Sri Lanka ’26 #22: A snake in Galle Fort

Read this blog: The one where we watch a cobra capture

Tuesday 25th and Wednesday 26th March 2026

Once again there were very few other guests staying at our hotel but we enjoyed greeting the pond life on our way down to breakfast [see also Video of the day].

Galle lies on the southwest coast of Sri Lanka and is justifiably famous for Galle Fort, the 16th century fortified city founded by Portuguese colonists. We decided we would first walk the ramparts as this would take us past many of the historic sights. The old town of Galle and its fortifications are a designated UNESCO World Heritage site. It was first built in 1588 by the Portuguese, then extensively fortified by the Dutch from 1649 onwards before being taken over by the British.

The entrance up to the fortifications [see Selfie of the day] was close to the Old Cricket Ground which is officially known as the Galle International Stadium and is considered to be one of the most picturesque cricket pitches in the world with views back towards the fort. This is clearly a relic from the British era.

As we strolled along the ramparts, we first came across the Historical Mansion Museum which exhibits a range of colonial objects and artefacts owned by a local collector. As one guidebook described it as more ‘like an antique shop than a museum’, Robert was content with admiring the exterior.

The Portuguese first constructed a fort on the promontory here in 1589 but the port was most prosperous during the Dutch colonial period and many of the buildings within Galle Fort date from this time.

The Dutch Reformed Church was built in the eighteenth century by Commander Casparus de Jong to commemorate the birth of his daughter. An impressive tribute, indeed. Ornate gravestones salvaged from Dutch cemeteries have been relaid around the perimeter of the churchyard and into the floor inside. It seems the death rate was quite high amongst the early colonists.

The Old Dutch Hospital is one of the oldest buildings within the fort. Situated between the Black Fort and Aurora Bastion on the site of the Portuguese Mint it was designed to provide healthcare for the officers and other staff working for the Dutch East India Company. The 50cm (20 in) thick walls were built to keep out the heat and humidity and provide a comfortable environment for people convalescing.

Next we passed the Lighthouse on Point Utrecht Bastion which dates from 1938.

Close by stands the Meeran Jumma Mosque which is also known as the Galle Fort Mosque. The mosque is named after Meeran Saheb from South India who was seen as the patron saint of sailors to and from Sri Lanka. 

When the Dutch seized control of the port in 1640 and extended the fortifications they built them wide and they built them to last.

On Boxing Day 2004, an earthquake deep under the Indian Ocean and off the coast of Indonesia caused a tsunami. Despite originating a thousand miles away, it caused tragic loss of life and serious damage in Sri Lanka.

Much of Galle was destroyed and thousands died in the city but these ancient bastions withstood the tsunami while many of the more modern buildings in the area were destroyed. 

Around the fort there are remnants of the colonial defences including a wooden traversing carriage for mounting cannons and arsenals.

Having completed the circuit of the fort, we returned to the Galle International Stadium where we agreed there would be a good view of a cricket match if one were underway. We also felt we would enjoy returning to watch a match.

Later that evening we visited the Old Dutch Hospital complex.

Dating from around 1681 it comprises five wings with airy arcades and courtyards and the complex, similar to the one in Columbo, has been turned into a shopping area with bars and restaurants.

After the British captured the fort in February 1796 they extended the hospital northwards, using brick instead of cabook (coral stone) and adding glazed windows and fanlights.

In 1850 the British converted the hospital into a barracks.They then used the building for the office of the Government Agent [who was the chief administrator of the district] until the country’s independence in 1948. After independence the building was used as Galle Town Hall but eventually became too small to house the administration and the council offices were moved outside Galle fort in 2003.

In 2014, the building was converted into a shopping and dining precinct. 

Within the Old Dutch Hospital complex we found The Tuna and the Crab restaurant claiming to offer a “fusion of Japanese precision and the flavours of the ocean”. It was founded by the chef Dharshan Munidasa, who was also involved in establishing Ministry of Crab which we had visited in Columbo. We decided we would compare and contrast the experiences [see Dish of the day]. The two restaurants are obviously aiming for a different vibe and we were aware that tourism had been adversely affected by the war in Iran so both were potentially quieter than normal [this might be why were were able to get a table in Ministry of Crab at relatively short notice]. The food was good at The Tuna and the Crab but we loved our enormous “prawn” and definitely preferred the energy and the atmosphere at the Ministry of Crab.

The following morning, we had good views of the sunrise over Galle.

Having walked the walls the previous day, we planned to visit some of the historic buildings within the historic fort. Our first stop was the Cathedral of St. Mary, Queen of the Holy Rosary, which is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Galle.

It has striking blue towers [above] and a salmon pink interior [below].

As the Cathedral of St. Mary is up quite a steep hill after the walk back into the fort, we were in desperate need of a cold drink and so went to the Galle Fort Hotel for a break from the heat.

On our way to the station to research trains for our onward journey we passed a temple under construction.

Galle Railway Station is in the Modernist style and is situated northwest of the International Cricket Ground. Built as a terminus station, trains have to reverse out to continue on their journey.

Having confirmed the time of the train we wished to catch the following morning, we visited All Saints Church. This is a rare British era building in amongst the majority of Dutch buildings within the Fort. It was designed in 1868 by JG Smithers, who was also responsible for the National Museum in Colombo.

Inside, the pews are carved from Burmese teak. 

The Amangalla Hotel in Galle was originally built in 1684 as the residence for the Dutch governor. It was subsequently converted into the New Oriental Hotel and then renamed the Amangalla Hotel in 2005.

The hotel bar made an appearance in the Duran Duran video for Hungry Like the Wolf and so we chose to go here for a cold drink to revive us.

The heat can be exhausting and we decided to return for a dip in the pool at the Lady Hill Hotel. The water was really warm – more like a warm bath than a refreshing swim.

Having had a break we set off back into Galle to go to Charlie’s Bar on the roof of the Charleston Hotel which has views over the ramparts looking out to sea.

Many of the tables were reserved but we were quite early and managed to find seats. The customers were predominantly tourists like us who had come for the view and the sunset.

Robert declared this to be the most expensive beer of the trip so far and so we returned to the Taphouse in the Old Dutch Hospital for a cheaper beverage.

Whilst we were there, we notice a crowd gathering. Unusually, it was the local staff who were showing an interest.

When Robert went to investigate he discovered a drama unfolding: a cobra had been spotted coiled in a the branches of a tree in the beer garden.

Whilst in many other cultures this serpent might have been summarily dispatched, the local Buddhist philosophy took an entirely different and non-violent approach. The police were informed and a man arrived to take charge of the situation. He may well have been the equivalent of animal control or the RSPCA, but whatever his credentials were, he obviously had experience.

A large plastic jar was found and used to trap the cobra. Matilda, who likes to swim and paddle, was concerned to learn that it was taken down to the beach to be released.

Apparently the sighting of a cobra like this is very rare – a once in a lifetime experience for locals as well as for us.

Video of the day:

Selfie of the day:

Dish of the day:

Route Map: