subject: Diving In Galle - A Different View Of A Beautiful Island [print this page] Just off the south western coast of the island of Sri Lanka and a little over a 100km away from its capital Colombo is the historical town of Galle. The town still retains much of its colonial splendour and as the present times would have it, it still attracts many foreign tourists, namely for its diving sites and opportunities for deep sea fishing.
Galle is perhaps best known for its intact Dutch Fort and today considered as one of the best examples of European fortification, seen in South Asia. To come to Galle is to be able to step back in time to a place where European architecture is able to stand side by side with Asian traditions. The beautiful Galle Fort is also considered as the largest surviving fort constructed by the Dutch occoupiers in the region.
Other sites that are worthy of mention inlcude S. Marys Cathedral which was established by the Jesuit priests, a temple dedicated to the God Shiva and the popular historic hotel called Amangalla. Galle serves as the main town on Sri Lankas southern most tip, and can be accessed by train from Colombo and also from another town called Matara. For cricket fans Galle holds a special place as it also the home of the Galle International Cricket Stadium.
Galle is quietly gaining a reputation as a place to enjoy some good diving , although such quality diving sites could be found all round the island. The island is situated on top of this bank of sand and has a drop of about 3,000 metres into the deeper parts of the ocean. Closer towards the shore of the island, divers will find shallow sand or areas of rocky bottoms. However, for those diving in the south, diving at other points is also another posssibility.
Although Galle has lesser big fish to see on dives, there is still much to digest in the world beneath the islands shores. There are plenty of reef life such as titan and clown fish, moray eels and beautifully coloured smaller fish that inhabit these waters. Turtles are also a popular feature and quite a popular site with many conservation programmes for the species that dot the coast line as well.
Another past time that tourists choose to indugle in while on vacation in Galle is deep sea fishing. Sea fishing is most popular closer to Galle in regions like Hikkaduwa, where tourists hire out motor launches that are equipped with tackle and bait. Here fishing is more than just a past time and very enthusiastic fisher folk consider it as big game and are known to return with catches ranging from tuna to the occasional marlin.
A diving and fishing holiday is just the thing to rally friends and family together and the Jetwing Lighthouse in Galle offers the perfect setting. This Galle hotel is nestled among lush vegetation and the beach just at its doorstep and is one of the best Sri Lanka hotels the country has to offer.
by: Pushpitha Wijesinghe
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