After ten action-packed days exploring Sri Lanka, I was ready for some beach time. I travelled from Ella to Sri Lanka's southwest coast, staying two nights at a luxury beach resort in Koggala — one of the loveliest hotels I've ever stayed in — and one night in a former cinnamon factory in the UNESCO-listed Galle Fort. I visited in September and although this is technically 'inter-monsoon' season, I knew that the sea would be too rough for swimming and that I might also experience heavy rain showers. That's why I split my time between the resort — where I had a private indoor pool — and Galle, so that rain didn't stop play.
As it happened, the weather was hot, sunny and humid, with the occasional very short but heavy shower. This meant I was able to combine relaxation on and around the beach, with history, shopping and eating out in gorgeous Galle. You can easily explore the Old Town in a single day but you might want to allocate more time to check out more of the town's delightful restaurants, cafés and boutiques, take in the sunset from the historic fort walls or even take in a game of cricket.
As for beach time, how much to allocate depends on your travel style and also the time of year and weather. An extra day relaxing in Koggala would have been lovely but I wouldn't have wanted to spend one day less in any of the other Sri Lankan destinations I visited.
THINGS TO DO IN & AROUND GALLE
Explore the UNESCO-listed Old Town
Galle Fort, located on the southwest tip of Sri Lanka, was established by the Portuguese in the late 16th century. It was further fortified by the Dutch in the 17th century and later by the English. The fort remains incredibly well preserved and you can walk all around the ramparts, taking in the views of the town, look down on Galle International Stadium (I caught a few overs of the Sri Lanka vs New Zealand cricket match that was going on while I was there) and take in the sunset.
I took an informative walking tour with a local guide, who provided a lot of information about the history and culture of Galle, through the various colonial periods to the present day. I enjoyed seeing the contrasting architecture and decorative styles of the neighbouring Dutch and English churches and hearing about the history of Galle as a fishing and port town. We saw a beach that was once the 'ladies' beach' — this reminded me of the ladies' pond on Hampstead Heath; very Victorian. We also saw yet another Duran Duran filming location — Save a Prayer was filmed at the extremely luxurious Amangalla Hotel.
Pick your spot for a sunset cocktail
I only had one night in Galle itself and I didn't want to miss the sunset. During golden hour (when it was thankfully slightly cooler), I walked along the ramparts and took some photos of the beautiful 1938 lighthouse and then headed to the west side to take in the views. I then headed to Charlie's Bar, on the rooftop of the Charleston Hotel, for an exquisite arrack sour as the sky turned orange and then pinks.
I was treated to exceptional sunsets on the beach at Koggala on both nights I stayed there. On the first night, the heavens opened for about five minutes and then the sky cleared to reveal stunning pink and purple colours over the palm-fringed beach. The Fortress also has a happy hour from 6 to 7 pm, so I could enjoy the view over a fruity, tropical cocktail.
Shop for unique souvenirs and gifts
By the time I got to Galle, my suitcase was getting very full but I managed to make space for some of the lovely things I couldn't resist buying in Galle. My first port of call was Barefoot, a shop that had been recommended by family friends. I walked in and immediately wanted to buy one of everything! They sell colourful, handwoven clothes, accessories and homewares, as well as stationery and knickknacks.
I ended up buying a couple of tote bags — one that was a perfect match for my three favourite colours and one to use as a personal item on the plane — as well as various pouches, slippers, notebooks, coasters, and toys and clothes for young family members. They also have a bigger shop in Colombo, which I visited on my last day in Sri Lanka. I wish I'd had space for one of these floor rugs.
The aptly named Pedlar Street is one of the best places to shop for gifts (and gifts-to-self). There are various boutiques selling homewares, fashion, jewellery and accessories, including PR Concept Store and KK Boutique (they had lovely lightweight cotton dresses and trousers in a rainbow of colours, as well as lots of jewellery and homewares). I also picked up a vintage tea poster and some vintage postcards at Stick No Bills. And there's a branch of Spa Ceylon, which is like an Ayurvedic Sephora or Bath & Bodyworks — another great place for gifts.
Relax on the beach
There are a number of beaches within a short tuk tuk ride (or bus ride) from Galle. Unawatuna (about 20 minutes by tuk tuk) is one of the closest and most popular. If you fancy surfing or whale watching — depending on the season — Mirissa (one hour by road) may be more your speed. I stopped there for lunch on the way to Koggala and the beach was really lovely. There are lots of hostels and tourist-friendly bars and eateries so if you're hoping for a more chilled-out stay, it may not be the best place.
I decided to stay in Koggala, which is about 30 minutes by road from Galle, a) because I'd fallen for the Fortress Resort & Spa and b) because it was such a peaceful location with very little to do other than relax (as you can probably tell, I'm not so good at R&R when on holiday!). It wasn't peak season so the hotel wasn't very busy (and I got a great rate) and I could walk for 1 km along the soft golden sand on the palm-fringed beach without seeing more than a couple of other people.
