Galle
Galle is a major city on the southwestern tip of Sri Lanka, 119 km (74 mi) south of Colombo.
Galle is the provincial capital and largest city of Southern Province, Sri Lanka and is the capital of Galle District.
Getting to Galle
From Colombo you can take one of many southern line trains to Galle, or the bus. Both routes follow the coastline and have beautiful views. By bus from Colombo: at Kotuwa bus station, Terminal 2, platform 12/13, "luxury" air con 22 seater mini coach, price Rs 715. Large non A/C old type bus, ticket Rs 400. There are 2 options for bus transport between Colombo and the main bus station in Galle: Private A/C minibus.
- 01Galle Railway Station
The 115-km journey from Colombo takes 1½ - 3½ hr.
Worth seeing
- 01All Saint's Church
- 02Fort's
A walk here at sunset is very pleasant if you don't mind being hassled to buy table cloths, fake antique 'Dutch' coins, or powdered milk.
- 03Galle Port
Matara Rd (1 km east from the Bus Station).
- 04Meeran Masjid
Fort Galle, Rampart St.
- 05National Sea Museum
It is housed in the old Dutch East India Company VOC Warehouse in Galle Fort.
- 06Dutch Reformed
Church Street (Middle St corner).
Things to do
Walk around the ramparts of Galle Fort, wander the streets inside the fort shopping for gems and antiques Visit one of the turtle hatcheries along the coast
- 01Dharmapala Park
Colombo Road (opposite to the Galle Railway Station).
- 02Galle International Cricket Stadium
Colombo Road (opposite to the Galle Central Bus Station).
- 03Galle Library
Church St.
- 04Talpe Beach
Beach club with great vibe and excellent drinks.
Where to eat
Seafood Restaurant (Fish Market Street at the corner of Dickson Road). Literally a hole in the wall located just behind the main Galle Fish Market. it's a tiny, one family-operation: father cooks, mother prepares plates and cleans. Only 5 plastic chairs and a small counter, not enough space to turn around.
- 01Karunadasa Restaurant
Mama and her daughter run two cooking classes daily (morning and noon) which includes sitting down to eat the food you learn to cook.
- 02Cafe The Pedler's Inn
92, Pedler Street (in the Fort), azeez@pedlarsinn.com.
Getting around Galle the local way
- Get aroundTuk Tuk or on foot is your best bet if you are traveling in Galle or close by.
- Get aroundThe Old Town of Galle and its fortifications are within walking distance from the central bus station, so it's better to walk rather than to take a tuk-tuk.
- Go nextTuk-tuks ask for Rs 400–500, can usually be bargained down to Rs 250–300.
- Go nextMirissa, the tourist-friendly beachside town is easily reached by train, bus or tuk-tuk Hikkaduwa 20 km north following the coast Madu River, 40 km north following the coast across the Balapitiya area, Take a boat tour.
From Wikivoyage: Galle, CC BY-SA. Not yet checked by us. Last edited 2026-09.
Text adapted from Wikipedia and Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photograph: calflier001 (CC BY-SA 2.0), Wikimedia Commons.
