Bentota
A popular west coast resort area with a long golden beach, the Bentota River, water sports, Ayurveda spas and Bawa-designed gardens nearby.
Get a Quote for BentotaAbout Bentota
Bentota is a well-known beach resort on the west coast, where the Bentota River meets the sea beside a long golden beach. Visitors enjoy water sports such as jet skiing and banana boats, river and mangrove boat trips, and Ayurveda treatments at local spas. Nearby, Brief Garden and Lunuganga are famous gardens linked to the Bawa brothers, and the Madu River estuary has mangrove islands and cinnamon-making demonstrations. Sea turtle hatcheries along the coast, such as around Kosgoda, are popular, though visitors should choose carefully. It is an easy place to relax at the start or end of a trip.
Highlights
- ✅ Golden sandy beach
- ✅ Bentota River boat trip
- ✅ Water sports
- ✅ Ayurveda spa treatments
- ✅ Brief Garden and Lunuganga
- ✅ Madu River mangroves
Travel Tips
- Visit in the dry season, as the sea can be rough from May to September
- Choose turtle hatcheries that run proper conservation programmes
- Book river trips with licensed operators
- Combine with Galle Fort on a short south and west coast trip
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