As I mentioned, the sea was too rough to swim but I enjoyed paddling and watching the stilt fisherman (who are famous in this part of Sri Lanka) catching sardines in the reef, before returning to the loungers beside my hotel's infinity pool. The best of both worlds! Turtles also nest in the area and often come to the reef at Koggala in the evening to feed — keep your eyes peeled in the late afternoon!
Folk culture in Koggala
Although I spent most of my time in Koggala on the beach or by the pool, I did spend a couple of enjoyable hours at the Martin Wickramasinghe Folk Museum, which is across the road from my hotel. Wickramasinghe was an internationally acclaimed author and journalist, who was born in the house that is now part of the museum. I enjoy visiting writers' houses and it was nice to learn about Wickramasignhe and his works, many of which are about Sri Lankan folk culture — the subject of the rest of the museum.
There isn't much explanation in English, but one of the museum staff members walked around with me and provided me with more information after I spotted a display on the evolution on the Sinhala language and my inner linguist had a few questions.
Look out for leopards at Yala National Park
Sri Lanka has so many national parks and it's impossible to visit them all on a two-week stay. I travelled from Ella to Galle by taxi, with a three-hour stop at Yala National Park on the way. Yala is one of the best places in Sri Lanka to spot leopards — although they are still rare — but because the park often closes for a few weeks in September, I originally planned to visit Udawalawe National Park. But Yala remained open in September 2024 and as several other people I spoke to in Ella had had leopard sightings earlier in the week, I decided to try my luck.
I booked everything through Less Taxi, paying 22,000 LKR (£58) for the transfer from Ella to Koggala, and 16,000 LKR (£42) for my Yala safari jeep, driver and guide (this seats up to six people). There's also a per-person national park entry fee of around 13,000 LKR (£34). You can also take a day trip to Yala from Galle — it takes about 2.5 hours to drive there, so the afternoon slot may be best unless you fancy a very early start to get there for the 6 am morning slot.
My journey to Yala from Ella took slightly longer than expected, so we arrived just before 7 am. I transferred into the safari jeep, paid my national park fee and we set off with a Yala guide. Unfortunately, we didn't see any leopards — my guide was in constant communication with other guides on the radio and said that there hadn't been any leopard sightings that morning. Nonetheless, I really enjoyed the safari, as we saw elephants, buffalo, crocodiles, boar, deer, mongooses and many, many birds.
Mid-way through the three-hour safari drive, we stopped for a quick break at a café / shop, where there are some toilets. This was right on the beach and I couldn't resist heading down to dip my toes into the Indian Ocean of this holiday. I had a good time in Yala, but of the two Sri Lankan national parks I visited on this holiday, I would say that the experience of the elephant gathering at Minneriya was more special.
FOOD & DRINK IN GALLE
For its size, Galle Fort boasts an exceptional number of lovely eateries and bars. I only spent one night in the town itself but wished I'd had an extra day to check out some of the other places to eat and drink. I had a tasty and filling dinner at Coconut Sambol, a tiny, cosy restaurant that has an all-you-can-eat buffet for 2,350 LKR (£6). They had about eight or nine different curries, many of them vegetarian, served with rice. Their homemade ginger beer was good too — although even the 'sweet' version was pretty spicy!
On my first day in Galle, I had a late lunch at Sugar Bistro, whose menu includes a mix of Sri Lankan and international dishes. The fish tacos — made with local sardines — were really good and the staff were super-friendly. I also had a lovely lunch at A Minute by Tuk Tuk — I'm not sure exactly where it's a minute by tuk tuk from (it's a small town, so probably almost anywhere!) but my fish curry was delicious and beautifully presented.
In Galle, I took part in my first — and only — bar crawl of this trip! I started with a sunset cocktail at Charlie's Bar & Bistro, located on the rooftop of the Charleston Hotel. The air-conditioned restaurant is sleekly designed but the terrace is the place to be, especially at sundown. My arrack sour was excellent and the popcorn I ordered as a bar snack was very moreish.
Afterwards, I headed to Galle Fort Hotel, whose elegant, colonial-style Ropewalk Bar is the self-proclaimed home of the arrack sour. In fact, their menu includes different sours (and other cocktails, if you're so inclined) for every palate, from spicy to pickled. Mine was expertly brewed with strawberry, basil, blackcurrant and pineapple. I sat at the bar to chat with the friendly bar staff and enjoy impressive arrack wall at the back.
