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Bentota River Safari Vs Madu River Safari and Bentota River Safari in a Nutshell

Sanjeewa Padmal (Seerendipity)
Bentota river safari, Adventure Sports in Bentota, Sri Lanka Packages, 2-Day Sri Lanka Itinerary

A mangrove lagoon is one of the most striking features of the Bentota River safari, and you will not encounter this type of mangrove lagoon during other boat trips in Sri Lanka. The boat takes you through two mangrove tunnels; however, the mangrove tunnel of the Bentota River is about 3 times longer and denser compared to the mangrove tunnels of the Madu estuary. Therefore, the Bentota River is better compared to the Madu River if you like to see the interesting vegetation of mangrove forests.

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What is the best Boat safari in Bentota?

Are you ready for an unforgettable journey through the lush mangroves and tranquil waters of Sri Lanka? Look no further than the Bentota River Safari, an experience that combines nature, wildlife, and adventure in one exciting package. Let’s dive into everything you need to know about this popular attraction and why it should be on your Sri Lanka itinerary.

The Bentota River Safari is a boat tour that takes you through the scenic Bentota River and its surrounding ecosystem. Located on the southwestern coast of Sri Lanka, this safari offers a unique opportunity to explore the diverse flora and fauna of the region’s wetlands.

Why Choose Bentota for Your River Safari?

Bentota’s unique geography makes it an ideal location for river safaris. The area where the Bentota River meets the Indian Ocean creates a complex ecosystem of mangroves, small islands, and diverse wildlife habitats. This combination of freshwater and saltwater environments supports a rich biodiversity that you won’t find anywhere else in Sri Lanka.

Bentota River Safari

If you are looking for a boat tour in Bentota, on the west coast tour of Sri Lanka, you definitely will be contemplating what boat tour you should take and which one gives you the best experience. Because this coastal city is a popular beach holiday destination on the island and attracts many thousands of sun-worshippers. Most of these beach holiday lovers set off on a few short trips during their beach stay and boat tour or boat safari, Galle day tour, Colombo city tour, and Udawalawe safari are some of the popular activities for them.

There are two major places for boat tours in Bentota, the Madu River estuary and the Bentota River. Both tours are very similar in many ways. Cost, duration, kind of motorboat used for the trip, and even the vegetation of both places have a lot of similarities. However, most travellers prefer the boat trip on the Bentota river over the Madu River estuary. As a local tour operator that experienced both trips, I agree with them. So if you are also in dilemma and find it hard to decide to pick the best place for your boat tour, this article is for you.

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What to Expect on Your Safari

  1. Wildlife Encounters As you glide through the water, keep your eyes peeled for an array of wildlife. You might spot:
  1. Mangrove Exploration The Bentota River is flanked by dense mangrove forests. These unique ecosystems play a crucial role in coastal protection and serve as nurseries for many marine species. Your guide will likely point out different types of mangroves and explain their ecological importance.
  2. Local Life As you cruise along, you’ll get a glimpse into the lives of local fishermen and villagers who depend on the river for their livelihoods. It’s not uncommon to see traditional fishing methods in action or wave to children playing along the riverbanks.

Visiting Mangrove lagoon

A mangrove lagoon is one of the most striking features of the boat trip, and you will not encounter this type of mangrove lagoon during other boat trips in Sri Lanka. The boat takes you through two mangrove tunnels; however, the mangrove tunnel of the Bentota River is about 3 times longer and denser compared to the mangrove tunnels of the Madu estuary. Therefore, the Bentota River is better compared to the Madu River if you like to see the interesting vegetation of mangrove forests.

Bentota River

Bentota River is one of the most important geographical features in Bentota and a popular place for Sri Lanka’s one-day trips from Colombo and west coast hotels. However, the Bentota boat safari is not as popular as the Bentota beach resort. Its importance is largely overlooked due to its nearby counterpart, the Madu riverboat estuary, which is the most popular river safari spot on the island. Most Bentota’s one-day trip from Colombo includes a boat trip. But the boat trip is not at Bentota river most of the time and it is at Madu estuary.

There are many places on the island to explore rich riverine fauna and flora. Madu river estuary and Muthurajawela wetland are the 2 most popular wetlands on the island for Sri Lanka boat trips. Bentota River safari is not as popular as both places mentioned above, however, the natural beauty of the Bentota River is not second to any of the places mentioned above.  

What is the best Madu river safari or Bentota River Safari?

