Galle, Sri Lanka (Ceylon)

Galle Fort 

Galle, Sri Lanka (Ceylon)

Galle is one of the major cities in Sri Lanka and a very famous Tourist Destination in Sri Lanka. It is Situated on the southwestern tip, 116km (72mi)  from Colombo city. Galle can be reached Colombo Galle (A2) main road or the Southern expressway (if you use Southern expressway you have to exit at Pinnaduwa exit) as well as from the southern railway. Galle is the administrative capital of Southern Province, Sri Lanka which was known as Gimhathitha in ancient times. The term is believed to be derived from the classical Sinhalese term meaning "port near the river Gin" when it was the main port on the island. Galle reached the height of its development in 18th century, during the Dutch Colonial Period and is considered the best example of a fortified city built by the Portuguese in South and Southeast Asia, showing the interaction between Portuguese architectural styles & native traditions. The Galle Fort is a world heritage site & is the largest remaining fortress in Asia built by European occupiers.

Another prominent landmark in Galle includes the natural harbour, the National Maritime Museum, St. Mary's Cathedral, the Clock Tower (25.3M, 83ft) made in 1882 and the Galle Lighthouse (18M, 59ft) build in 1939. Galle is home to the Galle International Stadium, which is considered one of the most picturesque Cricket grounds in the world. The ground, which was severely damaged by tsunami, was rebuilt and test matches resumed there on 18 December 2007.

Important natural geographical feature in Galle includes Rumassala in Unawatuna, a large mound-like hill that forms the eastern protective barrier to Galle Harbour. Local tradition associates this hill with some events of Ramayana, one of the great Hindu epics. The major river in the area is the Gin River (Gin Ganga).

Climate

Galle features a tropical rainforest climate. The city has no true dry season, though it is noticeably drier in the months of January and February. As is commonplace with many cities with this type of climate, temperatures show little variation throughout the course of the year, With average temperatures hovering at around 26°C (78.8°F) throughout.

Galle Fort

In the Bay of  Galle on the southwest coast of Sri Lanka, Galle Fort was built first in 1588 by the Portuguese, then extensively fortified by Dutch during the 17th century from 1649 onwards. It is a historical, archaeological, and architectural heritage monument, which is maintaining it’s polished appearance since more than 432 years, due to extensive reconstruction work done by the Archaeological Department of Sri Lanka. The fort has a colorful history, and today has a multi-ethnic and multi-religious population. The Sri Lankan government and many Dutch people who still own some of the properties inside the fort are looking at making this one of the modern wonders of the world. The heritage value of the fort has been recognized by the UNESCO and the site has been inscribed as a cultural heritage UNESCO World Heritage Site under criteria iv, for its unique exposition of "an urban ensemble which illustrates the interaction of European architecture and South Asian traditions from the 16th to the 19th centuries. As it exists today, it covers an area of 52 hectares (130 acres).

Things to do In Galle

•  Jungle Beach & Bay- Just a short ride from Galle is to reach Jungle beach, It's one of the most famous tourist destinations in the local & international tourists. They enjoy the beach and it’s a safe place to take a seawater bath including many beach activities to do. If possible, try to avoid Sri Lankan public holidays it will be fully crowded on such days.
•  Unawatuna- It's just 6km (3.7mi) away from Galle and is more attractive and prominent place nearby Galle. Unawatuna beach is a graceful semicircular curve of sand not much more than a kilometre. The sheltered bay is safe for swimming. If you are a beach party lover, it's an ideal location for you to enjoy the evenings & chilly nights.
• Toothsome Sea Food- If you are a Seafood lover then Galle might be a heaven for you. Seafood is a delicacy here for obvious reasons. Fried cuttlefish, prawns curry & variety of fishes Cuisines can tempt your taste buds.
• Spellbinding Sunset- Evening walks around the Galle Fort and watching the sunset is a mesmerizing thing to do. Galle Fort is among one of the most prominent places to see the sunset in the world. It hosts the most gorgeous & picturesque view, many people walk on the ramp of Galle fort from the clock tower to the lighthouse. It would be a marvellous experience in your life.

