Bentota is a coastal town in Sri Lanka, located in the Galle District of the Southern Province. It is approximately 65 km south of Colombo and 56 km north of Galle. Bentota is situated on the southern bank of the Bentota River mouth, at an elevation of 3 m above the sea level.

History

Bentota has been identified as the ancient Bhimatirtha and the area is also described in ancient messenger poems (sandeśa kāvya). It is believed that the Galapatha Viharaya (which is referred to in chronicles Mahavamsa and Pujavaliya by the name Bhimatittha Viharaya in Pasyodun District) was maybe a cluster of five ancient temples in the region. The 13th-century rock inscription at Galapatha Viharaya also mentions the name Bhimatittha. In the 17th century the Portuguese built a small fort at the mouth of the Bentota River (Bentara Ganga), which in Sinhala was called Parangi Kotuwa, meaning the fort of the Portuguese. The river marked the southern extremity of Portuguese-held territory in Sri Lanka. The Dutch subsequently allowed the fort to fall into disrepair, converting one of the large buildings within the fort into a colonial rest house for Dutch Officers travelling between Colombo and Galle. The British subsequently converted the rest house into a coastal sanatorium. Sir James Emerson Tennent (1804–1869), the colonial secretary of Ceylon (1845–1850) in his book, Ceylon, An Account of the Island (1859), stated that the rest house at Bentota was situated within a little park, deeply shaded by lofty Tamarind trees on the point of the beach where the river forms its junction with the sea. He wrote that stated that this rest house was one of the coolest and most agreeable in Ceylon. The British introduced the railway in the early 19th century, mainly to transport the coconut produce from the deep south to the capital, building a permanent bridge (Bentota Palama) to cross the river.

Transport

Bentota is located on the Coastal or Southern Rail Line (connecting Colombo through to Matara), though Bentota Halt is only a small railway station with most trains stopping at Aluthgama, 2.5 km north of Bentota. It is located on the A2 highway, connecting Colombo to Wellawaya, about 8 km south of Beruwala. Access is possible from the Southern Expressway Welipenna exit and only 10 km from the exit. Helicopters fly shuttle services on charter basis.

Economy

Bentota is a tourist attraction, with a local airport (Bentota River Airport) and a handful of world-class hotels. It is a destination for watersports. Bentota also delivers an ancient art of healing called Ayurveda. Bentota is famous for its toddy production, an alcoholic beverage made out of coconut nectar. It also has a turtle hatchery, located on Induruwa beach (6 km from Bentota).

Attractions