3 Days Sri Lanka Tour: Pinnawala, Kandy & Bentota
Hills to sea in three easy days: elephants at Pinnawala, a temple evening in Kandy, tea and gems, then a beach night and a Madu River boat ride.
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Bentota, Sri Lanka
A beach resort town on the southwest coast, known for calm water well suited to swimming, and the Bentota River, where boat trips wind through mangroves past turtle hatcheries and bird life. A common choice for the beach leg of a wider Sri Lanka itinerary.
What to expect
- Calm swimming beaches — gentler than some of the south coast further along
- A Bentota River boat safari through the mangroves
- Turtle hatcheries nearby
Tours that include Bentota
Every tour is private and can be adjusted to spend more or less time here.
4 Days Bentota Beach Holiday: River, Mangroves & Sea
Three nights at a Bentota beach hotel, with a Madu River boat safari, a free day for the water or a dawn whale-watching trip, and easy private transfers.
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4 Days Sri Lanka Tour: Kandy, Peradeniya & Bentota Beach
Four days that balance culture and sand: Pinnawala, Kandy and the Peradeniya gardens, two nights at Bentota, then a Colombo city tour before you fly.
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Kandy & Bentota Beach
Four days that pair the hill capital with the south-west coast: elephants, the Tooth Relic temple, a botanic garden, tea and spices, then a night by the sea.
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5 Days Sri Lanka Tour: Dambulla, Sigiriya, Kandy & Bentota
Rock, temple and sea in five days: Dambulla caves and Sigiriya from Habarana, a Kandy evening, the Peradeniya gardens, then the beach at Bentota.
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5 Days Sri Lanka Tour: Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Waskaduwa
Five days from elephants and temples in Kandy, up through tea country to Nuwara Eliya, then waterfalls, a Madu River cruise and a night by the sea.
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Best weatherNovember to April
Bentota beach holiday: sand, river and easy days
Bentota is where many guests finish a tour. A Bentota beach holiday gives you a long, wide beach, a calm river behind it and hotels that range from simple guesthouses to large resorts. The Madu River boat ride winds through mangroves and past small islands, and a short drive south brings you to the turtle hatcheries at Kosgoda. If you prefer something active, jet-ski, banana boat and windsurfing operators work along the shore.
Madu River boat ride
Mangroves and small islands, with turtle hatcheries at Kosgoda nearby.
About two hours from the airport
By expressway, so it works as a first or last stop.
Ayurveda spas
Many hotels offer treatments by qualified practitioners.
When to go and how to get there
The south-west coast has its best weather from about November to April, with calm seas and warm days. Between May and September the waves are stronger and swimming needs more care, so choose a hotel with a pool. Bentota is roughly two hours by road from Bandaranaike International Airport using the expressway, which makes it a practical first or last stop. Tell us how many nights you want, and we will pair it with Kandy, the Cultural Triangle or the hills.
Ayurveda spas are common along this stretch, and many hotels offer treatments by qualified practitioners. If you want a quieter stay, ask us for hotels away from the busiest part of the beach.
Planning a visit to Bentota?
Tell us your dates and interests and we'll build a private itinerary around it.