Joanna James
Bentota sits along the gorgeous south coast of Sri Lanka and is undoubtedly one of the islands most popular beach destinations. The little town is packed full of sun sand and sea adventures, where you get to savour fresh seafood, explore villages and bask on the beach.
Bentota for locals is a popular weekend getaway, has been for many years and is well equipped to cater to the fun loving tourist. The town is adjacent to the Beruwela Town along the sunny south and is just 62kms from the commercial capital Colombo, there are plenty of 5 star hotels in Bentota to choose from with many like Cinnamon Bentota Beach being located right on the beach. The population of Bentota are predominantly Sinhala with Buddhism being the main religion, you will discover a number of vintage shrines to visit and some very charming villages to explore. Listed below are the town's top attractions.
The Brief Gardens are an iconic attraction to visit when staying at Bentota hotels. Your resort will most likely organise the tour to the site which is an enchanting garden complex created along the river. The Brief Gardens are the ancestral homes of Geoffrey and Bevis Bawa, two of the islands most talented architects and landscape artists. The gardens are the work of Bevis who created a magical haven within the vast grounds of his home. Enjoy a day at Brief Gardens exploring the hidden nooks, puzzling over the cheeky little statues, walking under verdant arches to get across expansive lawns tapering down to the river and a lovely cup of Ceylon tea before you leave.
The Galapata Viharaya is a historic temple which dates back to the 12th century. The shrine is tipped to have been erected by King Parakramabahu who was responsible for setting up the ancient kingdom of Polonnaruwa, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There you will discover a network of underground tunnels which connect other temples in the area, while a January visit will treat you to some festivities as the temple celebrates the visit the Buddha to Sri Lanka.
There are lots of sea turtle sanctuaries based along the south coast; you will find many in Bentota which are open from 6 am. There you will see the tireless efforts made to preserve the prehistoric creatures as eggs are carefully gathered, incubated and hatched. The baby turtles are then given safe passage back to the sea. The sanctuaries are home to turtles of varied sizes and ages and are a must visit if you are interested in learning more about the fascinating marine creatures.
A beach hotel in Bentota is the ideal choice; wake up to the sound of the surf and walk down to the beach in time for an amazing sunrise. You will discover the thrills of swimming in the warm Indian Ocean and indulging in the latest water sports with surfing being a top contender. Of course, no one's going to mind you picking a shady spot under a swaying coconut palm and enjoying a lazy day of sun and sand.
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