Bentota

Bentota sits where a long stretch of golden beach meets the Bentota River, giving it a slightly different character from other south-coast towns — as much about the river as the ocean. Boat trips up the river wind through mangroves, passing traditional fishing villages and, at certain times of year, nesting turtle sites.

The beach itself is wide and relatively calm, which has made Bentota one of the island's longer-established resort areas, with water sports — jet-skiing, windsurfing, banana boating — a bigger part of the scene here than on quieter southern beaches.

A short drive inland, Brief Garden — the former home of landscape architect Bevis Bawa — is a quieter detour for anyone interested in tropical garden design.

Turtle conservation is a quiet but ongoing effort along this stretch of coast, with hatcheries working to protect nesting sites from natural and human threats. Inland, the nearby town of Ambalangoda is known for traditional mask-carving, a craft tied to Sri Lankan devil-dance and exorcism rituals that's been passed down through generations.