Introducing The South
The South needs to figure prominently in any traveller’s visit to Sri Lanka. The Unesco-listed old port town of Galle is fast gaining international fame as one of the best-preserved examples of colonial life in Asia. The streets of the 17th-century Fort are lined with old, unrestored buildings that vividly show the influences of the Dutch, Portuguese, British, Muslims and the many other peoples and cultures that have passed through. As upmarket hotels open, Galle is on the cusp of becoming something much bigger.
Just around a rocky headland from Galle, Unawatuna has shaken off the devastation of the tsunami (even if the memories linger) and continues to be the idyllic beach town of many a traveller’s dreams. The perfect crescent of sand inspires a languor that can last for days, if not weeks. Just east, luxurious, picture-perfect villas welcome the well-heeled.
Among the smattering of villages and coastal towns between Unawatuna and Tangalla there are bare-bones guesthouses fronting the amazing surfing breaks at Midigama, and character-filled family-run resorts on their own little coves. The popular beach town of Tangalla, with its long stretches of white sands, will be reborn as the tsunami devastation recedes over time. At the far corner of the island, Yala National Park is the place to see leopards, elephants, monkeys and much more amid its remote savanna plains.
As you head east along the south coast the road becomes less and less crowded, and it becomes easier and easier to feel part of local life. Stretches of dramatic coast alternate with the lush green interior, and there are many important places of local culture, like the temples at Kataragama.
Activities in The South
Galle
Galle (pronounced gawl in English, and gaar-le in Sinhala) is a living time capsule.
Unawatuna
Lying behind a crescent of beach lapped by turquoise waters, Unawatuna’s setting is so perfect it could be a cliché.
The South destination guides
Matara
Matara, 160km from Colombo, is a busy, sprawling commercial town.
Hotels in The South
Budget Hotels & Hostels in The South
Guesthouses and B&Bs in The South
Tissamaharama
Usually called Tissa, the busy town of Tissamaharama is surrounded by rice paddies that are dotted with ancient temples.
Weligama
About 30km east of Galle, the town of Weligama (which means ‘Sandy Village’) has a fine sandy sweep of bay – just as its name suggests.
Shopping in The South