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48 HOURS IN …SRI LANKA BENTOTA TOUR PACKAGE

Sanjeewa Padmal (Seerendipity)

If you are fancied of sultry Sri Lanka that can furnish all – kids-friendly resorts, luxury boutique villas, SUPs to luxury yachts, and a cocktail in a hammock at a stylish beach club – there is no other Sri Lanka tour package like the Bentota tour.

Table of Contents

BENTOTA BEACH IS A HEAVEN FOR BEACH LOVERS WITH A TWIST OF ADVENTURE

If you are fancied of sultry Sri Lanka that can furnish all – kids-friendly resorts, luxury boutique villas, SUPs to luxury yachts, and a cocktail in a hammock at a stylish beach club – there is no other Sri Lanka tour package like the Bentota tour.

Bentota comes into the mind of every traveller, who wishes to travel to Sri Lanka on a beach tour. Bentota is the most popular beach resort on the island and Bentota is the destination for more than fifty per cent of beach holiday lovers in Sri Lanka. Bentota is also known as the golden mile in Sri Lanka due to its pristine gold-coloured sandy beaches. Palm fringed wide sandy beaches are the most prominent tourist attraction in Bentota. Therefore, every Bentota tour is involved Bentota beach and many other places.

WHERE IS BENTOTA?

Bentota is tucked away on Sri Lanka’s west coast, 100 km south of Colombo and it is a popular one-day trip place in Sri Lanka. Therefore it is an only hour’s drive to reach Bentota from Colombo via highway. If you plan Sri Lanka one-day outing to Bentota, it is strongly recommended to use the normal Galle-Colombo travel route, as it gives you the opportunity to visit many other interesting tourist places.

This Sri Lanka’s coastal belt, nicknamed as “Golden mile”, due to its wide, sandy, golden-coloured beaches, is the most loved beach on the island. The beach is kissed by the warm waters of the glistening Indian Ocean. Along with the beach, a small town and many hundreds of beach restaurants dotted along the beach serves delicious seafood.

A few kilometres inland from the Beach are lush rainforests and wildlife reserves teamed with a large number of creatures. Those places are very suitable for Sri Lanka jungle trekking and wildlife tours.

However, most big cities such as Colombo are overdeveloped, but most beach resorts such as Bentota and the south coast are largely saved from the crowd. They are some of the best places on the island to avoid the crowd – leaving those in the know to lap up the rest of the island’s many charms.

WHEN IS THE BEST TIME FOR THE BENTOTA TOUR PACKAGE?

The best period for the Bentota tour package is from November to April. If you are wondering when is the best time to visit Sri Lanka’s southern coast, it is from November to April. The weather of Bentota is largely dependent on the monsoon. It is essential to have a good idea about the monsoon weather pattern to find out the best season for the Bentota tour package. The weather of Sri Lanka can be summed up into two seasons; the northeast monsoon (November to April) and the southwest monsoon (April to October). During the northwest monsoon, a large part of Sri Lanka including the south coast, central province, and west coast beaches such as Bentota remains dry and sees the sunlight every day. Most importantly, the sea off the southwest coast remains very friendly for saltwater activities during this period. It means that beach lovers can engage in swimming, diving, snorkelling, surfing and many other water sports during this period on their Bentota tour package.

Bentota is predominantly a beach holiday destination and wide sandy beaches with warm torque waters of the Indian Ocean provide the best settings for sunbath, a bath and all varieties of water sports activities. The water around Bentota beach is warm and clean. The sea is very calm and supportive of travellers, who like to swim. The sea around Bentota is safe to swim from November to April.

IS IT WARM IN BENTOTA?

Bentota is on the west coast of Sri Lanka and records high temperatures, which hover between 30-35 degrees Celcius throughout the year. the hottest month is in June and July. The humidity is also very high in the coastal belt of Sri Lanka. However, high temperatures and high humidity will not make any inconvenience to beach lovers as the sea wind sweeps the excess heat and moisture from the beach.

WHAT IS THE WATER TEMPERATURE IN BENTOTA?

According to https://www.seatemperatu.re/, the monthly fluctuation of water temperature is as below.

