Galle, Sri Lanka

On 26 December 2004 Galle was devastated by the massive 'Boxing Day' Tsunami caused by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake that occurred in Indonesia a thousand miles away. Thousands were killed in this Sri Lankan city alone. A new Tsunami warning system is now in operation to help prevent a similar occurrence again.

Galle, Sri Lanka is just under 120km from Colombo.
Galle is a town situated on the southwestern 'corner' of Sri Lanka, originally it was the main port until the British developed the more sheltered natural harbour of Colombo. Galle had reached the height of its early development during the 18th century. Galle is the bustling provincial capital and administrative centre of the south, with a few places of interest to tourists: The old Dutch ‘Star’ fort, a UNESCO World Heritages Site that covers over 35ha; A well-preserved Dutch Groote Kerk, The old Dutch Government House; The New Oriental Hotel, dating from 1684; The old bell tower and believe it or not a tide-based Sewage-System (Hmmmm...), also designed by the Dutch.
Gale is famous across central Asia for the Dutch ‘pillo-lace’, fine ebony-carving and gemstone cutting and polishing.
As a holiday spot it is famous for the beautiful Unawatuna Bay, where a long coral reef protects the coast from strong tides and waves and therefore safer for swimming for most of the year. The Rumassala Kanda is a large rounded hill, which forms the eastern protective harbour barrier. Local legend associates this hill with some events of the great Hindu epic the Ramayana. The Galle lighthouse close by is a well known landmark.

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JeGraNet.com statement - 15 October 2008 - Quote from the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office website: "There is a high threat from terrorism in Sri Lanka. Fatal attacks have become more frequent. They have occurred in Colombo and throughout Sri Lanka, including places frequented by expatriate and foreign travellers. Further attacks may occur at any time. There is an increasing risk of British nationals being caught up in an attack". As independent travellers we left Colombo after just 9 days into our planned 6 month stay as a result of a feeling of insecurity, however we are sure that 'package tour' travellers to tourist resorts will probably enjoy a worry free holiday.