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Southern Province Essentials

Sri Lanka's Southern Province features the 16th-century Galle Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage site built by the Portuguese and extensively fortified by the Dutch. The region contains Yala National Park, known for its high density of leopards, and the coastal towns of Hikkaduwa, Unawatuna, and Mirissa, which are hubs for surfing and whale watching. Cultural landmarks include the Mulkirigala Rock Monastery and the traditional practice of stilt fishing along the shoreline, while architectural highlights include Lunuganga, the country estate of renowned architect Geoffrey Bawa.

A

Old Town of Galle and its Fortifications

16th-century fortress built by the Portuguese and fortified by the Dutch. It features a grid layout, colonial-era warehouses, and bastion walls overlooking the Indian Ocean.

Schnobby / CC BY-SA 3.0

B

Yala National Park

Yala National Park is the most visited and second largest national park in Sri Lanka, bordering the Indian Ocean.

PIERRE ANDRE LECLERCQ / GFDL

C

Galle Fort Lighthouse

Originally built in 1848 and reconstructed in 1939, this 26.5-meter coastal lighthouse stands on the Point Utrecht Bastion at the southeastern tip of Galle Fort.

D

UNESCO's 38th World Heritage Protected Site

Part of the UNESCO-designated historic zone, preserving the Dutch colonial architecture and the 17th-century fortification system within the Galle district.

René / CC-BY-SA

E

Mirissa Beach

A crescent-shaped bay known for whale and dolphin watching excursions, surfing conditions, and seasonal turtle nesting.

Saud A Alkhamees / CC-BY-SA

F

Stick Fishermans

Traditional Sri Lankan stilt fishing location where fishermen sit on crossbars tied to poles driven into the sea floor, a practice unique to the island's southern coast.

G

Unawatuna

Coastal town featuring a horseshoe-shaped bay, coral reefs, and the Japanese Peace Pagoda located on the Rumassala headland.

Orest Helysh / CC-BY-SA

H

Hikkaduwa Beach

A major surfing and diving destination featuring a marine sanctuary with shallow-water coral reefs and a variety of tropical fish.

Sharada deshan / CC BY-SA 4.0

I

Mulkirigala Rock Monastery

Mulkirigala Raja Maha Vihara is an ancient Buddhist temple in Mulkirigala, Sri Lanka.

J

Devinuwara Light House

Also known as Dondra Head Lighthouse, this 49-meter white octagonal tower is the tallest in Sri Lanka and marks the island's southernmost point.

Petr Bambuch / CC-BY-SA

K

Sea Turtle Hatchery

Conservation center dedicated to protecting endangered sea turtles by rescuing eggs from the beach, hatching them in tanks, and releasing hatchlings into the ocean.

L

Jeffry bawa's garden

Known as Lunuganga, this country estate was the former home of architect Geoffrey Bawa, featuring Italian Renaissance-inspired landscaping and tropical modernist architecture.