Damro Tea Plantation.[Photo by Xu Lin/China Daily]

Galle now has churches, old hotels and stores that sell jewelry, spices and tea.

And local children practice cricket on the playgrounds.

It's pleasant to walk along the well-preserved Galle Fort and enjoy the breeze from the Indian Ocean.

Finally, on a train from Galle to Colombo, the country's commercial capital, I am excited to see the Indian Ocean just beyond the windows.

That train journey also marks the end of my satisfying trip to Sri Lanka.

If you go

It's convenient to charter a vehicle for the whole trip and the driver will take you wherever you like. Please bargain when you hop into a tuk-tuk, or an auto rickshaw. Wear a mask to avoid dust during the safari tour. Carry sunblock and mosquito repellent.