things to do in bentota | The Adventure Travel Site

Sinharaja Rainforest

Century-old trees spread their bony arms overhead while the undergrowth is cushiony soft. It’s not surprising that the Sinharaja Rainforest located in South-western Sri Lanka was declared a World Heritage Site in 1989.

When & how to get to the forest

The first step in planning a trip to Sinharaja is selecting which time of the year to visit the forest reserve. The Sinharaja Forest experiences two monsoon rain seasons a year which take place between the months of November to January and then again from May to July. Visiting the park in the remaining months is, therefore, a good idea.

Border

The mesmeric nature of this popular rainforest in Sri Lanka will be the perfect way to begin your discovery of the paradise isle. Koskulana Ganga, Gin Ganga and Kudawa Ganga beautifully border the rainforest. When the rains thrash steadily, these rivers swell delightfully.

Highlights

There will also be those who slither away or remain camouflaged while you pass by. Keep your eyes peeled if you wish to spot the hump-nosed lizard or the green pit viper, they can be friendly too! When exploring the Sinharaja Rainforest it would become evident as to why Sri Lanka is called a paradise isle.

Accommodation

There are cabins and dormitories managed by the Forest Department at the Kudawa entrance and some private eco-lodges around the forest reserve are half an hour to ten minutes away from the Kudawa entrance. Saman Villas long known as a tranquil beach retreat is a good base from which to explore the surrounding area and offers easy access to many things to do in Bentota. The Kudawa entrance to the Sinharaja nature reserve can be accessed along the Southern Expressway from Bentota.

Caleb Falcon is a travel writer who specializes in writing content based on the many exciting world adventures that await intrepid travellers. Google+

Lunuganga

Lunuganga or Lunuganga Estate as it is famously called is a place quite immaculate in its design, laden with terraced gardens and a collection of personal arts and crafts. A curiosity in the south that is referred to as, the Lunuganga Estate was award winning architect Geoffrey Bawa’s country home.
Geoffrey Bawa was not just a man of the arts, but he was skilled in the field of law and obtained his degree at Middle Temple, London. Born to a wealthy lawyer at the time, young Bawa schooled at Royal College, Colombo. Bawa’s interest in architecture came after the death of his mother when he took to travelling around the world and exploring his passions. When he did realize his passion for architecture, Bawa soon left for England to study the subject.
Among the many things to do in Bentota, visiting the quaint southern country home of Geoffrey Bawa is a must do. The roots of this beautiful country house can be traced back to the era of the Dutch when it was first used as a cinnamon estate. When the country gained independence in 1948, Lunuganga Estate found its new owner to be a tax collector. History also has it that the country house was used as a rubber plantation under the British. When Bawa came across this beautiful country dwelling, he instantly fell for it and soon purchased it with the intention of converting this estate bungalow into a weekend house.
The house which overlooks the scenic Dedduwa Lake of Bentota was concurrently named as ‘Lunuganga’ meaning ‘salt river’. Bawa continued to turn each aspect of the estate into something artistic for the next 40 years until his death. What’s even more interesting is, the estate houses works from other renowned artists like Donald Friend and Laki Senanayake along with many Asian and European artefacts.
The estate is within a half an hour’s drive from convenient accommodation options including Shinagawa Beach Balapitiya. Since Bawa’s death in 2003, the estate is run by a group of his close associates and is open to public viewing. The Lunuganga Estate can be viewed as a symbol of the country’s rich history.

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. Google+

Snorkelling in Bentota- Explore the spectacular coral reefs

As an island nation, Sri Lanka can boast of more than quite a few beaches all around the isle that are ideal for many types of coastal vacations and water based adventures. However certain areas of this wonderful pristine sandy shores and the adjoining deep blue seas are known for their specialties that has resulted from fabulous combinations of wave length and heights, depth of sea and the cascading waves and mighty winds that seem as they have plotted up the perfect schemes to seduce the unsuspecting traveller to their midst to enjoy some of the finest water adventures in the region.

When it comes to Bentota, which is found along the lovely western coast of Sri Lanka, the attractions are more than one, with plenty of coastal adventures to tempt the locals and foreigners alike. Bentota which is just one hours ride from Colombo also has the Bentota River merging with the Indian Ocean and in this vicinity there are many hotels and resorts that provide the gear and equipment needed for another fine water adventure – that is snorkelling. With warm waters and calm seas that doesn’t get in the way, the best time for snorkelling would be between November and April.
It is well worth snorkelling into the waters of this region as one is well rewarded with clusters of a variety of fish that haunt the spectacular coral reefs. Just to contrast with this pretty picture of colour and charisma, a diver can even find a few dark gloomy and intriguing scattered items of ship wrecks strewn here and there. Canoe Rock is claimed to be the best location for snorkelling and the area and snorkelers gets to explore the underwater via a trip to the sea from a boat or getting there from the shore itself.
With such an inviting back drop for the tourists, it is not surprising that the area has got a staggering variety of residential options including Sri Lanka boutique hotels. With tastefully appointed interiors with the traditional Sri Lankan touch and splendid oceanic views over the verandas, and private sun beds and infinity pools Saman Villas Bentota covers a range of alluring attractions for the foreign visitor with its superb location and excellent services. As luxury hotel Sri Lanka it has what it takes to covert a traveller’s experience of a beach vacation in Sri Lanka to an enchanting stay filled with heavenly moments and cherished memories.

Umanga Kahandawaarachchi is a passionate travel writer who writes under the pen name, Maggie Tulliver. Her field of writing covers a wide array of content and articles related to travel and hospitality industry.

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