Places to visit In Galle

• Galle Fort
• Galle National Museum
• Sea Turtle Hatchery Center in Galle
• Yatagala Temple
• All Saints' Church
• Meeran Jumma Mosque
• Unawatuna Beach
• Hiyare Reservoir
• Galle Harbour
• Jungle Beach, Rumassala Sanctuary & Peace Pagoda
• Natural Pool Thalpe

Galle Fort Lighthouse

Galle Fort 

Galle Fort

Galle Fort - Sunset 

Galle Fort - Sunset 

Galle Fort - Sunset 

Galle Fort Clock Tower 

Galle Fort Clock Tower 

Galle Cricket Ground

Galle Cricket Ground

Galle National Museum

Yatagala Temple

All Saints' Church

Unawatuna Beach

Hiyare Reservoir 

Jungle Beach - Rumassala

Rumassala Sanctuary

Rumassala Sanctuary

Rumassala Sanctuary

Thalpe Natural Pool

Thalpe Natural Pool

Ella, Sri Lanka (Ceylon)

Nine Arches Bridge 

Ella, Sri Lanka (Ceylon)

The Meaning of Ella is "waterfall". Ella is a small town in the Badulla District of Uva Province, Sri Lanka. It is approximately 200 Km (120mi) east of Colombo City and is situated at an elevation of 1,041M(3,415 ft) above sea level. The area has a rich bio-diversity, densed with numerous varieties of flora and fauna. Ella is surrounded by hills covered with Cloud forests & tea plantations. The town has a cooler climate than surrounding lowlands, due to its elevation. The Ella Gap allows views across the southern plains of Sri Lanka.

How to Reach Ella:

By Road

The Ella is located in between Kumbalwela and Wellawaya (A23 road). If you are travelling from Colombo( Main City Of Sri Lanka), You can use Colombo-Badulla main road to Kumbalwela then you have to take Kumbalwela to Wellawaya Road to reach Ella.

By Train

The Ella railway station is the 75th station on the Main Line and is located 271 km (168 mi) from Colombo. The station was opened in July 1918.

Climate In Ella:

Weather in Ella mostly includes warm days, cool nights & mornings, which is quite perfect. The average temperature is around 24°C (75°F) & Average minimum temperature is around 18°C (64°F). Rainfall in Ella averages around 1500 millimetres a year.

Places to see in Ella:

• Ravana Ella Waterfalls, a 25m (82ft) waterfall, located approximately 6 km (4mi) away from the town.
• Little Adam's Peak, a 1,141m (3,743 ft) pyramidal shaped hill, located to the South-East of the town.
• Nine Arches Bridge, Demodara
• Ella Rock
• Diyaluma & Uda Diyaluma (Upper Diyaluma) Waterfalls
• Ellewala Waterfalls
• Lipton Seat's
• Demodara Loop
• Dowa Temple, a 2,000-year-old rock temple, is located on the Badulla-Bandarawela Road. It contains a 12M(39 ft) unfinished Buddha statue carved into the surrounding rock.
• Ravana Cave
• Kurullangala Prehistoric Cave Art Site
• Nil Diya Pokuna (Blue Water Pond)

Awesome Things to Do In Ella, Sri Lanka:

•         Walk along the rails on the Nine Arch Bridge - The nine arch bridge has 9 arches in between the total length of 91m, and the bridge with a maximum 25m height. This bridge was built using only stones and bricks with cement. The bridge is now one of the most famous photographic locations in the World. It is Just a 30-minute walk through the woods and the lush green tea fields from the main road.  If you do keep on walking and pass the tunnel you can walk to the Ella Railway Station, which is only about a few kilometers from there. Most of the tourists are willing to click a photo, the train passing through the bridge, and the train going into the train tunnel which is so mesmerizing.

•        Ella Rock hike - Ella rock might be a long way up, but it's worth all the struggle. Every day there are a lot of visitors & many of them climb Ella Rock there. This is because of the special view it provides to its climbers. The view from the top of Ella Rock is difficult to put such simple words. Approximately Four hours takes to complete Ella Rock hike.

•        Ravana Cave & Temple - Quite a bit of a hike up the mountain to reach Ravana Cave nearby Ella. It's believed that the caves go deep into the mountain all the way to Ravana falls. Although visitors don't walk too far into the cave, It's only allowed to see the view of Ravana Cave. There is a temple outside the cave in memory of the mythical king of Ravana's

•   Little Adams Peak - It's approximately one-hour trekking to reach the summit of Little Adams peak. Along the way, you will pass through local villages & you'll see the beautiful tea plantations. Once you reach the summit you can see the main Road of Kumbalwela -Wellawaya and Ravana waterfalls on your western side and you can see the breathtaking view of the Southeastern part of Sri Lanka. Some people believe the mythical King Ravana used to meditate on this peak.    

