Bentota Holidays 2025/2026 | Low Deposit from £49pp

Holidays to Bentota

One of the oldest beach resorts in Sri Lanka, Bentota has developed into a beautiful and tranquil place to stay. The sea here is calm and the gorgeous beach is endless, stretching many kilometers north and south. Many of the island’s luxury hotels are located in Bentota and it’s easy to see why.

Whether it’s beach holidays to Bentota or a sandy extension at the end of your Sri Lanka tour, we highly recommend this beautiful resort. Located just 65km south of Colombo and reached by a beautiful scenic coastal road, it’s an experience just to arrive. And once you do, you won’t be disappointed. With its fabulous location and ease of access, Bentota caters for all types of tourists on all types of budgets. If snorkeling, diving, sailing or windsurfing are your thing, then we would recommend travelling between November and April as the seas are a little calmer during this time. Likewise, these calmer waters attract a great number of turtles to the areas around Bentota, so if this is something you’d like to experience, visiting between the months of January to April is recommended.

If eating delicious Sri Lankan food is one of your priorities, you've chosen well, as you’ll be able to experience some fantastic local cuisine here. Not surprisingly, due to its coastal location, Bentota’s top restaurants specialise in a great selection of seafood dishes, some with more simple street locations, others which offer more unique and upmarket dining experiences. Whatever you choose, as long as your palate is flexible, you won’t be disappointed!

A Guide to Bentota Holidays

Snorkelling in Bentota

Sri Lanka is lucky enough to be surrounded by the glorious Indian Ocean and therefore benefits from seas with shallow reefs housing an abundance of coral and marine life. Snorkeling is a great and safe way to explore these shallower areas around the Island, without the use of diving equipment or extensive training and Bentota is one of the best locations for snorkeling. The sea is warm throughout the year, but the calmest waters are usually experienced between the months of November and April where visibility will be at its best.

The Sea Turtle Research And Convention Centre

If you’d like to visit one of the many turtle hatcheries that have been set up along the southwest coast to protect turtle eggs until they hatch, then it’s worth heading south to Kosgoda and to the Victor Hasslebad Sea Turtle Research and Conservation Centre. This centre does some amazing work to ensure the protection and release of thousands of baby turtles into the sea each year. Open every day between 10am-5pm, you can visit the project and learn about a turtle’s natural life cycle and if you’re lucky hold a baby turtle in your hand!

Shopping For Souvenirs

Whether its batiks, traditional masks and handicrafts, hats and clothes, brassware and wooden ornaments or semi-precious and precious gem stones, there will be many souvenirs and gifts available for you to buy and take home from Bentota. The Sunflower Arts and Craft Centre in Bentota is a great place to visit, as is the shopping complex at the National Holiday Resort, where on Mondays a bustling market is held.

Hire A Bike

There are some great cycle routes in and around Bentota, whether you decide to cycle by yourself or part of a tour group. There are many quiet, flat roads with plenty of shade that will take you through the nearby villages, coconut and rubber plantations and possibly to some local temples. Exploring the local area and countryside by bicycle really will give a different perspective on the region. Beware of the bus drivers on the main roads though!

Getting Around Bentota

🚌 Transport in the Bentota Region

Getting to Bentota is pretty easy – there are many buses that can take you the 65km or so from Colombo city and for a quicker option a direct train runs from Colombo to Bentota, taking approximately 2 hours. Most tourists opt for a taxi however, as these are often the best value and quickest option. The coastal road is the most picturesque route of course, but this will double, if not triple the time to get there.

Travelling by bus or carNavigating the area by foot is often a good choice while visiting Bentota, or hopping on a rickshaw to get from A to B. Hiring a car is not really recommended, or necessary in and around Bentota. Most of the hotels and resorts are located on or close to that all important beach, so navigating the area by foot is the best option.

Passports and Visas

British citizens require a tourist visa to visit Sri Lanka and it is recommended to obtain these before travel. You will also need to have 6 months validity on your passport. For more information visit https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/sri-lanka/entry-requirements

Health and Safety

We highly recommend you have full travel and medical insurance for your holiday to Sri Lanka. For the latest health and safety information visit www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/sri-lanka/health Sri Lanka is generally a very safe country, and Bentota is no exception. We would advise you to take precautions though, try not to carry too much cash around and where possible use the safes at the hotels.

Vaccinations

Travellers to Sri Lanka should contact their local GP or Travel Clinic to obtain full advice on which vaccinations they will need (some may need Typhoid and/or Hepatitis B). All tourists should also make sure their routine jabs are up to date.

Bentota Holidays