I have done boat trips many times on the Bentota River as well as the Madu estuary, according to my experience, the Boat tour at Bentota is much more attractive than the boat trips at the Madu river and Muthurajawela due to its richness of Fauna and flora. If you like to see wild animals like crocodiles, and monkeys, the Bentota river safari is the best bet for you, because the chances are far better here than on any other boat trip in Sri Lanka.

Undoubtedly, the Madu Riverboat safari is the most popular boat tour in Bentota, therefore, most travellers undertake the boat tour at Madu River. Due to its popularity, travellers can see a large number of boats crisscrossing the Madu estuary at any time of the day. You may even encounter many dozens of motorboats running up and down as you take the boat tour. Due to the fact that increased human activities along the river over the last several years, it has been turned to difficult to spot many animal species on the River now, and it might be difficult to see many animal species like crocodiles, monitors, and monkeys.

Bentota boat tour is far less popular than the Madu River boat safari, and therefore human activities and sightseers are occurring in far fewer numbers compared to the Madu estuary. It means that the natural habitats at the Bentota river are far less disturbed compared to the nature at Madu estuary. Therefore, the opportunities are very high to see many animal species such as crocodiles, snakes, monitor lizards, monkeys, as well as a large number of birds.

Bentota River Safari from Bentota beach

If you stay in a beach resort on the west coast of Sri Lanka and like to do a boat trip there are 2 options for you Madu river and Bentota river. The Rivers are not far from each other, Madu river attracts the greatest number of travellers due to its popularity while the Bentota River attracts only a fraction of the crowd that is visited by the Madu River.

Boating through the Mangrove tunnel of Bentota River

You might be wondering what the mangrove tunnel is. Because tunnels are to be found in cement, metal, and rock but a tunnel made of mangrove, is definitely a little bit awkward. Even though it sounds a bit strange, you can witness a mangrove tunnel during the boat trips. Your boat will travel through the mangrove tunnel.

The mangrove tunnel is formed by huge mangrove trees, which are rising up to many hundred feet from the water surface of the bay. These giant mangrove trees reside on the shallow, muddy surface of the river bank. Its roots are poking into the air and work like noses trills of mangrove trees, and help the tree to absorb air into the system.

Whether it is Madu River boat safari or Bentota River boat safari you will encounter mangrove bays. But the mangrove forest that has a shape of a tunnel at Bentota river is much bigger than the tunnel found in the Madu river estuary. The Mangrove tunnel in Bentota River is many hundred feet high in some areas and its with roughly about 20 feet. The tunnel of the Bentota River is about 200 meters in length and it takes about 10 minutes to go from one end to the other in a motorboat.

However, the mangrove tunnel of the Madu river estuary is much smaller and less attractive than the tunnel found in Bentota River. Furthermore, the Bentota River is very wide and deeper than the Madu River estuary, Bentota River is the 5th biggest River in Sri Lanka. However, the Madu estuary is smaller compared to the Bentota river and shallower than the Bentota River. There are 64 islands of varying sizes within the Madu River estuary but there is no island to be found in the Bentota River, and it is flanked by the mainland.

Giant mangrove trees rise on both sides of a water stream that flows into the Bentota River.

Flora and Fauna

The Flora to be found in both places are by and large the same. But with regards to Fauna Bentota river has much more variety than the Madu estuary. Crocodiles, Water monitors, land monitors, snakes, monkeys, and many species of avian fauna species can be easily spotted on a boat trip to Bentota River. The water monitor is the most common animal to be found in the Madu estuary and it is highly unlikely to spot crocodiles, snakes, and monkeys on a boat trip Madu estuary.

Bentota River safari price

The price of the Bentota River safari is similar to the Madu River Safari. The price for the 1-hour Bentota River safari is $ 50 while the cost for the 2 hours Bentota River safari is $ 75. The price does not include transportation and guidance.

How to book Bentota river safari

Please call us on 009477440977 or write us at admin@seerendipitytours.com to book your Bentota river safari. You can book the Bentota river safari as a standalone activity (only the boat trip) or you can combine it with many other itineraries. The travellers can book the Bentota river safari with a transfer from their hotel in Colombo or without the transfer. If you stay in Colombo, please be kindly informed that you need to leave the hotel about 1 hour and 30 minutes ahead of the boat trip due to the transfer. If you stay in a hotel in Bentota it would take around 15-20 minutes to reach the starting point of the boat trip from your hotel.

