Experience the best of Bentota
Bentota is a palm-fringed beach town on Sri Lanka's south-west coast, where a wide river meets the sea and temples, turtles and mangroves lie close by.
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Bentota lies on the south-west coast of Sri Lanka, where the Bentota River reaches the sea beside a long, wide beach of pale sand fringed with coconut palms. A narrow strip of land separates the sea from the river's estuary, so surf and calm water lie side by side, and fishermen work with cast nets and small boats. The coast road and railway run along the shore between Colombo and Galle.
River boats pass through mangrove forest on the Bentota and the Madu Ganga, past cinnamon plantations and small islands, one with a temple. Sea turtle hatcheries at Kosgoda lie to the north, and Ambalangoda, the home of carved wooden masks and devil-dance traditions, to the south. Lunuganga, the lakeside garden of the architect Geoffrey Bawa, is nearby, and Galle's Dutch fort, a UNESCO site, is about an hour away.
Fresh seafood, with prawns, crab and grilled fish, is cooked beside the beach, and rice and curry comes with coconut sambol and hoppers, bowl-shaped pancakes. Coconut arrack, a local spirit, and kithul treacle come from the palms. The sea is calmest and the weather driest from November to April, while the south-west monsoon brings rough seas and rain from May to September.
- Free cancellation on 82% of experiences
- 4.8 across the top 19
Top experiences in Bentota
![Sri Lanka Car Rental with Driver per Day | Car Van or MiniBus Rental with Driver]()
Free cancellation
Go beyond Bentota
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Galle · 47 kmGalle Fort
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Galle · 47 kmGalle Lighthouse
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Colombo · 60 kmGangaramaya Temple
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Colombo · 60 kmGalle Face Green
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Negombo · 88 kmNegombo Beach
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Negombo · 88 kmNegombo Lagoon
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Udawalawa · 97 kmUdawalawe National Park
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Nuwara Eliya · 105 kmGregory Lake
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Kandy · 119 kmTemple of the Sacred Tooth Relic (Sri Dalada Maligawa)
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Kandy · 119 kmAlagalla Mountain Range
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Sigiriya · 190 kmSigiriya Rock Fortress
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Sigiriya · 190 kmDambulla Cave Temple (Golden Temple of Dambulla)
Questions about Bentota
- What is there to do in Bentota?
- We list 378 experiences in Bentota. The largest groups are day trips (163), city tours (28).
- What is the most popular experience in Bentota?
- By number of traveller reviews it is "2h Bentota River Safari: Crocodiles, Monkeys, Mangrove & more", rated 4.9 out of 5 from 165 reviews.
- How long do tours and tickets in Bentota take?
- The typical experience in Bentota lasts about 9.5 hours; the middle half run between 4 hours and 13 hours.
- Can I cancel a booking in Bentota?
- The operator lists free cancellation on 83% of the 378 experiences we hold for Bentota. The cut-off differs by experience and is shown on each product page before you choose a date.
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