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Waves breaking on the rocks at Bentota beach in the evening

West coast

Bentota

A broad golden beach where the Bentota river meets the sea, with river safaris, two famous Bawa gardens and turtle hatcheries nearby.

Plan a trip with Bentota
Time to spend
2 nights
Best months
November to April.
Getting around
Tuk-tuks and the coast train (Bentota and Aluthgama stations).
Good to know
Some turtle hatcheries keep animals in poor conditions. Choose one that releases hatchlings promptly and does not keep adult turtles in tanks for show.

Bentota is the closest of the classic beach resorts to Colombo and the airport, about 90 minutes away on the expressway. The beach runs south from the river mouth, backed by larger hotels and quieter villas.

The calm Bentota river is used for water sports and for boat trips into the mangroves. A little further south, the Madu Ganga estuary is dotted with small islands.

Inland, Lunuganga was the country garden of the architect Geoffrey Bawa, and his brother Bevis Bawa's Brief Garden is nearby. Turtle hatcheries line the coast at Kosgoda.

What to see and do

  • Bentota beach

    Open in Maps

    A wide stretch of golden sand south of the river mouth, with calm swimming in the dry season and water sports on the river side.

    3 hr · AfternoonFree entry

  • Lunuganga

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    Geoffrey Bawa's country estate and garden on a lake, shaped over fifty years. Visits are by guided tour.

    1 hr 30 min · MorningFee chargedto confirm

    Guided tours at set times; check the price and times with the estate before you go.

  • Madu Ganga river safari

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    A boat trip through the mangroves and small islands of the Madu Ganga estuary at Balapitiya, with a stop at a cinnamon island.

    2 hr · MorningLKR 3,000 to LKR 8,000estimate

    Per person by shared or private boat.

Also consider

Worth the trip if you have time. The planner leaves these out unless you add them.

  • Brief Garden

    The tropical garden of the landscape designer Bevis Bawa, with sculptures and a house full of his collections, inland from Bentota.

    1 hr 15 minAdd to a tripMaps

  • Kosgoda turtle hatchery

    Small conservation hatcheries on the beach at Kosgoda, where turtle eggs are reburied safely and hatchlings released to the sea.

    45 minAdd to a tripMaps

Nearby places to stay

Photos

The long palm-backed beach at Bentota
The long palm-backed beach at Bentota
The Bentota river in the evening, seen from the Aluthgama bank
The Bentota river in the evening, seen from the Aluthgama bank
Calm water and palms on the Bentota river
Calm water and palms on the Bentota river

Ready-made trips that include Bentota

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