Usually, all our tour packages to the south coast and west coast such as the southern Sri Lanka tour, Galle day tour from Colombo, and Bentota one-day tour includes a boat trip either at Madu river or Bentota river.

When is the Best Time for a Bentota River Safari?

While safaris run year-round, the best time to visit is during the dry season from December to April. This period offers clearer skies and calmer waters, ideal for spotting wildlife and enjoying the scenery. However, even in the rainy season (May to November), the lush greenery and swollen river can provide a different, equally enchanting experience.

What time the Bentota river safari starts?

The Bentota boat tour can be booked and done at any time of the day, however, it is recommended to start the trip in the early hours if you fancy watching exotic avian fauna species. The early morning boat trip is always recommended as it not only allows you to watch a large number of bird species but also allows you to see many other wild creatures like crocodiles, monkeys, snakes, and monitors.

How to Book Your Safari

Most hotels in Bentota offer safari packages, or you can book through local tour operators. Prices typically range from $50 to $60 per person, depending on the duration, number of people and type of boat. For the best experience, opt for a smaller boat with an experienced guide who can provide insights into the local ecosystem.

Tips for an Unforgettable Safari Experience

  1. Go early or late: Wildlife is most active during the cooler parts of the day, so aim for an early morning or late afternoon safari.
  2. Bring the right gear: Don’t forget your camera, binoculars, sunscreen, and insect repellent.
  3. Dress appropriately: Wear light, comfortable clothing and consider bringing a light jacket for early morning trips.
  4. Stay quiet: To increase your chances of wildlife sightings, keep noise to a minimum during the safari.
  5. Respect the environment: Follow your guide’s instructions and don’t disturb the wildlife or ecosystem.

Beyond the Safari: Other Attractions in Bentota

While the river safari is a highlight, Bentota has much more to offer. Consider extending your stay to enjoy:

By combining these attractions with your river safari, you’ll get a well-rounded experience of what Bentota has to offer.

Bentota is primarily a beach holiday destination

By far Bentota is the most popular beach resort in Sri Lanka and it attracts the most number of beach holiday lovers in Sri Lanka. It is one of the most popular beaches for day outings in Sri Lanka. Bentota deserves to be the best beach holiday destination in Sri Lanka because it has all ingredients to be so. This popular beach resort provides pristine beaches, diving sites, water sports centres, restaurants, bars, cafes, markets, temples, historical monuments, a wide range of accommodation facilities, recreation activities… and many many more.

Conservation Efforts and Sustainable Tourism

As you enjoy your safari, it’s important to be aware of the conservation efforts in place to protect the Bentota River ecosystem. The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority has implemented guidelines to ensure that tourism activities don’t negatively impact the environment. By choosing responsible tour operators and following best practices during your visit, you can contribute to the preservation of this unique habitat for future generations.

Conclusion

The Bentota River Safari offers a magical journey into the heart of Sri Lanka’s coastal wetlands. From diverse wildlife to lush mangroves and glimpses of local life, this experience encapsulates the natural beauty and cultural richness of the region. Whether you’re a nature enthusiast, a photography buff, or simply looking for a unique adventure, the Bentota River Safari is sure to leave you with lasting memories of your Sri Lankan getaway.

Why you should book Bentota boat safari with Seerendipity tours?

Serendipity Tour is an entirely locally owned travel company with a head office in Colombo. The highly experienced local staff is a key strength of Serendipity Tours, and they can plan your dream holiday to Sri Lanka.

The best price guaranteed for your Sri Lanka trip

When you book a tour with Serendipity Tours, you directly book the tour with the local company, which means there are no middlemen and therefore you can guarantee the best price. Simply get in touch with us and let us know when you travel and what you like to see.

Plan your best Sri Lanka trip with-expert

Our staff makes a personalised program for you, which you can change until you find the best Sri Lanka trip package for you. Visit www.sirilaktours.com to browse our existing tour packages, which you can customise to meet all your expectations. Write to us at admin@seerendipitytours.com, tel. 0094-77-440977, WhatsApp 0094-77-4440977.

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External Sources:

  1. Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority: https://www.sltda.gov.lk/en
  2. Ramsar Sites Information Service (for wetland importance): https://rsis.ramsar.org/
  3. IUCN Red List (for information on local species): https://www.iucnredlist.org/
  4. World Wildlife Fund (for mangrove ecosystem information): https://www.worldwildlife.org/
  5. Wetlands International (for wetland conservation): https://www.wetlands.org/
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