Ravana Waterfalls

Ravana Waterfalls

Ravana Waterfalls

Little Adam's Peak

Ella Rock

Diyaluma Waterfalls

Diyaluma Waterfalls

Uda Diyaluma (Upper Diyaluma) Waterfalls

Ellewala Waterfalls

Lipton Seat's

Lipton Seat's

Ravana Cave

Kurullangala Prehistoric Cave Art Site

Nildiya Pokuna (Blue Water Pond)

Colombo City

 Lotus Tower Colombo

Colombo City

Colombo is the commercial capital & the busiest city of Sri Lanka. Colombo is a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural city. It is the financial center of the island and a tourist destination too. It is located in the middle of the western coast of the Island. Colombo is often referred to as the capital since Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte is within the urban area and a suburb of Colombo. It is also the administrative capital of the Western Province of Sri Lanka and the district capital of Colombo District. It is a busy and vibrant place with a mixture of modern life and colonial buildings and ruins. Due to its large harbor and its strategic position along the East-West sea trade routes, Colombo was known to be ancient traders 2,000 years ago. It became the capital of the island during the period of British Ceylon (1815-1948).

Climate

Colombo features a tropical monsoon climate, falling just short of a tropical rainforest climate. Colombo's climate is hot throughout the year. From March to April the average high temperature is around 31°C (87.8°F). The only major change in the Colombo weather occurs during the monsoon seasons from April to June and September to November, when heavy rains occur. Colombo sees a little relative diurnal range of temperature, although this is more marked in the drier winter months, where the minimum temperature is average 22°C (71.6°F). Rainfall in the city averages around 2,500 millimetres a year.

 Famous Tourist places in Colombo

·         Colombo Galle Face Green

·         Viharamahadevi Park

·         Gangarama Temple

·         Kalaniya Temple

·         Independence Square

·         Beira Lake

·         Mount Lavinia Beach

·         Dehiwala Zoological Garden

·         Red Mosque 

·         Colombo Lotus Tower

·         Colombo National Museum  

·         Colombo Port Maritime Museum 

·         Old Galle Buck Lighthouse

·         Royal Colombo Golf Club

Annual cultural events and fairs

The ‘Sinhalese and Hindu Aluth Awurudda’ is a cultural event that takes place on 13 and 14 April. This is the celebration of the Sinhalese and Hindu new year. The festivities include many events and traditions that display a great deal of Sri Lankan culture.

Colombo's most popular festival is the celebration Vesak (May) During this festival, most of the city is decorated with lanterns, lights, and special displays of light (known as Thorana). Many Sri Lankans visit the city to see the lantern competitions and decorations. During this week, people distribute, rice, drinks, and other food items for free in Dansal which means charity place. These Dansal are popular amongst visitors from the suburbs.

Christmas is another major festival and is among one of the island's biggest festivals. Most streets and commercial buildings light up from the beginning of December and festive sales begin at all shopping centres and department stores. Caroling and nativity plays are frequent sights during the season.

Museums and art collections

The National Museum of Colombo established on 1 January 1877 during the tenure of the British Colonial Governor "Sir Willam Henry Gregory" (1872-1877), is in the Cinnamon Gardens area. The museum houses the crown jewels and the throne of the last king of the kingdom of Kandy, Sri Vikrama Rajasinha. There is also the Colombo Dutch Museum detailing the Dutch colonial history of the country. Colombo does not boast a very big art gallery. There is a small collection of random Sri Lankan paintings at the Art Gallery in Green Path and next to it is the Natural History Museum.

Activities you can do in Colombo

Ø  Tuk Tuk ride - An incredibly exciting, thrilling way to explore Colombo city, prepare yourself for non-stop darting other vehicles. This is an incredibly fun way to explore the Colombo City and it would be a marvelous experience in your life.

Ø  Tea tasting - You may have a chance to taste an extensive variety of Ceylon tea products. If you are a Tea lover, don't miss your chance.

Ø  Street Foods - Tempt your taste buds with Colombo's most popular and delicious junk food Kottu Roti. And you can try the many varieties of Sri Lankan junk foods, especially in the Galle face green area.

Ø  Colombo shopping - Colombo is an amazing place to do shopping. There are many shopping complexes located in Colombo. Moreover, each and every shopping malls are filled with designer clothing, handbags and shoes, handicraft item, and many more shopping items.

Beira Lake 

Colombo National Museum  

Colombo Port Maritime Museum  

Dehiwala Zoological Garden 

 Galle Face Green 

Galle Face Green 

Galle Face Green 

Gangarama Temple 

Independence Square

Kalaniya Temple 

Mount Lavinia Beach

Old Galle Buck Lighthouse

Red Mosque  

Viharamahadevi Park