Bentota (Sri Lanka) – a prestigious resort and center of Ayurveda, a place that is considered the pride of the country. The unique nature of the city is protected by a special legislative program. In this regard, the coast does not hold noisy holidays and events. There are no major chain hotels here either. If you are looking for complete harmony, a quiet, relaxing holiday in the midst of exotic nature, Bentota is waiting for you hospitably.
General information
The resort is located in the south-west of Sri Lanka, 65 km from the main administrative center of Colombo. This is the last settlement located on the “golden mile”, the road from the capital takes no more than 2 hours.
Why do tourists love Bentota? First of all, for its serenity, unique nature and a sense of absolute harmony. Bentota is preferred by newlyweds, where the best conditions are created for a wedding, a romantic honeymoon and beautiful photos. Here come fans of Ayurvedic practices, lovers of spas and outdoor activities. Here is the largest water sports center in the country, entertainment for every taste and for vacationers of all ages is presented.
Bentota offers tourists the highest class of exotic holidays in Sri Lanka. Accordingly, there are the most luxury hotels here. The less you are distracted by organizational matters, the more time you will have to rest.
How to get to Bentota from Colombo Airport
The resort is approximately 90 km from the airport. From there, you can get to Bentota by car.:
- by public transport – train, bus;
- a rented car;
- taxi.
It is important! If you are traveling to Sri Lanka for the first time, book a taxi-this is the safest way to get around. You are guaranteed not to get lost. However, the route is simple and from the second trip to Bentota you can use public transport-bus or train, or rent a car.
By train
This is the most budget-friendly and at the same time the slowest way. The train runs along the entire coast, the main drawback is that only 2nd and 3rd class cars run.
From the airport to the bus station there is a bus number 187. The train station is located near the bus station, a couple of minutes walk. Train travel costs from $ 0.25 to $ 0.6. The best way to get to the hotel is by tuk-tuk, rent will cost an average of$0.7- $ 1.
You can check the current prices and timetable on the Sri Lanka Railway website. www.railway.gov.lk.
By bus
Given that bus routes in Sri Lanka are developed, this way to get to Bentota is not only budget-friendly, but also allows you to see the local nature and flavor. The only drawback is possible traffic jams.
It is important! There are two types of buses to the resort – private (white) and public (red).
In the first case, you will find a clean interior, air conditioning and relatively comfortable seats. In the second case, the interior may not be so neat. Tell the conductor in advance where you need to get off, otherwise the driver simply won’t stop at the right place.
Two-stage bus travel:
- from the airport to the bus station there is a flight number 187, the ticket price is about$1;
- Bentota is served by routes 2, 2-1, 32 and 60, the ticket costs just under$ 1, and the journey will take about 2 hours.
Use the map to find out where the hotel is located in relation to the Bentota Ganga River. If you need to rent a tuk-tuk, choose a transport marked “taxi-meter”, in this case the trip will cost less.
By car
Are you planning to travel in a rented car? Get ready for left-hand traffic, chaos, drivers and pedestrians who don’t follow the rules.
In Sri Lanka, the roads between cities are smooth and high-quality, the journey will take from 2 to 3 hours. Be sure to take into account speed limits, left-hand traffic, and the fact that the rules are poorly followed. The main ones on the road are always buses! This fact needs to be accepted and be careful.
The best route from the airport to the resort is the E03 highway, then the B214 and AB10 highways, then the E02 and E01 highways, the last stage of the journey along the B157 highway. The E01, 02, and 03 highways are toll roads.
By taxi
This path is the most expensive, but comfortable. The most convenient way is to book a transfer at the hotel where you plan to live, find a driver near the airport building or at the official taxi stand at the exit from the terminal. The journey will take no more than 2 hours and will cost from $ 45 to $ 60.
On a note! If you want to save money on your trip, look for like-minded people on social networks before traveling.
There is erroneous information on the Internet that there is a ferry service between India and Sri Lanka, but this is not entirely true. The ferry does run, but only cargo.
Weather and climate, when is the best time to go
It is better to plan your trip from November to March. At this time, the weather in Bentota is most comfortable. Please note that hotels are 85-100% occupied, so you need to book your accommodation in advance.
