Bentota sits at the junction of the Bentota River and the Indian Ocean, creating two completely different water environments within a few hundred metres of each other – the sheltered lagoon and mangrove river on one side and the long open beach on the other. This full-day experience combines water sports on the lagoon, a mangrove river safari, beach relaxation and an optional turtle hatchery visit into a day that covers the full range of Bentota’s considerable pleasures.
Bentota Lagoon Water Sports
The sheltered lagoon conditions at Bentota make it the best water sports venue on Sri Lanka’s west coast – flat water, consistent wind and a broad range of equipment rental options from jet skis to windsurf boards.
Mangrove River Safari
The Bentota River upstream of the lagoon holds a different world entirely – mangrove channels, river islands, monitor lizard habitats and the extraordinary sight of crocodiles basking on exposed roots in the quiet backwaters.
Bentota Beach
One of the cleaner and calmer beaches on the west coast, Bentota’s main beach is a long, straight stretch of sand backed by mature beach vegetation and flanked by some of Sri Lanka’s finest boutique resort properties.
