Things to do in Galle with kids

We were in Galle for only 2 nights. Some would say that 2 nights are more than enough but travelling with a kid meant we had to space our activities and hence we had limited time to cover the things that we wanted to see. Here are the things that we managed to see/do:

1) Galle Fort

Built by the Portuguese and fortified by the Dutch, Galle Fort is today a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It goes without saying that this is the main attraction of Galle. Walking the atmospheric streets of the Fort is part of the attraction so staying within the Fort is highly recommended. We stayed in Mango House which was as central as you could get.

Seafood restaurant near Pedlar Street

Walking around the Fort and along the ramparts is one of those things that you have to do in Galle. More of that here.


2) Turtle sanctuary

There's quite a number of turtle sanctuaries in the areas surrounding Galle. Finding one that has a genuine objective to conserve turtles is the hard part. I have done some research prior to the trip but I couldn't find any info on the best place to visit. We ended up going to the Sea Turtle Conservation Project and Hatchery in Koggala, and that was purely based on our tuk-tuk driver's decision, which I knew was not a guarantee on the authenticity of the place.

We did this trip after resting from our walk at the ramparts. The hotel arranged for the tuk-tuk and we were charged Rs1,500 for 2 hours. I thought it was quite steep but Irf had set his mind to see turtles and I did not want to let him down.

Our tuk-tuk arranged by the hotel for Rs1,500 for 2 hours 

The turtle sanctuary charged Rs 500 for entrance (free for kids). A guide took us around, explaining the different breeds of turtles (5 out of 8 turtle breeds come to Sri Lankan beaches) and also on what they do for turtle conservation. There were posters on the features of the different breeds and a few turtles could be seen swimming in small concrete pools. Baby turtles were kept in basins, waiting for the right time to be let out to the sea. Our guide even took out a baby turtle and put it on Irf's hand (much to his delight) - on hindsight I'm not sure whether that was the right thing to do but he probably does that to all visitors. Small pools and petting zoo-experience notwithstanding, I'll reserve my judgment on whether this passed as conservation or cruelty to animals.

Irf learning about different turtle breeds

His highlight of the day

The turtle conservation project in Koggala

3) Beach everything

Galle's location ensures that there's never a shortage of beach-related activities that you can do. Swimming in the sea, sunbathing, beach-combing - the list goes on. We did not get the chance to spend a day relaxing by the beach, something that I regretted. We did ask the tuk-tuk driver to stop at a couple of beaches on the way back to the Fort from the turtle sanctuary.

In some areas, the sea seemed bent to unleash its full wrath with crashing waves and all, while other areas were protected by reefs. Apparently Unawatuna and Jungle Beach were the safest for kids to swim in, but again there was no time for us to check out these places.

Robinson Crusoe's crib

No superpower involved - only reefs

4) Watching the sunset

Our tuk-tuk driver dropped us in Galle Fort somewhere near Flag Rock. It was 5.30pm on a Saturday evening and the locals and tourists were out in droves taking strolls and waiting for the sunset. We sat on a (wide) ledge of a stonewall. Watching a Sri Lankan sunset could well be one of your epic travel tales but you would need luck on your side which - alas - ditched us that evening.

Waiting...

...and waiting. In the end, the best shot that Irf got was of
some clouds

5) Bat-watching

Ok, this would not pass as an attraction per se but Irf was so taken by it that I thought I would just include it here. And it's free entertainment for kids! On our first evening in Galle, just an hour after we arrived, we walked towards the sea near where the hospital was. There was a huge tree and it was not long before we discovered that the tree was a roost for hundreds of bats. In the fading light, we saw bats swooping high and low, some so low that I thought Batman himself was coming for us. That corner of Galle would forever be etched in Irf's mind as Bat Territory.

So that's Galle in a nutshell for us. Go now before it's discovered by more people!