We ended up staying at Galle Port much longer than we had planned due to Covid-19 (11 months versus a couple weeks, from March 2020 to January 2021). The one upside, once we were finally allowed to venture into town after spending 4 months confined to the the port area, was that were got to know the town pretty well. This post has some details about the area for visiting cruisers.
Clearance
Noonsite will have the best updated information on clearing in to Sri Lanka. Our experience was not typical and while we were there, Sri Lanka was still officially closed to cruisers. I will only add that though Noonsite says that the agents can charge different rates, it seemed that all the agents charged the same $100 (for each 30-day period), $100 for port fees, and $20 for customs.
We used GAC Shipping, which is the largest agency. They are probably fine for the typical needs of visiting cruisers. We were disappointed by their failure to provide much assistance during the four months we were confined to the port (they would not get us or the other boats a SIM card or food and only took us shopping when forced by a local Navy commodore that intervened on our behalf). While we were there, they tried to charge one cruiser with a non-working engine $1000 for a tow from Jungle Beach to the port (a little over a mile) and tried to impose extra charges in a variety of situations (such as when a boat wanted to move to a better spot and asked for a GAC work boat to move). I can't say what other agencies would have charged for a tow but extra charges are common for securing supplies. Don Windsor & Company/Windsor Reef Navigation (emails: windsorreef at dialognet.lk or at yahoo.com) was able to secure shore passes, repairs, and supplies for other cruisers during the lockdown.
Galle Port
What's in a name? Well, for one, call it Galle Harbor. When you are giving your location or destination to a tuktuk driver or for deliveries, make sure to say 'Galle Harbor'. If you say 'Galle Port', there is a good chance you (or the pizza you are having delivered) will end up at Galle Fort or the Galle Fishing Port.
Caution: The optimistically designated 'marina' is a bit rough. There are no floating docks or other such pleasantries and the concrete walls are hard on fiberglass (and even steel). You will want to use all your fenders and protect your lines against chafe. Unfortunately, there are not many cleats and there are several places where big steel hoops sticks out of the wall, so it can be hard to find the perfect spot.
The primary issue with the harbor is the surge. The ocean swell bounces its way into the inner harbor and creates an almost constant surge. It's not such a big deal in the December-April time-frame, but when the southern ocean winter starts kicking up storms, the swells travel thousands of miles and appear here. In July we had a two-meter surge with about a ten second period. The water in the harbor appeared flat, but the level went up and down two meters in about ten seconds. That much water moving up and down causes the boat to lurch forward and then back, hence the need for chafe protection on your lines. Popped fenders are also common. The full and new moons tend to intensify any surge. Even with fenders, our freshly painted hull suffered from being tied up to the wall for so long.
Looking at the photo, you can see the spot where we spent most of our time. That wall is probably the best place to be to minimize the surge (the further west you can get, the better). The east wall, especially on the corners, can be brutal when the surge is up. We ended up putting out an anchor amidships to pull our hull away from the wall. It made getting on and off the boat a bit more challenging but was much easier on our hull and fenders. Med-mooring is another option but getting to shore is more challenging unless you have a passarelle. Without other boats to watch Perry, we only left her for one overnight trip when we knew things would be calm. One boat that we met reported that when they went on a road trip (the previous year), their boat was moved without their knowledge and became damaged.
Water and Power: Water is available from the port at 1500 Rs (~$8) per ton/ 1000 liters (there is a meter that is attached to the piping and you will need your own hose). Electricity (230 vAC, ~20 amp supply) is metered and we paid from 1200 to 3000 Rs ($7-$17) a month, depending on how sunny it was (most of our power came from our solar panels). Another boat running their AC through shore power paid about $50 for less than a three weeks. Requests for both water and electricity have to go through your agent.
