In the Southern region of Sri Lanka lays the Galle district. Balapitiya is a little town in the district and would be quite unimportant; except for the location of a river. The Madu River is very rich in biodiversity. It passes through the wet zone of Sri Lanka opening up into the large Madu Lagoon on its way to the Indian Ocean.

The Galle lighthouse is situated inside the landmark Galle Fort. It is built seven metres above the road on the ramparts. This is Sri Lanka’s oldest light station dating back to 1848, but the original lighthouse was destroyed by fire in 1934. It was rebuilt at the current height of 26m. The light station is within the walls of the ancient Galle fort, a UNESCO world heritage site and well known tourist attraction, making this the countries most often visited lighthouse. (Combines with Galle fort)

The National Maritime Museum of Galle is chock-full of nautical and marine marvels, dug up from the sea and showcased here. Galle has always been a major harbour, visited by ships and traders from across the globe for several millennia. As such it did not escape the clutches of the Dutch traders who put profit before all else.

The Galle Clock Tower is a four storey tall stone monument hailing from the late 19th century. It was built within the ramparts of the Galle Fort on the site of the previous guardroom, overlooking one of the three bastions of the fort. While the aged clock tower is a great monument to photograph, it will take some skilful manoeuvring due to the extreme angle close by. Hence it might be better to photograph it from the Moon Bastion which the tower faces.( combines with Galle fort)

Originally built in 1640, the present building dates from 1752. Its floor is paved with gravestones from Dutch cemeteries, while other impressive features include the organ and an imposing pulpit made from calamander wood and topped by a grand hexagonal canopy.( combines with Galle fort)

Located in Galle, Dutch Hospital Shopping Precinct as the name would suggest is a shopping centre located in a beautifully restored colonial building originally built during the Dutch occupation. It has a constantly growing selection of places to eat, drink or shop. There are fabulous bay views from its upper balcony.