Top 5 Things to Do in Bentota – A Captivating Locality

Visitors to the area should make it a point to take the opportunity to undertake an enjoyable safari on the appealing Bentota River. The Bentota River is, in fact, one of the largest waterways in Sri Lanka and is always a pleasant river to explore. On your safari, you will have the opportunity to experience the well-known mangrove areas along the river which present an attractive sight. Bentota River is also renowned for its wildlife; on your safari you may have the chance to see creatures such as crocodiles, monkeys, monitor lizards, other reptiles and different kinds of birds including birds of prey.

Sightseers interested in the local religious attractions should undoubtedly avail themselves of the opportunity to visit the engrossing Kande Viharaya. This well-known Buddhist temple is located at Aluthgama, in proximity to Bentota and is always a fascinating shrine to visit. One of the most impressive features of this temple is its remarkable seated Buddha statue which has the distinction of being one of the largest of its kind in the world, measuring no less than 48 m in height. Visitors will have the chance to observe the innumerable local devotees who visit the temple in order to make merit by performing religious observances.

No sightseeing tour of the Bentota area would be complete without visiting the distinctive Brief Garden. This attractively designed and beautifully laid out garden was formerly a rubber estate; this estate was transformed into the splendid garden that you will see today by the famed landscape designer Bevis Bawa. Within the Brief Garden, you will find a myriad of features of interest including various nooks, alcoves, garden sculptures and bowers which are interspersed within the expansive garden. You will see that the garden has been subdivided into a number of sections and landscaped in accordance with various themes with a Japanese-style water garden amongst the attractions.

The island nation of Sri Lanka is rightfully renowned for its outstanding precious stones, and one of them is the attractive moonstone. Moonstones are regarded as belonging to the category of semi-precious stones, but they are a significant part of the gem industry of the island. The town of Meetiyagoda which is located near Bentota is renowned for moonstones, with the stones plentifully found in its mines. Visitors will have the opportunity to descend into the deep shafts where the moonstones are mined, which is sure to be a memorable experience. You will also be able to purchase moonstones and other gems at the shop found at the premises. As you experience these local attractions a choice of accommodation that you could consider would be an attractive resort in Bentota such as the well placed AVANI Bentota Resort & Spa.

If you are interested in marine wildlife and conservation you are sure to be enthralled by the turtle hatchery which can be found in the environs of Bentota. Turtle hatcheries such as this one were established with the objective of rescuing and protecting the valuable turtle eggs in order to replenish the dwindling numbers of the marine turtles in Sri Lanka. The turtle hatchery purchases the turtle eggs from the local fishermen and reburies the eggs on the beach; after the eggs hatch the hatchlings are collected and stored in tanks for a few days, after which they are released into the waters of the ocean.