Southern Coast - Bentota Beach

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Coastal Paradise of Bentota is a coastal town located in the Galle District of the Southern Province. It is approximately 65 kilometres south of Colombo and 56 kilometres north of Galle. The name of the town is derived from a mythical story which claims a demon named ‘Bem’ ruled the tota or river bank.

Bentota is a historical place described in ancient messenger poems (sandeśa kāvya). The Galapatha Viharaya is one of a cluster of five ancient temples in the region. In the 17th Century the Portuguese built a small fort at the mouth of the Bentota River (Bentara Ganga), which in Sinhala was called Parangi Kotuwa, meaning the fort of the Portuguese. The river marked the southern extremity of Portuguese held territory in Sri Lanka. The Dutch subsequently allowed the fort to fall into disrepair, converting one of the large buildings within the fort into a colonial rest house for Dutch Officers travelling between Colombo and Galle. The British subsequently converted the rest house into a coastal sanatorium. Sir James Emerson Tennent (1804-1869), the colonial secretary of Ceylon (1845-1850) in his book, Ceylon, An Account of the Island (1859), stated that the rest house at Bentota, situated within a little park, deeply shaded by lofty Tamarind trees on the point of the beach where the river forms its junction with the sea, is one of the coolest and most agreeable in Ceylon. The British introduced the railway in the early 19th century, mainly to transport the coconut produce from the deep south to the capital, building a permanent bridge (Bentota Palama) to cross the river.

Bentota is located on the Coastal or Southern Rail Line (connecting Colombo through to Matara), though Bentota Halt is only a small railway station with most trains stopping at Aluthgama, 2.5 kilometres (1.6 mi) north of Bentota. It is located on the A2 highway, connecting Colombo to Wellawaya, about 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) south of Beruwala. Access is possible from the Southern Expressway Welipenna exit and only 10 km from the exit.

Bentota Beach

Watersports

Kosgoda Turtle Hatchery

Brief Garden

Galapatha Raja Maha Vihare

Madu Ganga River Safari

Visit Kande Vihare – Beruwala

Go Diving

Cinnamon Island

Dolphin & Whale Watching

Popular for those wanting to snorkel & take part in water sports, this beach has soft white sand.

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There is a huge range of watersports offered in Bentota such as jet skiing, surfing or being tugged by a speedboat while you hang on to your raft. Usually a price will be offered per person and it would include rides on the rafts as well as on the jetski. Prices are negotiable.

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The main aim of the project is to monitor local sea turtle activity and conserve the local nesting sites. One of the most important activities of the project is its hatchery. Within the sanctuary of the project, collected and rescued eggs can hatch safely away from predators before being released into the sea

Brief garden is a landscape garden and former home in Beruwala, Sri Lanka designed by landscape architect and owner Bevis Bawa. It is home to the design practice Brief Garden Designs

Galapatha Raja Maha Viharaya is one of the most prominent sites of worship in the southwest coast of Sri Lanka

Madu Ganga wetland,  its estuary and the many mangrove islets on it constitute a complex coastal wetland ecosystem. In has high ecological, biological and aesthetic significance, being home to approximately 303 species of plants belonging to 95 families and to 248 species of vertebrate animals. The inhabitants of its islets produce peeled cinnamon and cinnamon oil.

Kande Vihara is a major Buddhist temple in Kalutara District, Sri Lanka. The temple has got its name ‘Kande vihara’ as it is built on top of a hill located near to Aluthgama town. The temple has been formally recognised by the Government as an archaeological site in Sri Lanka

A calm sea during the months of November to April makes an ideal window for diving and snorkelling. Once you enter the blue domain you will be presented with  dazzling array of corals, fish and others objects which are submerged and become residents and homes to the marine life.

There are 3 main dive spots in Bentota:

Canoe Rock: which is the main dive spot where there are sandy belts with coral formations in certain sections. You can choose to snorkel this area by reaching the spot via a boat which is a 20 minute ride from the shore and the depth to reach this site is approximately 20 metres.

South Reef: is a dive site that is almost 30 minutes away from Bentota. You will have reach this area by boat. It consists of a terrain full of rocks, thereby an attraction for many species of marine life and you can dive about 20 metres to reach the bottom.

Hundirangala:  was initially popular for night diving is a shallow diving site with a depth of only 12 metres. It is well known for the appearance of stunning lionfish and porcupine fish.

Sri Lanka is famous for its world class cinnamon exports. Cinnamon Is land is rich in cinnamon and the locals main source of income is from cinnamon.

Bentota also offers tours to get a rare glimpse of schools of dolphins and Whales

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