Destinations
- Madu Ganga
- Galle
Overview
Pick up from the Hikkaduwa hotel, and drive to Madu Ganga Lake is lying at Balapitiya. After an exciting Madu riverboat trip, when we drive to Galle, en route we visit a Turtle hatchery to see several Sea Turtles. After that, we take you on a leisure stroll in the best-preserved colonial Galle Dutch Fort in South Asia. After that, we return to Hikkaduwa.
Madu Ganga
Madu Ganga Lake is lying at Balapitiya.This beautiful lake with its surrounding area has been developed as a tourist zone which is a popular attraction in southern Sri Lanka. Madu Ganga wetland, estuary, and mangrove islets make a complex coastal wetland ecosystem. The lake is of high ecological, biological, and aesthetic significance being home to over 300 species of plants and over 250 species of vertebrate animals. This might be one of the pristine mangrove forests in Sri Lanka.
Galle Dutch Fort
The Galle Dutch Fort is located in Galle town. it is the largest Dutch Fort in Sri Lanka. Galle Fort was built first in 1588 by the Pre live a 500-year-old history, be captivated by the glorious past. This magnificent piece of architecture, a UNESCO World Heritage site was initiated by the Portuguese in the 16th century, seeing some of its best days during Dutch rule in the 18th century, until the British took over in 1796. Portuguese navigators arrived in Galle Port in 1505 with Lourenco de Almeida and the Dutch arrived in Galle in 1640.
Enter the fort through the main entrance which bears the carved logo of the British monarch on the outer wall and the VOC symbol of the Dutch East India Company in the inner wall. Observe the magnificent building with its old stone walls, the ramparts, Dutch colonial villas, the clock tower, the Old Dutch Hospital, Dutch period houses, the beautiful Dutch Reformed Church, and the old Breadfruit tree, thought to be the oldest breadfruit tree in the country.
The fascination about the Country Side is that it is a living historical site and not just another well-preserved piece of architecture. The Country Side covering 52 hectares of land is one of the busiest places in Galle with a multi-ethnic population living within its walls. Walk around the old town and the ramparts; visit the Maritime Museum, Country Side Temple, Antique shops, Country Side Mosque, and the many hotels and restaurants around. Enjoy the beautiful view of the Indian Ocean over the fort walls.
