Dutch colonial memories
Galle is filled with memories of Dutch rule. Along the former Kerkstraat (Church Street) stands the baroque church Groote Kerk, dating back to 1755 with graves of Dutch settlers. The former governor’s palace next door has been transformed into the high-end luxury hotel Amangalla, where rooms start from a hefty 400 euros a night. Hotel Weltevreden, located in a historic Dutch house, offers rooms for only 20 euros. The old Lijnbaanstraat still preserves its original name, although the words have been corrupted to Leyn Baan Street. The tips of the fort have names like Zwart Bastion and Akersloot Bastion. Olanda sells colonial furniture and official portraits of Dutch governors. The Royal Dutch Café features coffee and Dutch pancakes on its menu. Just outside the city in Unawatuna lies Nooit Gedacht, another former governor’s mansion that now serves as a heritage hotel. The hotel is significantly less upscale than Amangalla, but receives better reviews than Hotel Weltevreden and is within walking distance from the beach.
The tropical beach of Galle
Galle itself boasts just one tiny inaccessible sandy beach, tucked away at the bottom of the city wall. But outside the city, in a crescent shaped bay between 2 prominent rock formations, lies the most popular beach destination on the southern coast: Unawatuna. The picture-perfect tropical beach with the softest white fluffy sand is wedged between swaying palm trees on one side and the deep blue Indian Ocean on the other. Here you won’t find big hotels but simple small places to stay, with bamboo beach bars where you can enjoy a cold beer or a plate of curry, a handful of sun chairs and a few hammocks strung up between 2 palm trees. Popular with locals and visitors.
