that few cricket stadiums can match. The best views of the stadium and the live action are from the ramparts of the Galle. Sri Lankans love their cricket and every match is a celebration.

River cruising

Mahamodara river, Galle, Sri Lanka. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

The Jetwing Kurulubedda is one of Galle’s most intimate resorts. It’s located on the edge of the Mahamodara river, a backwater of sorts that scythes through farms, wilderness and a couple of villages. It’s also a paradise for ornithologists and casual bird watchers. Try and schedule a 90-minute boat cruise post lunch. I spotted three types of kingfishers the elusive stork-billed kingfisher during my cruise

Magical sunsets

Jetwing Lighthouse, Galle, Sri Lanka. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

I don’t think I’ve witnessed a better sunset in Sri Lanka. It was at the beach deck at Jetwing Lighthouse — the sky, the Indian Ocean and the tall coconut palms came together for an idyllic sunset at one of Galle’s finest beach resorts and architectural landmarks. This was one of Geoffrey Bawa’s (Sri Lanka’s most celebrated architect) last projects and was commissioned in the 1990s. The postmodern minimalist hotel evokes images of the 17th-century Dutch fort at Galle and looks down on the ocean from atop a rocky promontory. I’d suggest dinner at Cinnamon Room at the resort or reserve the tree house at Jetwing Kurulubedda, with the sounds of nature providing the playlist for the evening.

Day Two

Real surfing adventures

Move from channel surfing mode to surfing the waves at Freedom Surf School at Weligama. Head out of the resort early (the surf school is about an hour away) and sign up for a beginner’s or advanced lesson. Weligama offers the perfect spot for our first surfing lesson with its small consistent waves. Enjoy an early breakfast with fellow surfers or head back to town and do a local breakfast (try the egg hoppers) at Pedlar’s Inn.

Local culinary adventures

Galle fish market, Sri Lanka. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

You can sign up for a local culinary session at resorts like Jetwing Lighthouse. I headed out with a local chef to two markets — Galle’s fish market and compact, yet busy vegetable market to shop for ingredients for my cookout with the chef.

Watch whales and spinning dolphins up close

Hop aboard the Princess of Lanka and head to the Indian Ocean after a lazy lunch. You can opt from a range of cruise options (that include a one-hour option and a five-hour cruise) that are available during the weekends. This cruise gives you the best chance to spot whales and dolphins along the coast and a fitting finale to your Galle adventure.