In Sri Lanka, I often found the best specialty coffee when I was least expecting it. Just like at Isle of Gelato in Ella, who have another branch in Galle that I didn't have time to visit. But I did stop for coffee at Dumplings Cafe, which, unsurprisingly, is mostly known for its dumplings. They also serve Sri Lankan-grown coffee from roaster Cup in Hand. You can choose from the espresso-based drinks on the menu or opt for a single-origin coffee brewed as a pourover or cold brew. As it was so hot and humid, I opted for the latter, which was tasted smooth and fruity. I also bought a few single-serve packets of pourover-ready filter coffee to take home. Cup in Hand's packaging is super-cute too.
WHERE TO STAY IN & AROUND GALLE
In Galle, I stayed at Mango House, a boutique hotel in a former cinnamon factory located in the heart of the Old Town. I paid about £70 for a superior double room with a balcony, with breakfast included. The beautifully decorated small hotel was full of character. My room was small but attractive with a nice view over the rooftops of Galle. It was also very quiet, except for the soothing sound of rain on the tin roof late at night. The included breakfast, served in the colourful courtyard, was excellent: I opted for the buffalo milk curd with honey and nuts (a local specialty), followed by egg hoppers.
My hotel in Koggala, the Fortress Resort & Spa, was really special. Located on a gorgeous and peaceful stretch of sandy beach, the hotel's colonial architectural style lives up to its fortress name. As I was concerned that rain might limit my beach and pool time, I splashed out (pun intended) on a 'beach splash' room, which came with its own indoor plunge pool, as well as a huge jacuzzi bath in the bathroom.
I paid about £180 per night and it was well worth the splurge. The weather ended up being great, but I still loved having my own private pool to relax in, especially by night with the candles lit. Check out my Instagram for more photos and a mini video tour of the incredible room.
The rest of the facilities at the Fortress were just as impressive. The 50-metre infinity pool is right on the beach and perfect for swimming laps or for lounging in the shallow 'beach' area. I had a cleansing and relaxing body scrub at the spa, preceded by a visit to the sauna and steam room. But other than chilling out on my terrace or by the pool, walking along the beach and washing the local stilt fishermen, I didn't do very much in Koggala. And that was intentional.
The included breakfast — a pastry basket, fruit plate and a main dish prepared to order — was the best and most elegantly presented of my trip. The cocktails were fab, the evening meals delicious (especially the crab curry) and the poolside lunch menu was reasonably priced given the resort setting. They also offer a dessert called the Fortress Stilt Fisherman Indulgence. I was expecting something akin to the chocolate Brooklyn Bridge I had at the River Cafe, but which comes with an 80-carat aquamarine stone and looks spectacular but has a five-figure (USD) price tag!!
Throughout my stay, the friendly staff members offered exceptional, warm service, from offering me a late check-out on my final day or helping me prepare my king crab curry to telling me when a rain shower was only going to last five minutes and so I didn't need to bother packing up by the pool. If you're looking for a really special place to stay on your Sri Lanka holiday, I'd highly recommend the Fortress.
GETTING THERE & AROUND
Galle is about two hours' drive from Colombo and about four hours from Ella. As I mentioned above, I booked a car through Less Taxi to travel from Ella to Galle, with a stop at Yala National Park. The taxi fare was 22,000 LKR (£58), which included the waiting time during my safari, plus an additional 16,000 LKR (£42) for the safari jeep, driver and guide.
I travelled from Galle to Colombo by train, which took about 2.5 hours. Most of the trains on this route don't allow reservations, but I had no problem buying a second-class ticket (500 LKR, or about £1.30) on the day, showing up about 45 minutes before my train. The train was quite busy so I was glad I managed to get a seat — and a window seat at that, so I could enjoy the scenic views as the train made its way north along the coast. Check out the Man in Seat 61's guide for more information about Sri Lankan train travel.
You can easily explore Galle Fort on foot, but there are very many tuk tuks around if you need to travel further afield.
NEED TO KNOW
For packing tips, check out my Sri Lanka packing guide or my recommendations of tried-and-tested products for travel.
Electricity. Sri Lanka uses two main plug sockets: type D (with three round pins) and type G (with three rectangular pins, also used in the UK). All but one of the hotels I stayed in on this trip had sockets that supported type G plugs, but I packed a type D adapter just in case.
Time zone. Sri Lanka Standard Time is 5.5 hours ahead of GMT. There is no daylight savings time, which means the country is 4.5 hours ahead of the UK during British Summer Time.
Wifi/mobile data. A free 30GB Mobitel eSIM card was included with my airport transfer, which gave me good 4G coverage throughout my trip; download speeds were often better than the hotel wifi. If I hadn't had the free SIM, I would have used my favourite eSIM provider, Airalo. I've used their eSIMs in various countries across three continents and always appreciate the convenience and reasonable pricing that they offer. Want to try Airalo on your next trip? Sign up using my referral code — REBECC3024 — and we both get $3 credit.
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