Of course, there are rainy seasons in Sri Lanka, but monsoons are not a reason to give up your vacation, especially since prices at this time fall several times. Some tourists complain about the constant noise of wind and rain – you just need to get used to it. A bonus for you will be the exceptional attention of the staff. Be prepared for the fact that most of the shops, souvenir shops and cafes are closed.
Bentota in summer
The air temperature warms up to +35 degrees, humidity is high, the ocean surface is restless, it is quite dangerous to swim, the waves can tighten. The choice of fruits is not very diverse-bananas, avocados and papayas.
Bentota in autumn
Autumn weather is changeable, with frequent rains, but they are short-lived.
Active, water-based activities are no longer possible, but you can enjoy the exotic during cruise trips along the Bentona Ganga River. In autumn, the resort offers the lowest prices for legal services.
Bentota in spring
The weather is changeable. The waves are already quite large, but you can still swim. The air temperature is quite comfortable for recreation-walking and swimming. Rain does occur, but only at night. It is in spring that Ayurvedic services and water sports are in demand.
Bentota in winter
Best weather for buying tickets and traveling to Sri Lanka. You will find a comfortable temperature (+27-30 deg.), a mirror-like surface of the ocean, perfect weather. The only thing that can overshadow your vacation is high prices. It is in winter that you can taste a lot of exotic fruits in Bentota.
Public transport
The most convenient transportation for a family holiday is by taxi or tuk-tuk. Public transport is usually full of passengers. Tourists without children most often travel by tuk tuk or bus.
The taxi network is not very well developed. You can only book a car at the hotel. For local residents, a taxi is a tuk-tuk, and you can find a driver at every hotel. The cost is slightly more expensive than on the bus, but the trip will be much more comfortable.
The main route Galle Road, on which buses run, runs along the entire coast, separating luxury hotels from less expensive ones. All of them are located along the road, so buses in Bentota are very popular. Tickets are purchased from the conductor.
As for car rental, this service is not popular in Bentota. If you want to travel by car, you need to rent it at the airport. The prices are as follows: from$ 20 per day (no more than 80 km), kilometers over the limit are paid separately.
Beaches
Bentota’s beaches are the most versatile on the entire island. Here you will find everything – silence, the absence of a large number of tourists, extreme water sports, picturesque nature. The first thing that catches your eye is cleanliness, which is not typical for Sri Lanka. Special state services monitor the cleaning of the coastal area. There are no vendors on the beaches, and the tourist police are keeping order.
Please note! The beach strip in Bentota is public, that is, the infrastructure is not so developed, sun beds and umbrellas are rather a luxury in hotels.
North Beach
Walking along the shore, you can admire the picturesque nature. Part of the beach is covered with boulders, and not far from the beach, in the jungle, there is a Buddhist temple. If you pass through the jungle, you will find yourself on the banks of the reggae Bentota Ganga.
The northern beach is located in the direction of the city of Aluthgama and forms a sandbar. There are almost never any waves here, even in not the most favorable weather for swimming. You can rent a room in a luxury hotel. The descent into the water is gentle, the bottom is felt for 1 km. This place is loved by romantic couples, newlyweds, tourists who want to relax in solitude. Here you get great photos of Benthota (Sri Lanka), the beach is a favorite place for photo shoots.
South Beach
Merchants are not allowed here. The beach attracts with its exotic landscape and absolute silence. Do you want to feel like a Robinson Crusoe? Come to the south beach of Bentota, but take everything you need for a comfortable stay.
The place of rest is located in the southern direction from the city. This is a sandy strip several kilometers long. Hotels are built right on the coast. There is the most convenient descent into the water and mostly there are no waves – this place is suitable for families with children.
Beaches around Bentota
Aluthgama
This beach can not be called perfectly clean, there are vendors of food and all sorts of trinkets. A special feature of the place is a unique coral lagoon. The beach is located north of Bentota. It is better to swim in its northern part, there is a bay protected by reefs. Be prepared for the influx of locals who openly stare at tourists, it’s annoying. This is a great place for tourists who travel independently and are attracted to the wild nature.
Beruvela
The infrastructure is located right on the beach, as the main number of hotels is built here. Nothing superfluous – just the beach, the ocean and you.
The beach is located north of Bentota, suitable for those who prefer a minimum of movement. However, there is an active sport-windsurfing, yacht rental, sailboat, scooter, diving. You can find two places where you can swim even in the off-season-the lagoon and the part of the coast opposite the island with a lighthouse.
