Sri Lanka sits above a deep-water canyon where blue whales and sperm whales migrate reliably from November to April. Pre-dawn departure from Mirissa harbour, out beyond the headland into deep water, and then, on a good morning, a blue whale surfacing. Spinner dolphin pods are regular company. Responsible licensed operators only, with strict distance standards from all animals.
Galle
A Dutch colonial sea fortress that never stopped being lived in
Galle Fort is a UNESCO World Heritage site that happens to also be a functioning town - boutique hotels, independent bookshops, art galleries and a Dutch Reformed Church from 1755, all inside 17th-century coral-stone ramparts above the Indian Ocean. Three colonial layers, Portuguese, Dutch and British, are legible in a single afternoon walk.
