Galle Fort, on Sri Lanka's southwest coast, is a walled old town begun by the Portuguese in the 16th century and rebuilt by the Dutch in the 17th. Its ramparts, churches and narrow streets of colonial houses make it one of the best-preserved European-built fortified cities in Asia, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The south coast is at its best from December to April, when the sea is calm and the weather mostly dry; the southwest monsoon brings more rain from about May to September.
Stay at least one night inside the fort walls, to enjoy it early and late once the day-trippers have gone. Galle is about two and a half hours from Colombo, and makes a good base for the beaches and whale watching further along the coast.
Read our guide: Galle Fort at Golden Hour.
Every tour can be tailored — combine it with other destinations, add nights or change the pace.
Wander the ramparts of Galle Fort, spot blue whales off Mirissa and unwind on the south coast's best beaches on this relaxed 4-day coastal escape.
Tell us your dates and the places you'd like to see, and we'll put together a route and a clear price.