Diesel: We purchased diesel from the agent while we were confined to port and it was 88 cents US a liter (April 2020). We didn't need any other fuel so we're not sure about the price or process outside of Covid times. There is a service station not too far from the port, but it can be difficult to get items and/or vehicles past the guards at the entrance. If so, self service may require your agent to file paperwork..
Shower and canteen: There is a shower about 300 meters from the small boat harbor in the bathroom and shower next to the Fire Rescue building. It only has cold water (which, given the climate, suited us just fine) and was only ever cleaned once during our time there (Conrad cleaned it himself at one point; you know a bathroom is dirty when a 14-year old feels compelled to clean it of his own volition). There is a canteen catering to the port workers that sells decent and inexpensive food (Sri Lankan spicy).
Garbage: It was not clear where our garbage should go (our agent didn't have a clear answer and cruisers who predated us pointed to the bins they were using). It seemed that the garbage management system for the port generally involved dumping everything at the top of the hill and then later burning the stuff that would burn. We ended up sorting out the metal and glass and placing the remainder in the bins near the Health Offices (there are signs directed towards cruisers, which we interpreted to mean that cruisers could use the bins).
Guards: There are many guards in the port and we have heard others describe the environment as 'prison-like'. We were there a long time and got to know many of the guards (and vice-versa), but shorter-term cruisers described being asked for their shore passes every time they came and went and having the guards look through all their purchases and give them a hard time about removing or bringing certain things into the port. Getting visitors in the port is very difficult and requires that your agent complete paperwork.
ATMs and Money
We had trouble finding an ATM that worked for us but some of that trouble may have been because we were trying to withdraw too much. The People's Bank consistently worked for us (HSBC nearby was only displaying Sinhalese writing when we tried there). Both these banks are on Marine Walk, which is what Matara Road turns into as you head towards downtown and Galle Fort (to the left, west as you exit the harbor road, about a 15 minute walk to the banks). Both of these banks have a 40,000 Rs. limit on withdrawals (you can make multiple withdrawals if you need more). A number of ATMs are also located in a small building due west of the main bus stop. At least some of those ATMs allow 60-80,000 Rs. withdrawals.
The major grocery stores and many larger businesses and restaurants accept credit cards. As always when using your credit card, make sure they put the charge through in local currency. Our regular stores all do this but one store we visited put the charge through in US dollars, which gives you a terrible exchange rate.
There are money changers at various locations. We have used the one at the Jewelry store on the first floor of the Selaka Shopping Complex, near the Galle Bus Stand. There is also one on Marine Walk, on the road with the ATMs mentioned above.
Internet
We started with Hutch as our provider but for some reason it kept losing connectivity and we had to constantly reset the connection. We switched to Dialog, which is the biggest cell provider. You can buy a SIM card from Faris at FA Technology, the phone shop that 400 meters west on the main road, near 'The Shack' restaurant. You will need your passport or a copy of it and cash. There are other providers that may be making promotional offers during your stay.
Internet is reasonably priced and we used a 30-day plan that provided 115 GB of data (plus 77 GB of 'nighttime' data) for 6400 Rs. Top-ups can be done at a variety of stores, including the place with the SIMs and Cargill's Food City, further east down Matara Road, (where top-ups can be paid for with a credit card).
Grocery and food
There are several grocery stores within walking distance of the port. Sea Fair Food City (a five-minute walk from the port to the right on the main street, called 'Matara Road') caters to Western clientele and has the best variety of meat (except pork because they are Muslim) and cheese, as well as many other imported items. Pagoma is across the street and to the left when you get to the main road. It's a bit larger than Sea Fair and has a mixture of Western and local items. The produce is best at Arpico, which is about a ten-minute walk to the left.
There are several fruit and vegetable stands in the area, as well as bakeries that sell loaves of bread for 50 Rs each (standard rate except for a few places and the choon paan man that charge 60 Rs). There is a fish stall on the way to Sea Fair (a two-minute walk to the right) that has fresh fish, best selection before 10 a.m.
