Galle Fort – Converse With Colonial Past Of Sri Lanka

Galle Fort is a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the South Western Coast of Sri Lanka. It is a lovely fort town and my fondest memory of it is walking on the mighty walls with a lovely lighthouse behind me.

Galle is an ancient port town – they used to export Cinnamon from here way back in 1400 BCE. There are records like Ptolemy’s maps that indicate ancient trade that happened from this port. Modern history though begins with the landing of the Portuguese in the early 16th CE. In the mid-17th, CE Dutch came and took over this port town. It is the Dutch who built this fort edging the Indian Ocean. In the late 18th CE and passed on to the British – who did not change much in the town.

Galle – The Walking Town of Sri Lanka

It is a perfect town to walk around – just pray that it does not rain the day you visit it. We entered the town through a lovely arch next to an ancient Banyan Tree. A coat of arms still decorates the top of the arch.

We entered the town through a lovely arch next to an ancient Banyan Tree. A coat of arms still decorates the top of the arch.

Maritime Museum

My first stop was the Maritime Archaeology Museum. It was fascinating to see the world of sailing boats and sailors.

As soon as I stepped out of the museum I saw the All Saints Church on a street aptly called Church Street. The church is quintessentially British in character. I walked into the church and could see the stained glass windows telling the stories of Christianity.

As I walked on the street further – it was a delight to see small cafes, antique shops, and of course the Gem stores. You can spend some quiet time observing the tourists going in and out of these stores. I discovered some interesting stores like the one selling old Sri Lankan posters when it was still called Ceylon.

Read More – Top Sri Lanka Souvenirs to Buy

Opposite the Old Police Barracks is a fancy shopping complex with chic shops and cafes. It was raining heavily that day and I ventured into these shops more to kill time while waiting for the rain to stop. Probably the rain gods wanted me to see some fine jewelry made with gemstones from Sri Lanka. It prompted me to visit a moonstone mine the next day.

There was an old house converted into an art gallery. Antique shops had piles of interesting stuff – you can spend days untangling them in an attempt to uncover something interesting. Love Sri Lanka – a unit of the Odel retail chain that has lovely Sri Lankan Souvenirs to pick from in all price ranges.

Vintage Cars

Almost every street here has a well-maintained vintage car parked in it. For a fee, you can take a ride in these cars. You can always click a picture with them in any case.

It can also be done on a bicycle. Hire a cycle and go around the colonial fort.

Black Fort

The Black Fort is the oldest part of Galle Fort. It is the original fort built by the Portuguese way back in the late 16th CE. They used Palm leaves, corals, and mud to build it. They called it Santa Cruz. A name that we find in Portuguese-dominated areas in India as well, like Panaji. It is a small barrack-like construction surrounded by three small bastions. An underground path connects to the bay at the sea – which probably worked as a harbor in those days.

It is called Black Fort because it has become black with constant smoke from the firing of cannons. The name was given by the Dutch when they took it over in 1640 CE

Now it serves as Sri Lanka Police Museum.

Galle Fort Walls

Walking around I reached the famous lighthouse of the fort. I climbed the fort wall which was already full of tourists. I and my camera happily walked on the walls clicking pictures. There was the Indian Ocean on one side – trying to kiss the walls. On the other side was this quaint town – seen from the vantage point.

In places, the Sri Lankan fishermen were fishing with the traditional fishing rod in their hands. I had till now seen them only in their wooden sculptures. It felt like the sculptures have come alive on those small rocks on the seashore.

Bastions

As I walked away from the lighthouse, The landscape changed. Lighthouses receded and the wall took center stage. Bastions made their appearance at regular intervals. They made another great viewpoint – I only wish they were a bit better maintained. Many tourists sat on the turrets waiting for the iconic sunset. However, clouds had a field day that day in June. Sun had no choice but to go down quietly.

On the walls and closer to the shore, you can see the porous stones that I had also seen at Dhanushkodi near Rameshwaram in India. These are the same stones that are believed to be used by the Vaanar Sena of Ramayana to make a bridge to Lanka.

Galle Fort Clock Tower

On the other side there is a clock tower still standing tall but please do not depend on it to tell you the time. Close to it, are some lovely metal sculptures that clearly belong to colonial times. The three bastions of the Galle Fort are called Sun, Moon, and Star.

The 2004 Tsunami hit Galle town badly but it seems it did no major damage to the fort walls that stood strong against the mighty waves.

Galle Cricket Stadium

The cricket stadium is the cutest cricket stadium you can see. It is like a large roundabout – in fact, it is a roundabout, and you can see the traffic going around it.

From the Fort walls, you can see the whole of the stadium with its lush green ground. I tried to visualize the stands and was pointed to a small one at another end of the stadium.

Is it a small stadium? Apparently No.

