A world within a world, an experience like no other… you may never want to leave…

So said the website of the Dutch Fort Hotel, Galle…

I was heading to Sri Lanka for my first work trip and it seemed a shame not to extend for the weekend, to finally get a glimpse of the country that everybody raves about. It’s long been at the top of my list, and so, filled with expectation I booked a room at the Dutch Fort Hotel in Galle…

I’d instantly been impressed by Colombo. After the intensity of India, it just seemed a lot easier and more manageable. Laid back, friendly and much less populated, it feels like a Caribbean Island to India’s Mexico City!

Serious street cool – this Colombo local could have been snapped by the Satorialist…

70% of Sri Lankans are Buddhists, and perhaps this contributes to the gentleness of the people and the generally slower pace. It also feels rather British …

We didn’t get away from Colombo until late on Friday afternoon but at least we managed to leave early enough to miss the worst of the Friday night traffic. It takes at least an hour to get to the new motorway, a ‘gift’ from China, and then another hour and a half to reach Galle. The easiest way to get around in Sri Lankan is to engage the services of a local driver and it costs very little.

It was already dark by the time we arrived in Galle, normally something I find disappointing, but on this occasion it made arriving at the Hotel even more romantic if such a thing is even possible.

Stepping off the street onto a wide, polished concrete veranda with floor to ceiling plantation shutters, gently oscillating fans, potted palms and dark wood period furniture, you almost feel as though you’ve walked into a Sommerset Maugham or Agatha Christie novel – it’s definitely my kind of place.

After a gracious welcome in the beautiful reception rooms (no front desk in this hotel) I was led across another wide veranda, replete with candlelit tables, laid for the dinner service. Down the stairs and across the garden, past Frangipani trees laden with impossibly pink flowers, to my room – the Portuguese barracks room, apparently used for storing ammunition back in the day.

It’s nice but also kind of depressing to find yourself in a hotel room so much bigger and nicer than your actual home. It made my tiny flat in Singapore very hard to contemplate going back to 😦

The rooms all lead out to the garden and pool

Galle itself is simply gorgeous – vibrant, bustling and very colourful. The historic Dutch Fort area where I stayed, was founded in the 16th century by the Portuguese and reached it’s peak in the 18th century during the Dutch Colonial period. It’s a lovely enclave, full of small hotels, restaurants, museums and shops to explore…

You can walk along the ramparts of the fort and gaze out to sea, or dive in – the beaches are lovely and the water an inviting turquoise with gently lapping waves and coconut palms swaying in the breeze… sigh.

The Lighthouse

It’s nice to wander around exploring the streets yourself or jump into a passing Tuk Tuk, but be warned – you’ll negotiate a price for the trip you thought you wanted to take and by the time you’re 50 metres down the street you’ll have committed to paying twice as much and have a completely different itinerary in play!

Isn’t that just like life though? Nothing ever turns out quite like you planned but that’s when the best adventures happen…

Off the beaten track, Galle

Expect to be taken to every shop the driver gets commission at – try and fight it but he’ll probably take you anyway so you may as well be philosophical – and go with the flow.

My driver, Rashid, promised to take me along the coast, it wasn’t clear how far (but he had all day free), to see the Stilt fishermen.

Sadly the stilts were unoccupied when we got there but the coconut seller did offer to climb up and sit on one (for a price) so I could take a photo!

Instead I contented myself with buying a coconut from him and drank the delicious juice while gazing out to sea and contemplating how on earth they catch fish from those poles and in that surf?? So much easier to sell coconuts….

Another coconut seller with fresh King Coconuts opened for you on the spot ...

Go to Galle for: a romantic weekend, lovely beaches, great food – my favourites were the delicious prawn and crab curries, great architecture and museums with plenty of Dutch and local antiques to purchase. Sri Lanka is celebrated for its gem stones, particularly blue Sapphires and in this area Moonstones, but be careful to purchase from a reputable store.

Sri Lanka is famous for it’s carved masks – a playful carver 🙂

I stayed at the Dutch Fort Hotel http://www.galleforthotel.com

With only 13 rooms in an old Dutch Army Barracks, this hotel is a treasure. The staff were wonderful and the food was amazing – I could have just stayed in the hotel for the whole weekend and been extremely happy. Try the egg hoppers for breakfast – a Sri Lankan specialty, made from rice flour and coconut milk, the crisp hoppers form edible bowls for simply cooked eggs. Served with a spicy chilli sauce and curry on the side- just delicious.

To visit: There are several Turtle sanctuaries in the area to visit where you can pay to release baby turtles into the ocean – it’s the cutest thing; take a river cruise and visit Cinnamon Island to learn how cinnamon is harvested; visit the Moonstone mine – apparently the only one of its kind in the world and just try to resist the wonderful jewellery made on the premises; visit a Buddhist temple, there are many in the area.