The sleepy fishing port of Tangalle which is situated on one of the largest bays on Sri Lanka and protected by the reef which encloses it, is a place to laze on the white sand beach, swim in the blue waters and wander into the old town where the Dutch Colonial influence is still evident  in buildings such as The Rest House, Court House and the Fort.  A must see not far from Tangalle are the amazing rock temples of Mulkirigala. Climb the many steps to the natural caves some of which house statues of Bhudda, some of which contain wall paintings and one a library which when discovered contained palm leaf manuscripts which held the key to translating the Great Chronicle of Sri Lanka. It is well worth making the effort to climb to the summit for the views to be had of the area around.