A very much different experience than the muddy, overpriced UK music festivals, the Galle Music Festival has been running annually for the past five years and is a melting pot of Sri Lankan music and dance. It takes place on the ramparts of Fort Galle with its views over the specular Indian Ocean.

Free to enter, the festival has a family friendly slot between ten in the morning and one in the afternoon where you can wonder around the various food and craft stalls while various acts perform impromptu sets as a teaser for the main events after sunset.

The music and performances are a fusion of different styles from across the island. The festival itself prides itself on its musical and cultural diversity which brings together people from different backgrounds across the island to celebrate through music and dance.

International artists also attend the event, with Raghu Dixit Project – the famous Indian singer-songwriter, producer and film score composer – being a notable past performer at the event.