The classic west-coast beach
Bentota
Calm river, wide beach, turtle hatcheries, and an hour and a half from the airport.
Bentota is the beach for a first or last night: close to the airport, with a wide sandy shore, water sports on the river, and mangrove boat trips on the Madu Ganga. Geoffrey Bawa's garden at Lunuganga is a short drive inland.
What we do here
- Madu River mangrove safari
- Lunuganga garden tour
- Water sports on the Bentota River
- Ambalangoda mask museum
Worth knowing
- Bentota is 65 km south of Colombo, about 1.5 hours by expressway
- Madu Ganga is a Ramsar-listed wetland with 64 islands
- Lunuganga garden is open daily with guided tours
