Galle & Its Surroundings

OVERVIEW

This tour gives you a great overview of the colorful city of Galle and includes a visit to the Galle Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Your tour begins with a short stop to witness the unusual sight of the stilt fishermen. Perched atop a pole in the middle of the waters just off-shore, they fish for small reef fish called 'Bollu' and 'Koramburuwo' from a small bench that is just barely large enough to sit on. This tradition of fishing has been passed down from generation to generation, but is slowly becoming a dying art. Interestingly, the fishermen do not use bait to catch their fish, but mere rely on the motion of the waters to attract the fish to their waiting hooks. Continuing on, you will travel to your next stop, the Handunugoda Tea Estate. The Estate not only grows spices, it also produces the award winning and globally acclaimed Virgin White Tea, which is untouched by hand and deemed the purest of all teas. This 140 year-old eco-friendly estate is rich in flora and fauna and you have a good chance of seeing a wealth of birds and wildlife while here. The Estate's reservoirs and fish ponds also add to the special ambience.

Upon arrival at Handunugoda, renowned author and planter Herman Gunaratne will meet you in the Estate's `Writers' bungalow and then escort you around his organic plantations of cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, turmeric, vanilla, rubber, coconut, tea and a variety of spices. Enjoy a tour of the factory that produces the prized Virgin White Tea and sample a cup before it's time to leave. Your tour then travels to The Martin Wickramasinghe Museum of Folk Culture. This spacious, high-roofed building currently houses over a thousand artifacts of Sri Lankan rural life, providing a vast storehouse of knowledge of local folk culture and folk technology that dates back several centuries. The elegantly displayed artifacts showcase a wonderful collection of Buddhist religious items, writing utensils, pottery, metallurgical technologies, a collection of masks, costumes, jewelry, musical instruments, games, traditional lace-making and also presents the evolution of the Sinhala alphabet, along with many other interesting exhibits.

Your final tour stop is at the famous Galle Fort. First built by the Portuguese, it was later modified by the Dutch during the 17th century. The Fort was one of the few structures that survived the infamous Boxing Day Tsunami that devastated Galle in December 2004. Today, even after 400 years of existence, the Fort looks amazing, thanks to reconstruction work done by the Archaeological Department of Sri Lanka. Entering through the old gates, you will drive around the Fort and visit the ramparts which offer up spectacular views of Galle. Within the Fort's ramparts, you will find narrow streets lined with houses displaying their Dutch and English heritage. Flanked by pillared verandahs, these colonial homes and Government offices remain in use today. You will also visit the Dutch Church, located inside the walls of the Fort. The church contains records of marriages dating back to 1748 and baptisms from 1678. Perhaps the most interesting feature of the building is that there are no pillars inside the church and the weight of the roof is supported by the walls alone. Following your time at the Fort, you will re-board your coach and transfer back to the pier.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Gain a historical understanding of Galle and the surrounding area.
• Marvel at the stilt fishermen that fish the shallow waters just off shore.
• Sample a cup of the world’s purest tea, following a tour of a tea plantation.
• Explore a folk museum that reveals much about rural daily life over the centuries.
• Meander about a 16th-century fort that is a World Heritage site.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.