Exciting Things to Do in Bentota Sri Lanka – A Variety of things to See and Do

Head on over to Bentota's turtle hatchery which can be found around three kilometres to the south of Bentota Bridge along the coast. The conservatory aims to help the survival of the species of sea turtles that come to the shores of Sri Lanka to lay their eggs. It does this in many ways such as by helping the eggs hatch and then taking care of hatchlings in water tanks for a few days before helping them make their arduous journey to the sea. If seeing baby turtles gives you the warm and fuzzies, and if you are interested helping a good cause, consider helping out as a volunteer during your holiday.

Less than a half hour's drive away from hotels in the area such as Yathra by Jetwing and other similarly located resorts, the Brief Gardens by Bevis Bawa are a must-visit attraction. Created by the elder of Sri Lanka's famed Brothers Bawa, the gardens are full of beautiful landscaping, lush greenery and, surprisingly, large statues of the nude male form. Bevis Bawa, if you haven't heard of him before, is the lesser known of the two Bawa brothers, his younger brother being the renowned Geoffrey Bawa who garnered fame throughout Asia for this architectural masterpieces. Interestingly, one of his works which features a prominent garden, the Lunuganga Estate, is also located in Bentota around a thirty minute away from the Brief Gardens. If you are wondering as to the Gardens' curious name, 'Brief', Bevis named it as such after the successful legal brief which won his family the land on which the gardens reside.

Have you ever seen moonstones? They look as mystical and magical as they sound! Little round or oval shaped gems coloured an iridescent cloudy white with a pearly sheen at certain places; and seemingly silver fine, sparkling lines that run through the length of the stone like lines of longitude whose positions vary by what angle the stone is viewed from. Interested in seeing how these semi-precious stones which form part of Sri Lanka's natural heritage are formed? Head down to the mines in Meetiyagoda one morning, which is around a 45-minute drive away.

Interested in learning how local palm toddy is made? Ask the front desk of the hotel you are staying at on how to you can arrange a visit to nearby places where they make it. Bentota is simply full of a variety of tourist resorts such as those by such as those by Jetwing Hotels, and many of them would be happy to help out with your request. If you are successful in this venture, do be sure to purchase at least a small bottle and give it a try. Palm toddy goes by different names such as oguro and kallu in different parts of Asia and Africa and is said to taste a little like cider. Even though the taste can be rather mild compared to other spirits, do watch out as it can hit you hard! Toddy is made from the sap extracted from trees of the palm variety which include coconut trees and Palmyrah trees.

Bentota River is the third largest one on the island. Take a tour out on the river by signing up for a river safari. These safaris will take you past the Bentota mangroves as well as some of the Buddhist temples that are situated by the river such as the Wanawasala which is positively ancient, estimated to be two hundred years short of a millennium old.