Induruwa
This place in Sri Lanka is most reminiscent of the wild nature, on the coast there are rocks, convenient for swimming and sunbathing places to look for. The development of infrastructure in this part of the resort is still ongoing.
The beach is located on the south side of Bentota, the length is 5 km. Hotel prices are quite affordable, this is due to a certain distance from civilization and comfort.
Things to do and see
Active sports
Sri Lanka is an island that deserves excellent epithets in many ways. Here tourists are offered good conditions, including for sports fans.
A water sports center is located on the northern beach of Bentota, where you can find equipment and use the services of experienced instructors. The beach has excellent conditions for diving – there are no underwater currents, a rich and colorful underwater world.
From November to March, Bentota, like other southwestern resorts in Sri Lanka, attracts tourists for surfing. At this time, there are perfect waves. However, many experienced athletes do not consider Bentota the best surfing resort on the island.
Cost of services:
- board rental – about $ 3.5 for one day;
- rent a boat and jet ski – an average of $ 20 for a quarter of an hour;
- paragliding costs around$ 65 for a quarter of an hour.
All along the coast there are private small shops with the necessary equipment for sports.
Fishing is a great pleasure. Bentota offers fishing in the open ocean or on a river ride. To do this, you can take part in an excursion or arrange with local fishermen, many of whom communicate tolerably well in Russian.
If you can’t imagine your holiday without active entertainment, visit the tennis court, volleyball or archery courts. Many large hotels have such services.
What to see in Bentota-TOP attractions
The Benthic flora is one of the attractions of the resort. Most of the excursions are devoted to natural, natural exotics. You can explore the area as part of sightseeing groups or by renting a tuk-tuk or just by bus.
Lunugang Manor
In Bentota, as in the whole of Sri Lanka, special importance is attached to religion. Unique Buddhist temples have been built in the city.
In memory of the colonial period, there are architectural monuments that can be called a creative explosion of emotions — the estate with gardens of architect Beavis Bava Lunugang. When Bawa purchased the site in 1948, it was nothing more than an abandoned estate located on a promontory near Lake Dedduwa, 2 km from the Bentota coast. But over the next fifty years, he painstakingly transformed it into one of the most seductive, passionate gardens of the twentieth century.
Elements of an Italian Renaissance garden, English landscape design, Japanese garden art, and the ancient Sri Lankan water garden are all mixed in with classical Greco-Roman statues posing nonchalantly and bacchanalian grotesque sculptures sparkling from tangles of undergrowth. The precise, orthogonal lines are unexpectedly inferior to the baroque serpentine contours. Everything is absorbed by the foliage of deep green shades. The garden features elements made of wrought iron, stone, concrete and clay.
Now there is a hotel on the territory of the estate. Room rates are$ 225-275 per night.
- The cost of visiting the attraction is 1500 rupees with a guide.
- Time of guided tours: 9:30, 11:30, 14:00 and 15: 30. The inspection lasts about an hour. Upon arrival, you need to ring the bell at the entrance and you will be met.
- Website: http://www.lunuganga.com
Bentota Ganga River
A walk along the river will give you an incredible sense of adventure. You will be surrounded by exotic plants and jungle inhabitants that you didn’t even know existed.
Galapatha Vihara and Alutgama Kande Vihara Temples
Despite the fact that these are two Buddhist temples, they are completely different and demonstrate opposite views on the art of temple construction. Galapatha Vihara is a small building that demonstrates modesty. Alutgama Kande Vihara is a luxurious temple decorated with frescoes, flowers and lamps.
Kechimalai
The oldest mosque in Sri Lanka. Even today, pilgrims from all over the world come here, but tourists are more interested in the architecture of the building, the original mix of Victorian style and Arabic decor. The mosque is located on a hill, not far from the shore. From a distance, the building resembles a cloud.
It is important! Almost all the guides in the city speak English.
Ayurveda Centers
It is impossible to come to Sri Lanka in Bentota and not improve your own health. Numerous Ayurvedic centers offer health and beauty services to tourists. Many centers are located in hotels, but there are also independent clinics. The most daring tourists visit street massage parlors.
Undoubtedly, Bentota (Sri Lanka) is a pearl of the Indian Ocean, framed by exotic nature, European service and local flavor. The only way to experience the resort’s atmosphere is to walk through the jungle and take a dip in the picturesque lagoon.
