Bentota River Safari in Sri Lanka

Bentota River Safari in Sri Lanka

A Bentota River Safari promises all sorts of creepy: crocodiles, snakes, bats and lizards. So it happened to us

I was skeptical about our skipper. Small and slim and in the middle of teenagers, he hardly produced a greeting word. Peter and I climbed the boat and set off without instructions to our Bentota River Safari.

We had some information from our hotel about the length and the price of the tour (2.5 hours, 1,800 LKR / 12 USD per person), but in addition we had no idea what we could see.

Nevertheless, we were happy to be in Bentota. The coastal city in the district of Sri Lanka is 65 km (40 miles) south of Colombo and, together with Trincomale, offers a good beach stop in the north to book a trip.

We drove from Colombo to the beach for a few days and booked a last-minute river safari, and so we found ourselves on a boat with the most silent skipper on this side of Finland. (Whoever knows the Finns knows what I mean.)

Alt = “Bentota Beach offers a beautiful bookkeeping for a trip through Sri Lanka”> Atlas & Boots Bentota Beach offers a beautiful bookkeeping for a trip through Sri Lanka

We made our way and sat in the sun. Perhaps this would be more of a pleasant boat trip on the river than a safari itself. Maybe that was okay. We had planned a lot of time in Sri Lanka, including stops in the Yala National Park for Leopards and Udawalawe for elephants. What role did it play when we saw nothing on our Bentota River Safari?

We drove away for a quarter of an hour until the skipper lasted the boat and pointed on a tree. We stretched out and blinked, but saw nothing.

"There!" He said and meant getting up and looking. In fact, there was a large, fat water monitor on a branch.

alt = “The Asian waterwaran is one of the heaviest lizards in the world”> Atlas & Boots The Asian waterway is one of the heaviest lizards in the world

These large lizards are native to South and Southeast Asia and are considered the second-weight lizard in the world after the Indonesian Komodovaran. Adults can be up to 2 m (6.6 ft) long and the largest specimen found in Sri Lanka was a whopping 3.21 m (10.5 ft).

Soon we stopped again, this time because of a chameleon that was disguised by bright green leaves. Our skipper may not have been talking, but he definitely had a good eye.

alt = “A clever chameleon that was spotted on our Bentota River Safari”> Atlas & Boots A clever chameleon that was spotted on our Bentota River Safari

Contrary to the popular opinion, chameleons do not change their color primarily to camouflage, but to social signaling and control of body heat. Bright colors are used to show aggression or to reflect heat while dark colors are signaled and used to absorb heat.

Our previous success gave us uphousing hope to see the crocodiles that often appear on a bentota river safari.

We meander past river dwellings and dense mangroves, took a break to watch the bird world and discover one or two snakes.

alt = "A tiny snake that we saw on our Bentota River Safari"> Atlas & Boots A tiny snake that we saw on our Bentota River Safari

About an hour after the start of the safari we stopped on the river bank and the skipper called a friend. With dismay, we found that it was a photo shoot with a small crocodile baby, a practice that we decidedly rejected.

We declined - more polite than we should - and continued the tour. We tried to explain to our stunned captain that we thought it was wrong to consider animals in captivity just to entertain tourists. I'm afraid we felt like privileged Westerners who only had such sensitives because we could afford them.

Soon we stopped at a coconut factory on the river (with the usual tour of the gift shop) and then went back on board the boat - guilty because we hadn't bought anything. Back on the river we navigated through a tight mangrove roof. With a soundtrack that consisted only of bird twittering and the quiet creak of our boat, the scene felt incredibly far away.

alt = “hover through a canopy of mangroves”> Atlas & Boots hover through a leaf roof from mangroves

When we got out of the canopy, we discovered a tree full of bats - but still no crocodiles. Soon we turned and made our way back to the bank, whereby we occasionally stopped for snakes or chameleons.

Half an hour before the end our skipper stopped the boat again. He interpreted quietly through a small tree crown. There, on the other hand, a small crocodile, the reptile eyes of which hovered well above the waterline.

alt = “A crocodile breeds in the Bentota river”> Atlas & Boots A crocodile breeds in the Bentota

Although it was hidden, this was a much better way to see a crocodile than to touch one with the mouth of it.

When we went back to the shore, we discussed whether a bentota flow safari is worthwhile or not. In view of the relatively low price, we believe that this is the case, but only if you come to Bentota anyway. The city lacks the great sights of Yala, Udawalawe, Ella, Adam’s Peak and Sigiriya, but in view of the proximity to Colombo and its pretty beach section, it is an absolutely beautiful way to start or end.

Bentota flow safari: The essentials

was: a bentota flow safari to see crocodiles, chameleons, waterwarans, bats, birds and snakes.

Where: We stayed in Amal Beach, a mid -range hotel on the beach. The amal offers WiFi in the room, a hotel -owned restaurant and free parking spaces on site. It is a short tuk tuk trip to the center of aluthgama, which, although it has no charm, offers all the amenities of a modern city. (We recommend the Happy Garden restaurant for a cheap and delicious food.)

The beach is extensive and largely empty, so it is easy to find a private place if you are ready to deviate from the sun lounger.

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One of the most charming things on Amal and Bentota in general are the railway rails that separate it from the beach. In theory, railway tracks sound doubtful on the beach, but in practice it was a charming addition to the site. During the day, a train attendant is in use, a gate closes the access.

If you choose Amal, note that the beach hotel is paired with higher apartments in the Amal Villa Apartments on the other side of the street, so remember the apartment that you book.

When: The best travel time for Bentota is January to March when the city is usually sunny. The monsoon time comes in April. June to September are the wetest months, but still sunny. In November the weather gets hot and humid, but it's still a good time for a visit, especially for Diwali celebrations.

like: We booked the Little Swan Bentota boat tour (2.5 hours, 1,800 LKR / 12 USD per person), but were sad when we saw that it included a photo option with a baby crocodile. Therefore, we recommend to inquire instead at Sri Lanka Water Sports or Diyakawa Water Sports (+94 77 916 5330).

You can get from Colombo to Bentota by train (look at the timetable here). It is worth checking the trains to the nearby aluth gama, as they drive more often than those to Bentota. From aluthgama you can take a tuk tuk to your hotel (300 LKR / 2 USD).

Depending on your starting point, bus lines are available. It is worth noting that we found bus trips in Sri Lanka to be quite stressful, so you may want to take a transfer instead. Your hotel can arrange this, but it is always worth negotiating a discount, since these are normally excessive (e.g. if 15,000 LKR are specified, ask for 11,000).

Many tourists choose to rent a driver for the entire trip. This costs about $ 45 a day (including the days on which you do not use the driver). We used Ajaa (+94 777 284 178) and Sisi (+94 777 203 083) for shorter transfers and found them friendly and reliable.

Most international flights end up at the Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB). Book via Skyscanner at the best prices.

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