Restaurants and things to do
Diwata Beach is great for surfing and is a five to ten-minute walk to the right. The Shack is a nice place to hang out and get pizza and a drink. They rent surf boards for 300 Rs an hour. Sahana Coolspot is another place near the beach where you can get snacks and watch the surf.
For local food, we got take-out from Milkyway (just past Pagoma) and the kotthu (curry with chopped up roti instead of rice) was good if a bit spicy for our tastes. We were told by some residents of Galle that Lucky 7 Restaurant isn't very good (at the corner of Matara and Closenberg Road).
Taste of India has a couple of locations (one in Galle Fort) and was a decent (and less spicy) alternative to Sri Lankan fare.
There are plenty of higher end restaurants all over Galle Fort, but expect to pay western/tourist prices at most of these.
Galle Fort is worth seeing and will be about a 200 Rs ride in a tuktuk (or a 30 minute walk). It's a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has fascinating buildings and history. There are many shops and restaurants, with tourist prices. Isle of Gelato has fantastic gelato, though it's pricey. Near the lighthouse is a small protected beach.
Futher afield, the turtle hatchery was interesting, though we did not go when babies were hatching, which is apparently the best time to go. Jungle Beach, on the far side of Dewata Bay, is a pleasant hike and has actual beaches and is better for swimming versus surfing than Diwata. The Japanese Peace Pagoda is just past both Jungle beaches and has nice views of the ocean. Unawatuna is about an hour's walk from the port (or an easy bus or tuktuk ride) and has a long, sandy beach lined with restaurants and hawkers.
Colombo and Yala National Park (see below), are destinations easy to reach from Galle,
Transportation
See 'Galle Port' section above regarding saying 'Galle Harbor' rather than 'Galle Port' when giving your destination to a driver!
The app 'PickMe' is used for taxis and tuktuks (Uber, which is used a lot in Colombo doesn't really work in Galle). We had varying luck with it because often drivers would accept a fare and take a really long time to come (if they came at all). It was useful to determine a fair price, though we were told that it was a bit higher than what tuktuks will charge and that foreigners in general pay more for rides. We routinely paid 200 Rs to go to Galle Fort (and were frequently asked to pay more at first), whereas a local would probably pay less than 150, depending on the time of day. It's a small amount of money and probably not worth bothering about for most visitors, but over paying by a lot just keeps upping the ante.
We rented a car to go to Yala National Park. We were only gone for two days because we were concerned about leaving the boat due to the conditions in the harbor. We used INS Cab & Tours (Iroshan Nadeera: +94 77 768 2568 on WhatsApp) and paid 5000 Rs (with an 18000 Rs--$100--refundable deposit). We left our passport with him until we returned the car, which is apparently expected when you rent a car. The car was acceptable and the 150 kilometer limit was just enough for our trip (there was a 10 Rs charge for each kilometer over). You are technically required to get a temporary Sri Lankan driver's license or a AA endorsement on your International Driving Permit. We did not because these were only available in Colombo, so we took our chances and were not pulled over.
Sri Lanka has a good and affordable train and bus system and we took the train to Colombo twice to apply for and pick up a new passport. There are also local buses that have a complex fare system, but that are reportedly cheaper than tuktuks for an individual rider. As it happened, we did not take any buses.
Hardware, Repairs and Other
Ganga, 70 Havelock Road, has many items, including 134a refrigerant (large tanks of it). There is also a small 'main' hardware store outside the Arpico parking lot. There are numerous hardware, fishing, and paint shops along Matara Road and in the town. M.W.S. had heavy duty stainless steel (we needed a backing plate to repair a cleat).
We had Jawfer Stainless Steel Works (see above), fabricate some grill parts for us and they did a good job. As always, check and double-check that you are on the same page about what you want.
For electronics repair, there is a shop on the second floor of the Selaka Shopping Complex, near the Galle Bus Stand. His shop is on the second floor, to the right/west, next to the Sports Life shop with the trophies.
