A wide golden beach where a river meets the sea, with water sports, mangrove boat rides, turtle hatcheries and two famous Bawa gardens.
About an hour south of Colombo, Bentota is one of the west coast's classic beach towns. The Bentota River runs parallel to the sea for a stretch before meeting it, giving the town calm water for water sports on one side and a long golden beach on the other.
On the water
- Water sports: jet skiing, banana boats, windsurfing and kayaking on the calm river.
- River safari: a boat trip into the mangroves to see monitor lizards, kingfishers and the occasional crocodile.
- Madu River: a short drive south in Balapitiya, with mangrove islands and a cinnamon-peeling island.
Bawa's gardens
Bentota is home to two of Sri Lanka's most celebrated gardens:
- Lunuganga: the country estate of Geoffrey Bawa, the island's most famous architect, who shaped it for nearly 50 years. Guided tours run daily.
- Brief Garden: the garden of his brother, landscape artist Bevis Bawa, full of sculptures and hidden corners.
Sea turtles
The coast between Bentota and Kosgoda has several turtle hatcheries, where eggs collected from the beach are protected until they hatch. Look for ones that release hatchlings quickly into the sea rather than keeping turtles in tanks for display.
Tips
- From May to October the south-west monsoon makes the sea rough. Swim only where lifeguards are present.
- The coastal train from Colombo stops at Bentota and Aluthgama.
