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This private day trip takes you south from Mount Lavinia to two places that define the southern coast: a tea estate that grows its tea almost within sight of the sea, and the walled old town of Galle. Your English-speaking chauffeur guide collects you from your hotel at 07:00 in an air-conditioned vehicle, and the day runs for about 11 hours before you are dropped back at the same door.
The first stop is Handunugoda Tea Factory near Ahangama, one of the very few tea factories in Sri Lanka that sits close to the coast rather than in the hill country. The estate is known for its Virgin White Tea, made from young buds that are plucked and processed without being touched by bare hands, a practice that partly follows an old Chinese plucking ritual. You are shown around the factory, then given the chance to taste the Virgin White Tea alongside the estate's other teas, and to buy any you like.
From there the road runs on to Galle, the port the Portuguese founded in the 16th century and the Dutch later made their headquarters and fortified. The Old Town of Galle and its Fortifications has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988, and it is regarded as the best example of a fortified city built by Europeans in South and South-East Asia. Your guide walks you along the ramparts to the lighthouse and through the cobbled streets, many still carrying their Dutch names, explaining the history of the town as you go.
Inside the walls there is time to look at the Galle National Museum and the Maritime Museum. When you book you can choose whether entrance tickets are included; if you choose the option without tickets, pay any entrance fees on the day. A bottle of water is provided for each guest, while meals, drinks and tips are not included.
Because the tour is private, the vehicle and the guide are yours alone, and it can be booked for groups of one to eight guests. It suits children aged five and over, but it is not wheelchair or pushchair accessible, and infants cannot travel on a lap. There is a full refund if you cancel at least 24 hours before the start.
