Once you’ve arrived at Amangalla, you’ll be hard pressed to tear yourself away from this 17th-century retreat. However, we can’t think of a better base than this to combine sunset strolls of the historic UNESCO World Heritage Galle Fort and coast and countryside exploration in Sri Lanka’s south. Located in one of Asia’s most captivating living forts, Amangalla was formally the New Oriental Hotel in the heyday of steamship travel, and is today an iconic example of colonial heritage hotels. Each of the 31 rooms and suites overlook 200-year-old gardens, Galle’s red-tiledrooftops and the hotel’s stunning 21 meter swimming pool. Imagine antique furnishings, white-walls, period piece chandeliers and on-site Ayurveda specialist offering personalized treatment programmes. Take part in signature cooking classes and enjoy curated meals in the lap of Galle Fort luxury.