The port town of Galle, about 60 miles (100km) south of Colombo and a short distance west of Matara, is steeped in the heritage of the Dutch presence in Sri Lanka, dominated by the 36-hectare (89-acre) Dutch Fort, built in 1663, with its massive ramparts on a promontory. Inside the walls of the fort is the old part containing Galle houses, Dutch homesteads, museums and churches, as well as the New Oriental Hotel, originally the home of the Dutch governors. Galle has a small beach, but most sun-lovers find better beaches a little out of town along the coast road.