Bentota is a town in the south-western coast of Sri Lanka. It is 65 KM (2 Hour drive) from Colombo, the capital & largest city of the country. Bentota is well known for its beaches, though there are also other attractions that are worth sightseeing. Many tourists from India and other countries prefer to stay in resorts or shacks that are adjacent to the beaches.
Buddhist Temple off Beach, Bentota, Sri Lanka
Bentota has several restaurants offering local Sri Lankan cuisine, which is mostly Rice with various curries, including vegetables, sea food & meat. Nearly 18 KM (Half hour drive) from Bentota, is Madu River, which has extensive greenery in the form of Mangroves. Boat Ride is available for travelling across the river and exploring the plants. Within the Mangroves, there is a factory that cultivates, harvests & produces Cinnamon Oil in its own indigenous factory, for which Sri Lanka is famous for. Cinnamon Oil is known for its medicinal properties. It can be purchased there along with Cinnamon sticks at reasonable prices.
Mangroves in Madu River, Near Bentota, Sri Lanka
Cinnamon Oil Factory, Madu River, Near Bentota, Sri Lanka
Bentota is famous for its Turtle Hatcheries, where Turtles (esp. endangered species) are reared and nurtured. Once they are matured, they are let into the sea to live their lives. One must visit any of those Hatcheries to see how Turtles are looked after, right from the egg phase till they are fully grown and ready to be sent to the sea. It is a Turtle Conservation project, supported from the Local government to protect certain species of Turtles, in order to prevent them from getting extinct.
Beruwala Turtle Hatchery, Bentota, Sri Lanka - (Left - Dark-Skinned Turtle, Right - Turtle Egg)
Near 55 KM (1.5 Hour drive) from Bentota is the town of Galle. It is popular for its Cricket Stadium, where several International & Domestic Cricket matches have been played. Galle is known for its Fort & Clock Tower. Galle Fort is a certified UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was built in 1588 by the Portuguese, then it was extensively fortified by the Dutch during the 17th century from 1649 onwards. It is the largest remaining fortress in Asia built by European occupiers. It is also known as "Dutch Fort" or "Ramparts of Galle". Galle Clock Tower is located within the Galle Fort. It was constructed in 1883, paid for through public subscriptions by the people of Galle.
Dutch Fort, Galle, Sri Lanka - (Left - Premises of Fort, Right - Clock Tower)
Towards the southern side of Sri Lanka, is Udawalawe National Park. It is 185 KM (3 Hour drive) from Bentota. One must leave early morning from Bentota to visit the National Park for viewing the Animals in the park during daytime. Elephants, Wild Buffaloes along with exotic birds like Cranes, Pelicans etc. can be seen in the jungle area of National Park.
Udawalawe National Park, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka has allowed Visa-Free access to Indian Nationals from 1st October 2024 to 30th April 2025 as a pilot project. Beside this, Sri Lanka offers 30 Day Free Visa on Arrival to Indian passport holders. The nearest Airport to Bentota is Colombo International Airport (also known as Bandaranaike International Airport), which is 108 KM (1 Hour 40 Minutes drive) from Bentota. SriLankan Airlines, Air India and Indigo operate several flights connecting Colombo to various Indian cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai etc.