January27.7°C (min: 26.6°C/max: 29.3°C)ideal swimmingIn January, the sea temperature in Bentota is:
Minimum: 26.6°C
Average: 27.7°C
Maximum: 29.3°C
Other useful seasonal weather averages in January:
Outside temperature: 26.4°C to 30.8°C
Most common weather: “Clear/Sunny”
The wind blows at 27km/h
February28.3°C (min: 27.2°C/max: 29.4°C)ideal swimmingIn February, the sea temperature in Bentota is:
Minimum: 27.2°C
Average: 28.3°C
Maximum: 29.4°C
Other useful seasonal weather averages in February:
Outside temperature: 27.1°C to 31.6°C
Most common weather: “Clear/Sunny“
The wind blows at 28km/h
March29°C (min: 28.3°C/max: 29.9°C)ideal swimmingIn March, the sea temperature in Bentota is:
Minimum: 28.3°C
Average: 29°C
Maximum: 29.9°C
Other useful seasonal weather averages in march:
Outside temperature: 28.2°C to 32°C
Most common weather: “Clear/Sunny“
The wind blows at 29km/h
April29.5°C (min: 28.5°C/max: 30.9°C)ideal swimmingIn April, the sea temperature in Bentota is:
Minimum: 28.5°C
Average: 29.5°C
Maximum: 30.9°C
Other useful seasonal weather averages in April:
Outside temperature: 28.9°C to 31.7°C
Most common weather: “Moderate rain at times“
The wind blows at 29km/h
May29.2°C (min: 27.7°C/max: 30.5°C)ideal swimmingIn May, the sea temperature in Bentota is:
Minimum: 27.7°C
Average: 29.2°C
Maximum: 30.5°C
Other useful seasonal weather averages in may:
Outside temperature: 28.5°C to 30.4°C
Most common weather: “Moderate rain at times“
The wind blows at 29km/h
June28.2°C (min: 27.2°C/max: 29.3°C)ideal swimmingIn June, the sea temperature in Bentota is:
Minimum: 27.2°C
Average: 28.2°C
Maximum: 29.3°C
Other useful seasonal weather averages in June:
Outside temperature: 27.6°C to 29.1°C
Most common weather: “Moderate rain at times“
The wind blows at 28km/h
July27.2°C (min: 26.2°C/max: 28.6°C)ideal swimmingIn July, the sea temperature in Bentota is:
Minimum: 26.2°C
Average: 27.2°C
Maximum: 28.6°C
Other useful seasonal weather averages in July:
Outside temperature: 27.2°C to 28.8°C
Most common weather: “Moderate rain at times“
The wind blows at 28km/h
August27.2°C (min: 25.9°C/max: 28.8°C)ideal swimmingIn August, the sea temperature in Bentota is:
Minimum: 25.9°C
Average: 27.2°C
Maximum: 28.8°C
Other useful seasonal weather averages in august:
Outside temperature: 27.1°C to 28.8°C
Most common weather: “Moderate rain at times“
The wind blows at 28km/h
September27.9°C (min: 26.7°C/max: 29°C)ideal swimmingIn September, according to seasonal norms, the sea temperature in Bentota is:
Minimum: 26.7°C
Average: 27.9°C
Maximum: 29°C
Other useful seasonal weather averages in September:
Outside temperature: 27.2°C to 29.1°C
Most common weather: “Moderate rain at times“
The wind blows at 28km/h
October28.5°C (min: 27.4°C/max: 30.1°C)ideal swimmingIn October, the sea temperature in Bentota is:
Minimum: 27.4°C
Average: 28.5°C
Maximum: 30.1°C
Other useful seasonal weather averages in October:
Outside temperature: 27.4°C to 29.8°C
Most common weather: “Moderate rain at times“
The wind blows at 28km/h
November28.9°C (min: 27.7°C/max: 30.1°C)ideal swimmingIn November, the sea temperature in Bentota is:
Minimum: 27.7°C
Average: 28.9°C
Maximum: 30.1°C
Other useful seasonal weather averages in November:
Outside temperature: 27.2°C to 30.2°C
Most common weather: “Moderate rain at times“
The wind blows at 28km/h
December28.2°C (min: 27°C/max: 29.4°C)ideal swimmingIn December, according to seasonal norms, the sea temperature in Bentota is:
Minimum: 27°C
Average: 28.2°C
Maximum: 29.4°C
Other useful seasonal weather averages in December:
Outside temperature: 26.7°C to 30.2°C
Most common weather: “Moderate rain at times“
The wind blows at 27km/h

WHAT TO WEAR ON BENTOTA TOUR?

