9 Best Reasons to Visit Bentota | Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is a beautiful country, no doubt. But after deciding to visit, Bentota wasn't my first choice. Thankfully, the Lord had other plans and ordered my footsteps there nevertheless! BENTOTA : A beautiful, calming, and serene beach town in Sri Lanka. (Something I definitely didn't know how much I needed. )

Here are my 9 Best reasons to visit Bentota

1) The beach is perfect. Perfect for swimming, lounging, and taking pictures, and if you want to see the most amazing sunset you've ever seen, Bentota beach is perfect.

Bentota beach is just beautiful anytime of the day and night. If you havent taken my word for it, just check out this gorgeous photo we took on a casual afternoon.

2) Surf Lessons - Try something you've never done before. Bentota beach is literally the best place for beginners to learn to surf. My son had his very first surf lesson here, and my anxiety was through the roof. But after entering the water, I quickly found that you can go as far back and still be able to stand. So, I felt safe. The waves usually push you back to shore anyway, but we made sure the instructor knew he wasn't a strong swimmer. Ready to give surfing a try? Why not book it on the Sri Lankan beach of your choice.

3) Location Friendly - I usually choose locations that are right next to the beach, but not too far away from the city. So being that Colombo was two hours away, that location was perfect for me. Bentota is in a good location, with markets, restaurants, and not forgetting the beautiful beach on your doorstep.

4) Eating Out - If you don't fancy cooking, or you are staying in a non all-inclusive hotel, then lucky you! There are many places to eat out in Bentota. Don't be fooled, the Sri Lankan cuisines in the hotels don't taste anything like the REAL ones in the restaurant. Every time we ate out at a restaurant, the food honestly got even better! We purchased a meal and was even offered free roti and salad.

5) The Streets are lively. Even though at some point we all require some peaceful moments, Bentota has a good vide. It's calm but can also be quite busy as well. It's nice to go for a daytime stroll or evening walk. Walk or take a Tuktuk a few minutes down, and you'll be in Aluthgama, which is even more vibrant!

6) The perfect RIVER SAFARI does exist! Our first trip during our stay was the River safari. It was a good price, (price per boat, not per person) with scenic views. This is one of the best things to do when visiting Bentota!

7) There are turtle hatchery's everywhere. It was the first thing I wanted to do BEFORE I travelled to Sri Lanka, but once I arrived, things quickly changed. On my day trip to Galle, I saw an elephant in the middle of the road! So sometimes, the unexpected can bless you in ways you could only imagine. Nevertheless, I will be visiting the turtle hatchery upon my return.

8) A Diverse Beach - It's incredible to be on the beach and mingle with the natives. Unlike, Unuwatuna beach, Bentota offers a diverse mix of all kinds of people and you really feel welcomed and not excluded. Some may think a beach is just a beach, but if the atmosphere's not right, you can easily feel uncomfortable and even disturbed.

9) The People! - I'm not sure I can say the people, because technically it's not the people of Bentota it's the people of Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka has some of the sweetest people I've ever met. They were very welcoming and kind, and although I was sceptical visiting Sri Lanka at first (as an Afro Caribbean woman), I felt so welcomed, and I look forward to returning - in Jesus' name.

Still not sold on visiting Bentota? Visit our 8 best things to do in Galle post.

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With Love

Siobhan Patrina