Coming into prominence during the Portuguese era of Sri Lankan history, the city of Benthota is one of the Southern Province’s popular tourist destinations. Located in the District of Galle, the beautiful beach-side city of Bantota is known for being one of Sri Lanka’s premier water sports destinations. In Bentota, things to do, are aplenty and the city is also home to many luxury hotels and resorts such as the AVANI Bentota Resort and Spa.
Many of those who visit the city of Bentota do so to relax and enjoy its blissful ambiance. But at the same time, a retreat is no fun unless you get to do some exploring and sightseeing. At Bentota you can do both of these, as Bentota has many sights and attractions that can be covered in just half a day! So you can do your exploring during the day and be back in your hotel, basking in comfort by evening, so that you can both enjoy and relax.
While there are many half-day sightseeing tours in Bentota, the following are some of the most recommendable. First up is a sight-seeing tour of the Bentota Fishing Harbor. Just take a tuktuk to the harbor at around 6.00am or 7.00am and you can witness all the boats coming in from a night of catching, and even buy a few fish yourself straight from the fishermen. You can also go on a sight-seeing tour of the rubber plantations around Bentota. Rubber is a common export of Sri Lanka, and a visit to a rubber plantation will allow you to witness how rubber is tapped and processed. Half-day trips to iconic religious landmarks such as the Benthara Galapatha Rajamaha Vihara and the Kechimalai Mosque are also very popular. You can even take a tour to a palm plantation to see how toddy and arrack; two of Sri Lanka’s most loved alcoholic beverages are prepared. With all these options, there is no doubt that Bentota is a great place for a vacation.
Auburn Silver is a travel writer who has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world.