Bentota is a warm beach holiday destination, where the temperature and humidity are high. The lightweight, cotton dress is the best attire to wear in Bentota. A cotton t-shirt and cotton shorts are the perfect dresses during your stay in Bentota. However, please don’t go to the cities and walk on the main roads if you only wear a swimming suit.

HOW TO TRAVEL ON THE BENTOTA TOUR PACKAGE?

As we recommend all the time, road transport is the best option for travelling on the Bentota tour package. Bentota is well connected with all major cities in Sri Lanka with a well-built road network. Bentota is sandwiched between two major cities in Sri Lanka, Aluthgama and Ambalangida. This beach resort is conveniently located on the A-2 Colomb-Galle, main road. The coastal train that plying from Colombo to Galle also can be used to reach Bentota and all major trains stop at the Bentota railway stations, especially to provide the service for travellers.

\however, taking public transport such as buses or trains may limit your activities on the Bentota tour package. Therefore, having private transport with a local driver/guide is the best option. Having a private vehicle allows you to stop frequently at major tourist attractions such as museums, temples, beaches etc and have time to enjoy each stop. Having a private vehicle allows you to visit all major tourist places on the trip and have comfort, and safety and most of all save time on travelling.

If you start your trip from Colobmor southern Sri Lanka, you may also use the southern expressway to reach Bentota beach. The southern expressway connects Bentota and Colombo international airport, therefore, it is highly recommended to use the southern expressway if you start your trip from Colombo international airport. Unlike earlier, now travellers can reach Bentota from Colombo airport in less than 2 hours due to the expressway.

HOW LONG IS THE BENTOTA TOUR?

The Bentota tour package from Colombo can be a 1-day tour (8 hours) or 2 days tour package. A large number of travellers book the one-day Bentota trip from Colombo while some travellers opt for 2 days Bentota tour package from Colombo. if you book 2 day Bentota tour package, it also includes many other tourist attractions of Southern Sri Lanka such as Galle fort, Hikkaduwa beach as well as moonstone mines. Even you can customize the 2 days Bentoita tour package to include a whale-watching tour. The other benefit of having a 2-day Bentota trip is the possibility to spend a lot of time on the beach or engage in water sports.

WHAT ARE THE THINGS TO DO ON BENTOTA TOUR PACKAGE?

Eevnthgiuh Bentota is a beach holiday package it offers a lot more than pristine beaches. The lagoons, rivers, coves, and bays in Bentota are ideal places for boat tours, exploring mangroves, bird-watching tours and water sports. Island-hopping is also a popular activity among travellers as it allows them to experience the laid-back way of life in Bentota. Here is a list of things to do on your Bentota trip. Even though we list a dozen of activities here, you may not able to do all of them on your Bentota tour package, however, you will be able to do about half of them.

WATER SPORTS

Water sport is an integral part of Bentota beach, Sri Lanka and it is a well-known pastime for visitors to Bentota beach Sri Lanka. Other than the ocean the calm clear waters of the Bentota River are very suitable for various sports events such as Banana boating. The boathouses around Bentota are equipped with all the instruments and trainers to enable the travellers to have a safe, enjoyable and memorable time with various water sports.

BOAT SAFARI

Madu river estuary located just south of Bentota beach and just before the sleepy town of Ambalangoda is Sri Lanka’s most popular wetland complex and among the top 10 places to visit in Bentota. The waterways are running through the many dozens of islands, which are in the range of a few square feet to many hundreds of square kilometres. The big islands are inhabited by a large number of families. The largest island is occupied by 200 hundred families.  Rich plant life in the wetland shows a huge diversity and the mangroves dominate the flora scene here.

VILLAGE TOUR

Lunu Ganga is Located about 6 km from Bentota on Bentota-Elpitiya main road, this 15-acre expanse of landscaped gardens and beautifully manicured lawns was created by the world-renowned architect Geoffrey Bawa. The garden is incorporated with artistic displays and sculptures that take visitors by surprise. The park is a hidden secret and a fantastic escape from the beach areas, unlike other tourist attractions such as Sigiriya, Dambulla and Kandy you do not encounter hordes of tourists here.

