The drive from Yala to Galle was short and smooth. Traffic picked up as we got closer to Galle, and there were many restaurants and shops along the road. I didn’t know what to expect from the city, but I realized that the main city is fully inside the old Portuguese fort. Right at the entrance was a beautiful cricket ground with a small stadium on one side. The road we were on was only a few meters from the boundary of the Galle International Cricket stadium – stunning.

The inside of the fort was a mix of cafes, boutique hotels, spas, restaurants, and small retail shops. The streets were cobbled and narrow, adding to the charm of the lovely town. On the Southern tip is an operational lighthouse along a lovely walking area and the fort wall. The whole town is small enough that it is possible to walk from one end to the other in 15 minutes. The only problem will be the many tempting eclectic cafes and restaurants on the way.

Our hotel was a small house with 5 guest rooms in a narrow alley. The rooms were clean and had a charming character through an attic and a sit-out (though surrounded by walls). The space was limited, but somehow there was an amazing warmth in the room. It took a little while for the rooms to be made ready, and by the time we settled in, hunger was at its peak. The good news was that we were surrounded by restaurants and while we spent a lot of time selecting the right place, it was not really needed. At the end of our stay we would realize that they were all incredible.

The first meal in Galle was a mix of Sri Lankan fish curry with rice, chicken, a pizza, and some pasta. It was all delicious and quickly devoured with some coconut water and fresh juice. This place didn’t serve any booze, but I was happy to discover that was the exception, not the usual trend. During the trip, we would also find that most places in Galle serve exceptional food and some incredible drinks.

Considering the town’s small size, the number of good restaurants is surprisingly large. Same for some good spas. I found one spa run by a master-apprentice pair that was a single room on top of an art gallery. The massage was exceptional. Like any other tourist-focused town, many stores were selling overpriced antiques, some jewellery, spices, and souvenirs. While there wasn’t much that was worth buying, it was worth the window-shopping,

Galle doesn’t have a beach of its own. It is surrounded by fort walls and rocky seafronts. The nearest beach is a small, beautiful beach called Jungle Beach. It’s about a 15-minute drive followed by a 15-minute walk down a moderately steep, slippery mountain slope. The beach is beautiful and surrounded by greenery. Its more a swimming beach with small waves and a long shelf. There is one single shack that serves some food and cocktails. We spotted some monkeys in the mountains, but they didn’t bother us.

There are also some good water sports at the beach. We took a short snorkelling ride and they took us about 10 minutes away in a boat. It was a bit challenging to snorkel since you had to stay close to the rocks on the side to spot the fish, but you couldn’t get too close. The corals and fish were beautiful. On the way back, we stopped at some of the local street vendors selling local wares. The fresh-cut fruits (we chose mango) with a chilly sauce topping were just incredible.

For the rest of the trip, we focused on even more food and drink. Even the local coffee was exceptional. The local food was always the hero. The drive back to the airport was smooth, dreaming of all the great food.