We travelled during the mid-week of august for a short trip to bentota, on a package tour through a premium airline.The journey from the colombo airport to bentota takes about 2 and a half hours and should say, is a pleasant one once the sea line starts.Off the city limits, roads are less crowded with a good marine drive feeling .There are lot of road-side sales, especially in the courtyards of local homes with products like furniture, fruits, woven baskets, mats etc..
We stayed at Hotel Serendib Leisure, a Geoffrey Bawa designed 3 star hotel.Lobby is a great place to relax with their delicious welcome drink, gazing ath the pond brimming with orange fishes and a tree branching from the middle of the pond.Rooms are spacious and airy, with a balcony facing the sea and without the television.If you are those lucky ones like me who get a cottage room, then the sit-out with comfy chairs facing the sea, is a great place to simply relax with music or reading a book.Walks through the beach is a great way to start and end a day at serendib.
During your walk in the beach, start up a conversation with any local like and work up a good bargain for a ride through the river.Try a rowing boat, since it doesnt break down and you dont disturb the river flora and fauna.Be sure to visit the turtle hatchery at kosigoda. If you are a vegeterian, see that you carry something to keep you alive, since food is mostly sea food and expensive too.Hotel food if included in the package is a great relief, more so the dinner. Save shopping expeditions for colombo.Really worth visiting place !