SEA TURTLE CONSERVATION PROJECT

The Sea turtle is one of the most attractive endangered marine creatures listed on the IUCN red list. Sri Lanka marine conservation centres are actively engaged in protecting this animal. Most of these conservation centres are located along the west coast of Sri Lanka near the beach resorts such as Bentota, Kalutara, Hikkaduwa and Galle. Visitors are welcome in these conservation centres and should pay a nominal fee for entrance. The entrance fee and donations of the visitors are the main sources of funds for these conservation centres. Usually, the Bentota tour package includes several sites along the west and southern coast and a sea turtle farm is one of them.

VISITNG MUSEUMS

Ambalangoda is located several kilometres from Bentota and it is the centre of mask carving in Sri Lanka. Visiting the mask museum is one of the best things to do in Bentota if you have a cultural and historical buff. The history of mask carving in Ambalangoda is going back several centuries; even today it is the most important city for mask carving. There are several museums in Ambalangoda showcasing traditional masks of Sri Lanka and handicrafts. The museum has a large collection of masks dating back many thousands of years and some of the exhibits are not to be found anywhere else in the world. Ambalangoda mask museum offers the best opportunity for people who look for traditional Sri Lankan masks.

VISITNG GALLE FORT

In the beautiful coastal town of Galle majestically stands the cobblestoned old Dutch fort. It has welcomed many chic boutiques, hotels, motels, museums, and galleries and had become the heart of the tourist traffic in southern Sri Lanka. Don’t forget to explore this fascinating UNESCO world heritage site if you choose Bentota as your beach holiday destination.

VISITING ANCIENT TEMPLES

Kande Vihara is a Buddhist temple and one of the most beautiful temples and important places to visit on the west coast. Kande Vihara is one of the most popular Buddhist temples on the west coast of Sri Lanka and is located very close to Bentota beach. This historical temple is dating back to the Kandyan period (18000s). It is believed to be constructed by King Rajadhi Rajasinghe. The main attractions of the temple are the Bo-tree, Dagoba, Shiva Devala, Relic house and the Image house. Kande Vihara is popular for its historical wall paintings that are dating back several centuries.

WATER SPORTS IN BENTOTA

Choose you’re favourite from scuba diving, snorkelling, deep-sea fishing, canoeing, whale watching, jungle tours, trekking, hiking, and boating. The list of adventure sports goes on and on. If’s adventures do not sound good for you, get an arrack cocktail and make it your adventure of the day. Away from Bentota beach, towards the interior of the country travellers can find secluded mountains, patches of forests, jungle-clad mountains, a cascading waterfall, hidden water streams, caves, and tea, rubber and coconut plantations.

KACHCHIMALE MOSQUE

Beruwala is the oldest Moorish settlement on the island and it is located only 5 km from Bentota. Beruwala became the first Muslim settlement in the 8th century AD with the arrival of a group of merchants from Arab. They are believed to have started the mosque, therefore Kachchimale mosque is considered one of the important religious places to visit in Bentota. Today Beruwala is the location of the oldest mosque in the country, which is called “Kachchimale” mosque. Hundreds of thousands of Muslim devotees flock to the mosque at the end of the fasting month of Ramadan in order to pay their homage to the grave of sheikh Ashareth.

DO

In 1995, the government of Sri Lanka decided to open the Elephant transit camp, in order to avoid any shortcomings arising due to the Pinnawala elephant orphanage. The prime objective of the elephant transit camp is to rehabilitate the orphaned elephant calves and release those orphan elephants back into the jungle.

No visitors are able to do harmful rides here or witness soul-destroying circus tricks: instead, the orphan, sick, wounded elephants that have been rescued from the jungle spend their days happily around here.

Pinnawala elephant orphanage near Kandy is started in 1975, in order to save orphan, sick and wounded wild elephants. The elephant orphanage is a popular tourist attraction, where visitors can see a large number of elephants. Elephant orphanage is useful in many ways, but one of the main shortcomings of the orphanage is that the elephants are not able to adapt to jungle life again.

Therefore wildlife authorities decided to start the elephant transit camp, which saves the orphan elephant found in the jungle around the island and feed and trains them gradually to live in the jungle. Another function of the transit camp is to educate the visitors on the life of the wild elephant.