Tulip Computers and Southnet are good local resources for computer repair and spare parts. However, we had to order our new Dell laptop fan from Colombo. We paid them online and had the part shipped to our agent in Galle.
For diesel engine work, we met a former navy officer named Mohideen that worked on and cared for a boat whose owner had left. He rebuilt the entire engine and was meticulous in his care and preparation of the boat (it must be his Navy training). He is honest and conscientious. He can be reached on WhatsApp at +94 77 562 1612.
We needed a new mainsail batten and were finally able to source something that would work from Aqua Dynamics in Colombo. We found someone that brought it down for us. The sail makers are primarily in Colombo and deal mostly with overseas clients so this whole endeavor was done as a favor. There is a 'sail maker' right outside the port, but we had no experience with the business other than buying a courtesy flag.
Shipping from outside Sri Lanka seems to be expensive. We were going to purchase a $10 part from Amazon but the shipping/duties would have cost us almost $80 (not counting any charges that the agent would have required for getting the package through customs and bringing it down form Colombo). There are no 'yacht in transit' exemptions.
The Living in the Galle Area Facebook page was a good resource for us for questions about the area and where to find things.
Propane
Refilling an American/Australian tank is very expensive compared to buying a whole new local tank, as long as you have or can find the right fittings (the same as the ones used in Indonesia and Malaysia) to decant the propane. We had our 20 lb (9 kg) tank filled for 5000 Rs (sorry, I can't remember where but it wasn't too far from the port). After that, we bought a 12.5 kg bottle for 5770 Rs (1525 Rs to refill). So it was about $27 US to for a 9 kg refill and $31 for 12.5 kg initial purchase, with refills being only $8 after the purchase.
Other
Tipping: Some amount of tipping seems to be expected, but it was hard for us to figure out what was reasonable. When we arrived in the port, there were several people there to take lines for us. We didn't know who they worked for and later, one of the guards approached us asking for a tip for one of the people that helped. We didn't have any money so we gave him some Cokes and he asked if we had any beer. When we were stuck in the Port and before the Navy Commodore helped us to go on some Navy escorted shopping trips, some of the guards wanted $10 US to allow us to receive groceries delivered by Sea Fair (later they tried to get $50 or a bottle of alcohol, which the Embassy nipped in the bud). After that, we never gave any money to the guards but did offer them baked goods on several occasions. We saw a number of drivers of vehicles coming into the port give the guards a couple hundred rupees with their paperwork (it went in the tip box). The people on the work boats would get cigarettes as tips from visiting ships.
Poya: Every full moon is a holiday in Sri Lanka called Poya. Many businesses are closed on those days and Arpico, though open, can't sell meat from the counter. Some Poya days are more important than others. You will sometimes see people in the port feeding dogs on Poya days (they even fed the cruisers once).
Cement factory: There is a cement factory in the port and when ships are being unloaded and the wind is blowing from the west, your boat will soon be covered in dust that has to be scrubbed off (rain is not usually enough). The port uses water blowers to try to minimize the dust, wets down the roads, and sweeps up cement dust, but they can't get it all. During the 'typical' cruising months of Dec-April, this is not too bad a problem as the winds tend to be out of the east. But June-October the winds are from the west.
Strays: There are a number of stray dogs (and a few cats) in the port. Most are regulars that have their territories and packs. We never had any problems with them, although you should be careful about any stray dogs as rabies exists in Sri Lanka. They get fed by a few kind folks (mostly bread and rice) but are a scraggly bunch. If you want to and are able to help, the crew at the Dog Care Clinic is committed to helping animals and people. They spay/neuter stray dogs and release them if they are healthy or house them if they're disabled. They follow-up and conduct 'feeding tours' on the animals they care for. They picked up and rehabilitated several puppies from the port.
Rats: There are rats in the port and a couple of the other boats had some come on board.
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