Southern
province
Galle
Galle Fort, in the Bay of Galle on the south east coast of Sri Lanka,
was built first in 1588 by the Portuguese, and then extensively fortified by
the Dutch during the 17th century from 1649 onwards. It is a historical,
archaeological and architectural heritage monument, which even after more than
423 years maintains a polished appearance, due to extensive reconstruction work
done by 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."
The Galle Fort, also known as the Dutch Fort or
the "Ramparts of Galle" houses some of the important heritage
monuments in the fort. It includes Dutch Reformed Church;
Old Dutch Government House; National Maritime Museum near
the Old Gate, residence of the Commander; Great Warehouse built around 1669 to
store spices and ship equipment.
Moonstone mine
Sri
Lanka is famous for its gems, one of which is the moonstone. This pale blue,
almost transparent, stone is a type of feldspar known as adularia – the way the
stone shimmers when it moves is known as adolescence.
At
Meetiyagoda you can see how the stones are actually mined. The miners climb
down a 10-metre-deep shaft on a frame made of strong coconut wood. A machine
pumps out water, but all the digging is done by hand.
The
buckets of soil that are wound regularly to the surface yield around 50-100
rough moonstones a day, though not all of them are saleable quality.
The
small adjoining factory cuts, polishes and sets the stones into more glamorous
jewellery. In the saleroom you can see some beautiful examples of their art,
along with other gems like topaz, garnets, tiger eye and tourmaline.
Ambalangoda
Ambalangoda,
close to galle, is known as a centre for antiques and masks.
At the Mask Museum you can see many types of mask. Most are made from kaduru, a light, pliable wood similar to balsa. After
carving, the masks were traditionally sanded using rough leaves or shark skin.
Masks
are used for several purposes in Sri Lanka. As well as featuring in traditional
dance, drama and comedies, and in large pageants and processions, they are also
used in ceremonies to exorcise demons or cure illnesses.
The
museum also contains several puppets, made from the same type of wood and
manipulated with strings. The average height of traditional puppets is around 4
feet, but those representing royalty or nobility are taller and heavier. Puppet
shows are accompanied by music on the drum and seraphina, as well as singing.
Madu
river safari
The estuary of the Madu river is a complex coastal
ecosystem of mangroves and islands. It may be one of the last remaining tracts
of pristine mangrove forests in Sri Lanka.
A boat trip is a wonderful way of seeing some of the
hundreds of species of plants and animals – monkeys eat fruit in the trees, a
water monitor lizard glides slowly through the water, and cormorants, egrets
and kingfishers wait patiently on the banks, eyeing the water for prey.
There are around 64 islands in the river and lagoon,
from a tiny speck housing a deserted shrine to one housing 250 families
connected to the mainland with a very long footbridge.
You can visit an island with a Buddhist monastery,
where the friendly young monks will show you a 150-year-old book made of palm
leaves and how they cook on cinnamon wood on an open fire.
The main occupations of the local inhabitants are
producing cinnamon and prawn fishing – if you take the trip in the early
evening you will see the fishermen in their canoes lighting lanterns to attract
the shellfish into their traps.
Also you can have a fish spa at Madu river which you
get an amazing and healthy experience
Turtle
hatchery
One of the most important activities of
the project is its hatchery. Within the sanctuary of the project, collected and
rescued eggs can hatch safely away from predators before being released into
the sea. In addition, a certain number from each hatching are kept back for a short
period for 'headstarting' before release.
The hatchery program is designed to maximise the number of
hatchlings reaching the sea and surviving through the critical stages of their
early life.
Only a few hatchlings from each batch will
ever make it to adulthood. Therefore every nest-ground, every egg, every
hatchling and every turtle is crucial to the survival of the species.
Unfortunately, sea turtles face many dangers.
Kosgoda is famous for its sea
turtle conservation project operated
by the Wild Life Protection Society of Sri Lanka. It was established in 1988 to
protect Sri Lanka’s turtles from extinction. Since then it has released about
3.5 million baby turtles into the wild.
The hatchery pays fishermen for eggs that they
collect at night along the long sandy beach. Although October to April is the
main laying season, some eggs (mostly green turtles) can be found at Kosgoda
throughout the year.
The hatchery buries the eggs in sand, and when they
hatch around 50 days later the baby turtles are released into the sea at night.
Only about one in 1,000 turtles survives to maturity.
Kosgoda turtle hatchery also has tanks for injured
or disabled turtles, including albino turtles that would not survive in the
wild.
Unawatuna
beach
Unawatuna Beach is lovely and picturesque, semi-circular stretch of
golden sands boarder with coconut palm trees located 4km's southward around the
coast of Galle where is paradise for all who desire to listen to the silence of
the sea and dive deep into the blue waters of the ocean. There is a reef
protecting the beach, which makes it perfectly safe for bathing and this beach
is voted as one of the "top 10 most beautiful beaches in the World" by the
Discovery Channel and Mark Ellingham, the founder of 'Rough Guides'.
Hikkaduwa beach
Hikkaduwa, almost 100 kilometres
south of Colombo,
has long been known as Sri Lanka’s most popular beach resort, famed for its surf
and coral reef as well as its wide range of accommodation, food, fun and
shopping. This is perhaps the only coastal region where that special holiday
feeling dominates town, with shops selling resort wear, renting out bicycles,
offering courses in scuba diving and selling all kinds of local souvenirs,
batik fabric and jewellery. Today it’s a favourite with the younger visitor and
the vibrant nightlife also attracts young Sri Lankans looking for out-of-town
fun and entertainment on the weekends.
Mirissa
Mirissa lies at the south end of
the Weligama Bay and its gentle harbor is a popular
launch point for whale watching tours. The Mirissa Beach on
the east side of town is a popular swimming spot and its sandy shores are
enjoyed by visitors.
The opportunity to see Blue Whales off the coast
is drawing an increasing number of Tourists between December and April
Off the coast of Mirissa, the
gentle giants of the sea Blue Whales frolic with bottlenose Dolphins, Sperm
Whales and Humpbacks.
Bentota
Bentota is a town in Sri Lanka, located on
the southern tip of the Galle District of the Southern Province
Bentota is a tourist attraction,
with a local airport (Bentota River Airport) and a handful of World-class hotels. It
is a destination for watersports. Bentota also delivers an ancient art of
healing called Ayurveda. Bentota is famous for its toddy production, an
alcoholic beverage made out of coconut nectar.