In both places, the visitors have zero- interaction with the animal. In order to allow the animals to live like in the jungle. Don’t try to feed animals and do not expect to do elephant riding here. Pack a pair of solid walking shoes, that you don’t mind getting wet and muddy. Apply plenty of sun cream and mosquito repellent cream.

INSIDER TIP | SRI LANKA BENTOTA TOUR

Only a few beaches on the west coast are manned by lifeguards. Few hotels have appointed young energetic swimmers to help the swimmer, who find difficulties while swimming in the sea.

Drowning is not common in this part of the sea, however, do not go to the sea if you see a red flag on the shore. West coast beaches are not suitable for swimming during the southwest monsoon, from April to October. You may find it that you are drawn to the interior of the sea during this period and the red flag shows up very often on the shore during this period, which invariably means the sea is rough and dangerous to swim.

48 HOURS IN . . . SRI LANKA BENTOTA TOUR PACKAGE

DAY ONE OF THE BENTOTA TOUR -MORNING

It is highly unlikely that you will avoid the perfect opportunity to embrace the Seawind, and live next to the Ocean. A large number of beachfront resorts dotted the Indian Ocean along the west coast and you will open the door to the beach- after all, it is those gold-coloured sandy beaches and crystal clear water that most travellers come here for.

An early morning beach walk to explore Bentota beach would be a perfect work-up before the big breakfast at the hotel, you can do it any time of the year, though, November to April (high season) is the best time for it when the sea is calm.

Just before sunrise is the perfect time to start with a dive to see the rich underworld world off the sea when there is nothing other than the incoming fishing boats. A large number of diving centres provide all-important gear for your dive or snorkel and you are safe in the hands of experienced Paddie certified diving instructors.

If it is monsoon season and the sea is not calm, instead of a dive or snorkel opt for a boat trip in a glass-bottom boat off Hikkaduwa. It might take around 1 hour, but it is easy to see the fascinating underwater world without jumping into the water.

AFTERNOON

There’s no need to eat yet, as you’re going to invest your valuable time in the afternoon and early evening to explore the riverine vegetation in the Madu River estuary. This aqua-adventure trip off southern Sri Lanka is an unforgettable experience for most travellers and it is one of the very popular activities among beach holiday lovers. The Madu River estuary is pretty well sheltered and the water is calm and quiet all year round, meaning boat tours are offered in the estuary throughout the year. The hotel pickup takes place at the most convenient time for the participants. Write to this email (admin@seerendipitytours.com) for more information.

The boat tour takes you through the mangrove bays and a few stops along the way. One of the most important highlights of the boat trip is the stop at Cinnamon island. This small island is full of native Cinnamon, and there is a small family, who produces cinnamon and sells them to visitors.

Stopping at the Kodduwa island is another important highlight of the 2 hours Madu river boat trip. The temple is one of the most historical temples in the area and attracts a large number of visitors. The temple lies in a solitary and provides a perfect spot to practice religious activities such as meditation.

If you need more information on the Madu River boat tour, please check my article on “Madu river boat trip“.

But it is not historical monuments, temples and spices you are coming here for, It is the picture-perfect scenery: Glassy blue water sheet, cathedral-like shady mangrove bays, swooping brahmin eagles, avian divers like the cormorants, kingfishers. There is a large concentration of water monitors along the river bank due to ample food. Some of the water monitors are big and grown up to around 1 meter, but do no harm to humans. There is an opportunity to see a saltwater crocodile in the Madu estuary but chances are very narrow as they do not show up very often.

Bentota River is another popular place for a boat tour on the west coast. The boat trip on the Bentota river is also very interesting as the river cruise on the Madu estuary. But, the Bentota River tour seems to be more interesting to most travellers, compared to the boat trip at Madu estuary. Due to the fact that Bentota River has far bigger mangrove bays, it offers better opportunities to see wild animals such as monkeys, crocodiles, snakes and monitors.

This 2-day Sri Lanka tour includes 2 most important tourist attractions in southern Sri Lanka Yala and Galle Fort, on this 2 days private tour you will be visiting many tourist attritions such as the Madu River estuary, Yala national park, Galle Fort, Moonstone Mines, sea turtle conservation project, Galle fort as well as Yala wildlife reserve. The tour includes a full-day safari at Yala national park with a picnic lunch. The tour includes entire ground transportation places to visit in Sri Lankan, a live guide, accommodation, and all taxes

LATE

The boat trip makes for a bit exhausting afternoon, so take it easy in the evening and have a delicious, relaxing seafood meal overlooking the gorgeous sunset. The seafood beach restaurants offer a plethora of seafood dishes, meat and vegetable dishes. The menu features Sri Lankan food, and European, Arabian and Asian foods.

