Bentota

Bentota is a beach town on the south-west coast where the Bentota River meets the sea. A long sandbar separates the river from the ocean, so visitors get a wide golden beach on one side and calm river water on the other. Bentota is the country's best-known centre for water sports, and the area around it is closely linked to the architect Geoffrey Bawa and his brother Bevis.

The beach and the river

Bentota Beach

Bentota Beach stretches for kilometres south towards Induruwa, backed by palms and resort hotels. In season the sea is calm enough for swimming; outside it, waves and currents can be dangerous.

River cruises

Boat trips up the Bentota River pass mangroves, small islands and village life, with water monitors, kingfishers and other birds along the banks. Many trips stop at a cinnamon garden or a small temple.

Water sports

Bentota is often called the water sports capital of Sri Lanka. The calm river and lagoon are ideal for jet skis, banana boats, water skiing, wakeboarding, windsurfing and stand-up paddleboarding, and beginners can learn away from the waves. See water sports in Bentota. Dive centres run trips to nearby reefs such as Canoe Rock, and snorkelling is possible on calm days; see diving and snorkelling in Bentota. The best months for windsurfing and other water sports are from about November to April.

Geoffrey Bawa and Bevis Bawa

Geoffrey Bawa (1919 to 2003), the leading figure of tropical modernism, spent decades turning a rubber estate on Dedduwa Lake into his country garden, Lunuganga. Guided tours show the garden's views, terraces and pavilions, and it also has a few rooms. Nearby, his brother Bevis created Brief Garden, a hillside garden of sculptures, ponds and paths around his former home. Bawa also designed hotels on this coast, and his style influenced many of the resorts that came after.

Walks, cycling and villages

Guided walks and bike rides lead through paddy fields, cinnamon gardens and villages inland, with stops at temples such as Kande Viharaya, which has a very large seated Buddha statue, and at Dedduwa Lake. The countryside is flat and quiet once you leave the main road.

Getting there and around

Bentota is about 65 km south of Colombo, roughly one to one and a half hours by the Southern Expressway, and about two hours from the airport. Trains on the coastal line stop at Bentota and Aluthgama. Galle is about an hour south. Tuk-tuks and hotel boats cover local trips.

When to go and how long to stay

The season runs from about November to April, with January usually the driest month. The south-west monsoon brings rain and rough seas from about May to September, though hotels stay open. Daytime temperatures are around 30°C year round. Two or three nights suit a beach break; longer stays combine well with Galle and the south coast.

Food

Seafood is the speciality, especially lobster, prawns and grilled tuna, served at beach restaurants and hotels. Small local places along the main road offer rice and curry at lower prices.

Kosgoda and Induruwa

South of Bentota, Induruwa and Kosgoda have quieter beaches. Several turtle hatcheries operate along this stretch, and Kosgoda is one of the main turtle nesting beaches on the west coast. Choose a hatchery that releases hatchlings promptly, rather than keeping turtles in tanks for show. Galapata Viharaya, inland from Bentota, is an old temple with ancient inscriptions.

Suggested plan

Spend the mornings on the beach or on the water, when the sea is calmest, and book a river cruise for late afternoon, when birds are most active. Set aside half a day for Lunuganga and Brief Garden, which can be combined with a guided tour. A third day could include the Kosgoda turtle hatchery and the mask workshops of Ambalangoda.

Practical tips

Swim only in front of hotels with lifeguards or where locals swim, and never in the river mouth, where currents are strong. Agree prices for water sports and boat trips before you start, and check that life jackets are provided. Beach touts can be persistent; a firm no is usually enough.

Where to stay

Bentota has many beach resorts and boutique hotels, plus villas along the river and around Dedduwa Lake. Neighbouring Beruwala and Induruwa have more beachfront hotels. Compare hotels in Bentota.

Day trips

The Kosgoda turtle hatcheries are a short drive south, Ambalangoda's mask workshops about 30 minutes away, and the Madu Ganga river near Balapitiya offers boat trips among mangrove islands. Galle Fort is an easy day trip.