Do they stop the traffic on the days of matches? Apparently No.

You can climb the walls and watch the match for free and apparently, that is what many people do.

Unawatuna Beach

The Unawatuna is a touristy beach close to the city. It is a moon-shaped beach – that makes it safer and more fun than most other rocky edges of the seashore in Sri Lanka.

You would find lots of activities like water sports here. Tourists love to swim on this beach. When I stood there for a few minutes, it was like standing on Miramar Beach back home in Goa.

What I enjoyed doing was walking in the streets of Unawatuna. I ended up buying some funky jewelry there.

Unawatuna has a hippie vibe that you typically find in parts of the city or country that belong to tourists. People who come and live here for some time – all of them temporary citizens on the move.

Mirissa Beach

This is a beach that tourists visit for activities like surfing, whale watching, and boat trips. There are many tour companies that would take you on whale-watching trips deeper into the sea. I am told you can see a variety of whales if you are lucky.

It is a small beach though bigger than Jungle Beach. I could see a lot of rocky outgrowths, so you need to be careful when getting into the waters at Mirrisa Beach. There are shacks like restaurants lining the beach, so you have ample to eat and drink. You can even see some fresh catch of seafood, choose the one you fancy and the guys will cook it for you.

There is a relaxed and fun vibe on the Mirissa beach. The perfect time to visit this beach is sunset when you can see the sun going down against the rocks standing in the blue waters of the Indian Ocean.

Mirissa Beach is about a 30-45 minutes drive from the town.

Rumassala Forest

Rumassala Forest not too far has an interesting Ramayana connection. It is said that when Hanuman brought the Himalaya Parvat to Sri Lanka for Sanjeevani Buti to revive Lakshmana, a piece of that forest fell here. Locals will tell you that Unawatuna means falling from in-between the fingers. They would also tell you that the herbs found in this piece of the jungle are the same as those found in the Himalayas. If it is true or not needs to be verified, but if it is, it is amazing as the climates in the Himalayas and Sri Lanka are poles apart

Read More – Ramayana Places to See in Sri Lanka

We drove through the steep hill to see two small monuments and a hidden beach in the Rumassala forest.

Shanti Stupa

This is a standard Buddhist Stupa in white standing on a cliff by the bay. There is a typical Japanese Peace Pagoda that you see here. I have seen similar ones in Leh, Rajgir, and many other places.

In pristine white, this peaceful pagoda also called Shanti Stupa has four main images of Buddha in 4 cardinal directions. Images depict the 4 important milestones in Buddha’s life – Birth, Enlightenment, Turning the Wheel of Dharma, and Mahaparinirvana. It feels peaceful to go around the Stupa and think of Buddha’s life and what it teaches us.

Read More – Sanchi Stupa and the Stories it Tells

There is a small Tsunami memorial that stands next to the Shanti Stupa ar Rumassala. A Buddhist temple nearby is where you can pray or meditate.

Hanuman Statue

Right next to the Shanti Stupa stands a Hanuman statue – holding the Himalaya Parvat in his hand. The point to note is that in India when we see Hanuman images with the mountain in his hand, we always see him flying. While in Sri Lanka he is standing as if announcing that he has brought the herbs needed. He is adorned with a garland of beetle leaves – a tradition that is followed in South India.

The image was erected in 2000 by a local businessman called Sisirchandra Weerakoddy.

When I looked at the trees around the Hanuman image, I saw some small cradles with toy babies hanging around the trees. Later, I found out that people believe that Hanuman can fulfill their wish of having a child if they tie a cradle to the tree around him. Faith – can take so many shapes.

Read More – Journey in the Footsteps of Hanuman

Jungle Beach

The Jungle beach nearby is one of those small hidden beaches next to a hill in a jungle. It is a tiny beach surrounded by rocks. However, it is a buzzing beach with many people lounging around.

You need to go down about 200-300 meters to reach Jungle Beach. Half of the way is unpaved and the second half has stairs leading to the beach. There are monkeys waiting for you to offer them some food. Jungle Beach is not really a secret beach as guidebooks would tell you. However, it is tucked away in the corner and you have to make some effort to reach it. There are basic shacks and beach beds.

A good place to spend some secluded time with the sea.

Travel Tips

• Wear comfortable shoes and walk around. It is a small fort that you can easily walk around.
• There are ample food outlets so you need not worry about food or water.
• Entry is free.
• Do walk on the walls for the best views preferably at Sunset time.
• Locals recommend it for antique shops – do check them out.
• There are many hotels in the town that you can stay at. I stayed at Hikka Tranz by Cinnamon at Hikkaduwa which is a 15-20 mins drive away. On my second visit, I stayed at Amari Galle. Check out more Hotels in Galle.
• When I visited both the museums were closed for renovation, do check them when you visit.