If you happened to be in the beach resort on the weekend, You can visit the weekend market to eat fresh fruits and shop for cloth, bags, sandals and souvenirs. Or, make your way to an Ayurveda healing centre and enjoy a 1-hour full body massage with a Sauna, which cost US$ 8. Ayurveda massage is very popular among ex-pats in the beach areas. Well-trained Ayurveda therapists are tip-top on their task-there are only a few better ways of ending an interesting day than with Sri Lankan-style stretching and pummelling.

Ayurveda is a very popular subject in Sri Lanka and it already attracts a large number of foreign travellers. Even though medical tourism is not as developed as in India (Kerala), Sri Lanka also attracts a large number of travellers. A large number of Ayurveda resorts are sitting on the edge of the Indian Ocean and serve health-conscious foreign travellers.

If you are wondering about the indigenous healing system known as “Ayurveda”, kindly check my article on “Ayurveda holiday in Sri Lanka“, It gives you a nice picture of the Ayurveda and Ayurveda holidays in Sri Lanka.

DAY TWO OF THE BENTOTA TOUR PACKAGE

MORNING TOUR TO GALLE

With its snow-white coloured, which properly matches the blue-coloured ocean background, Dutch shophouses, old Dutch-styled mansions, Churches and narrow cobbled streets, the Dutch-built old town feels quite unlike anywhere else in Sri Lanka. The eclectic international history of Galle Fort is a place to find a wide range of souvenirs, gems, jewellery, clothing, tea, and spices.

It is also one of the best places to spend time sipping a glass of wine, beer, tea or coffee, and gazing at the sunset over the Indian Ocean. Galle is one of the best places in the south for wine and dining: Sri Lankan traditional rice& curry, freshly baked Roti, vegetable noodles, crispy hoppers, deep-fried lentil better known as “wade”, crunchy samosa… and much more.

It is a nice place to explore the Sri Lankan food scene at your own pace- most vendors are able to communicate in English, hence communication is not a barrier for your food tour. The local food is incredibly cheap in Galle, but don’t make a mistake and enter a tourist restaurant, which is always selling food at a higher.

Spend the morning exploring the beautiful constructions in the fort. There are thousands of houses, mansions, museums, galleries, cafes, restaurants, hotels, holiday bungalows, dormitories and rest houses all housed in dutch styles of structures built by Dutch East Indian companies in the early 16s. Jump into a Seaview restaurant if you are tired of the walk and sip a cup of freshly brewed CEYLON tea and feast on a fresh seafood plate, which is very popular among foreign travellers.

If you need a more comprehensive picture of Galle Fort please check my article, “Gall Dutch Fort“.

VISITING SEA TURTLE CONSERVATION CENTER

A large number of volunteers are working at the Kosgoda sea turtle conservation centre, which is located on the beach of Kosgoda. The main objective of sea turtle conservation is to protect these endangered sea creatures. The number of sea turtles is reducing rapid number over the last few years and sea turtle conservation funded by NOGs and visitors suppose helping the well-being of the creature. However, some of the conservation centres are commercialized and they are largely concentrated on profit than their original objectives.

AFTERNOON

You will need to make a prior reservation in order to venture on the Yala safari, which is an interesting wildlife tour and loved by a large crowd. The safari tour is a private program, which means transfers to the safari, everything on a private vehicle with a dedicated tour guide. Yala national park is one of the best places to spot leopards. Along with leopards, the visitors can watch many other animals such as elephants, bears, jackals, dear, wild bore, crocodiles, mungos and a large number of avian fauna species.

If you need more Yala national kindly check this article, “Yala national park“.

LUXURY LIVING

This calm and quiet beachside resort in Hikkaduwa offers jet-setter levels of luxury. This is a boutique resort with only a few rooms for discerning travellers. A fabulous swimming pool sweeps along the beachfront, The resort is only a few hundred meters away from the watersport centre, which offers a range of interesting watersport activities for travellers. Each luxury room offers eye-popping sea views and is so sensibly placed with the Seaview.

WHAT TO BUY ON BENTOTA TOUR?

Don’t leave Sri Lanka without buying some local produce – such as CEYLON white tea, virgin coconut oil, a pack of Cinnamon, a stone of blue sapphire or a wooden cut elephant figure. All are readily available at souvenir and gift shops found in the cities. The cost is just a fraction of what you would pay back home.

If you need more information about shopping in Sri Lanka please check this article, “Sri Lanka shopping“.

Sri Lanka is a popular gem-bearing nation in the world. gems and jewellery are very affordable here.

SRI LANKA ESALA CEREMONY

Kataragama temple is a multi-religious temple and is popular among Hindus and Buddhists. The temple is located near the Yala wildlife reserve. The Esala ceremony of Kataragama, which falls between July and August (depending on the lunar cycle), is one of the most electrifying religious events on the island. In this event, the Hindu devotees show their devotion to God with self-mutilation – including piercing their cheeks, tongs with swords, hanging metal hooks of vegetables from the flesh of their arms

Religious devotees ‘purify’ themselves with acts of self-mutilation – including piercing their cheeks with swords, hanging metal hooks of vegetables from the flesh of their arms, and puncturing their tongues with iron jooks. Fascinating stuff, but not for the faint-hearted.

Kataragama temple is very popular for its fire walking ceremony. The fire walking takes place immediately after the procession, in the main temple. The fire-walking area is prepared beforehand with the burning of wood. The devotees tread the red-hot embers floored after receiving the blessing of God.

Check my article on Katargama for more information about this pilgrimage site, “KATARAGAMA”.

BENTOTA TOUR IN THE HIGH SEASON

The high tourism season of Sri Lanka is between late October and early April, when the monsoon wind leaves the south, and west coast and settles over the east coast. This is the best period for saltwater-based activities and the Indian ocean settles into a lake-like calm.

Most international travellers opt to visit Sri Lanka during this period, which invariably means this is the most expensive holiday season on the island. As the demand for accommodation, transport and sightseeing increases so are the rates. There are bargain hotels and quieter beaches to be found during the shoulder season from April to May, but please keep in mind that there can be more rainy days during this period.

BENTOTA TOUR IN THE LOW SEASON

The low season starts at the end of April and exists till the end of October, during this time the west and the sudden coast sea have a large drop in tourist arrival due to the bad weather on Bentota beach.

The sea is rough and not suitable for watersports, the sea whips up making it dangerous to swim anywhere along the west coast. During this period more frequent rain resulted from the monsoon wind and there is a spike in temperature too. In some cases, the temperature rises to around 34C, especially in the month of June and July.

Despite the rainy weather, the long low season isn’t a total write-off. Some people find it is the best tie to travel to Sri Lanka and you can bag some interesting offers. Due to the low influx of travellers tourist sites, beaches and hotels are calmer and more peaceful, and this could be the best time for a wellness break.

despite the rain, it is warm and you see the sun almost every morning. Usually, the shower starts late afternoon and evening. Perhaps you see a red flag on the shore but every hotel has a very spacious swimming pool.

Due to the plenty of water, the trees are starting to flower and produce fruits. There are birds, butterflies and flowers everywhere you look. Rainforest exploration, trekking, hiking, wildlife safari, river rafting, and kayaking through the jungle on the west coast is also a lot more fun at this time of year.

If you need more information on Sri Lanka’s weather pattern and how to find the best time to visit Sri Lanka, Please check my article under, “WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO VISIT SRI LANKA“.

IS MY BENTOTA TOUR SAFE?

Sri Lanka is a safe place to visit and it is ranked among the best islands to travel to in the world according to lonely planet. However, it is advised to be cautious if approached by strangers. There are a couple of scams that you need to be aware of, including the TUK TUK scam, and the taxi scam, which charge an unlawful amount of money for a ride unless you agreed upon the trip cost beforehand.

It is better to avoid the beach boys as much as possible as it gives you more trouble than benefits. They will sell you tours and excursions and take you on unwanted shopping trips.

It is always better to hire a vehicle with a local driver to travel around the island. You will definitely find it a daunting task to drive in Sri Lanka if you are coming from a foreign country and you will ascertain it the first minute you hit the road.

If you need more information on hiring a vehicle with a driver in Sri Please check this article “Hiring a private driver-guide in Sri Lanka“.

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