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View all Colombo toursGalle Fort, Stilt Fishermen and Bentota River Safari Day Trip in Colombo
A south-coast day covering Galle Fort, the stilt fishermen, a turtle conservation project, a Buddhist temple and a river safari through the Bentota mangroves.
Highlights
- Walk the ramparts and Dutch-era streets of Galle Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
- River safari through the Bentota mangroves and lagoon islands
- Stop at a sea turtle conservation project on the nesting coast
- See the stilt fishermen working the shallows near Koggala
- Visit a Buddhist temple on the coast road
- Private vehicle with hotel pickup and drop-off
Galle Fort, Stilt Fishermen and Bentota River Safari Day Trip: Key Facts
| Price | From $104 per person |
|---|---|
| Duration | Full day |
| Group size | Up to 8 people |
| Languages | English |
| Tour type | Guided Tour |
| Booking | Direct with the local operator — no OTA markup |
Full description
The south-west coast packs a lot into a short stretch of road, and this day strings together the parts of it that are worth stopping for rather than driving past. Everything sits within about two hours of Colombo, so the day is built around stops.
Galle Fort is the anchor. The Portuguese built the first fortifications in the 16th century and the Dutch rebuilt them in the 17th, leaving a walled town of low houses with pillared verandahs, a Dutch Reformed church, a mosque built where a Portuguese chapel once stood, and a lighthouse on the southern rampart. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and still lived in, which is what stops it feeling like a museum. Walking the ramparts is the best way to understand the layout.
The stilt fishermen work the shallow water near Koggala, perched on poles driven into the sea bed. The practice began after the Second World War when crowded beaches pushed fishermen to claim spots offshore, and today most of what you see is staged for visitors, who are asked for a fee to photograph. Knowing that in advance is better than being surprised by it.
The turtle conservation project on this coast collects eggs from beaches where they would otherwise be dug up, hatches them in protected sand and releases the young. Staff will talk through which of the five nesting species come ashore here and what happens to them.
The river safari runs from Bentota into the mangroves and lagoon, an hour and a half or so by boat through narrow channels where the roots arch over the water. Monitor lizards, kingfishers and the occasional troop of monkeys along the bank are the usual sightings, and there are stops at small islands, including one where cinnamon is peeled and dried by hand. A Buddhist temple visit completes the route before the drive back.
Tour Itinerary
The schedule below is a suggested plan and can be adjusted to suit your preferences.
Hotel pickup
Your driver collects you from your hotel and heads south on the expressway.
Bentota river safari
Boat trip through the mangrove channels and lagoon islands, including a cinnamon island stop.
Turtle conservation project
Visit the hatchery tanks and nesting enclosure and hear how the project runs.
Buddhist temple
A short visit to a coastal temple, with time for the shrine and the stupa.
Lunch on the coast
Break at a local restaurant, at your own expense.
Stilt fishermen at Koggala
Photo stop at the fishing poles in the shallows.
Galle Fort
Walk the ramparts, the lighthouse, the Dutch church and the streets inside the walls.
Return
Drive back north to your hotel.
Detailed Itinerary
[{"time": "07:30", "title": "Hotel pickup", "description": "Your driver collects you from your hotel and heads south on the expressway."}, {"time": "09:00 - 10:30", "title": "Bentota river safari", "description": "Boat trip through the mangrove channels and lagoon islands, including a cinnamon island stop."}, {"time": "10:45 - 11:30", "title": "Turtle conservation project", "description": "Visit the hatchery tanks and nesting enclosure and hear how the project runs."}, {"time": "11:45 - 12:15", "title": "Buddhist temple", "description": "A short visit to a coastal temple, with time for the shrine and the stupa."}, {"time": "12:30 - 13:30", "title": "Lunch on the coast", "description": "Break at a local restaurant, at your own expense."}, {"time": "13:45 - 14:15", "title": "Stilt fishermen at Koggala", "description": "Photo stop at the fishing poles in the shallows."}, {"time": "14:30 - 16:00", "title": "Galle Fort", "description": "Walk the ramparts, the lighthouse, the Dutch church and the streets inside the walls."}, {"time": "16:00 - 18:00", "title": "Return", "description": "Drive back north to your hotel."}]
Includes
- Private air-conditioned vehicle with English-speaking driver; hotel pickup and drop-off; Bentota river safari by boat; guided visit at Galle Fort; bottled water; fuel, tolls and parking
Excludes
- Turtle project donation; temple entrance and offerings; photograph fees at the stilt fishing spot; meals and drinks; tips; personal expenses
Important information
Meeting point
Hotel pickup in Colombo or along the south-west coast, confirmed after booking.
Know before you go
- Free cancellation available up to 24 hours before the activity starts
About this activity
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Traveler Reviews
The trip was incredibly interesting, especially the Water Safari, where we spent two hours swimming through incredible locations and seeing many fantastic animals. I highly recommend it.
Dinesh was a wonderful driver and very kind. Nihal was the best safari guide - very knowledgeable and excellent at spotting wildlife. My favourite part was the turtle conservatory. It was so adorable seeing/holding the babies and great to see the brilliant work they are doing to help the turtles. I also really enjoyed seeing Galle Fort, which is such a well-preserved piece of history. Overall, this was one of my top tours whilst in Sri Lanka. The only downsides were the Tsunami Museum at the beginning, which felt quite sad and a little strange. Although I liked seeing the gem museum and woodcarving, it did feel a bit uncomfortable when you didn’t buy anything, as you could sense the disappointment from the workers - but I think this is fairly normal when you’re a tourist travelling in some part of Asia.
We had a really good day out. Nothing was too much trouble. We called to watch fishermen bringing in their nets and to a busy local fishing harbour. The river trip was excellent and we saw a lot of wildlife including crocodiles, monkeys, fruit bats, monitor lizards, a snake, lizards etc. I had always wanted to see the fishermen at Galle and it was great to see them catch fish from the stilt fishing poles. We called in at other sights as well including the turtle sanctuary and the Galle Fort. We were picked up from the harbour at 5.30am and returned bang on the 6pm arranged time to catch the cruise ship. This trip was all I expected and more, great value for money. I would highly recommend it.
A fantastic tour of Galle Fort, river safari, mask making & gem production, temple, tsunami museum, turtle conservation centre and stilt fishermen. The tour was well organised and comprehensive, with so much to see, but not rushed. The transport was very comfortable and the buffet lunch delicious. I would highly recommend this tour to any visitors to the Mirissa/Galle area. Especially the river safari, we found this trip as interesting as our visit to Yala NP.
Great day out! Lots of stops at different places. We enjoyed everything especially the river safari. Thank you 😊
Felt good, saw a lot, on time, friendly, and safe! Fair price for: river safari, mask museum, diamond info at the company, Buddha tour, lunch, stilt fishermen, and turtle rescue station. Nice team, would love to come back.
Our driver Janith made our day enjoyable. His local knowledge and insights are appreciated. The mangrove boat trip was a highlight. Harinda spotted so much wildlife and made the trip so enjoyable.
What an amazing trip that was. I had my 5 year old with me and he had a blast, too. From start to finish. The safari trip is just mind-blowing and the rest of the activities, too. So many things to see and experience. Thanks to Benton’s Travel Mart, I didn’t have to think of anything- just ride along and enjoy. They are super punctual, they pay attention to details and go above and beyond to meet your expectations and fulfill extra wishes and demands. Highly highly recommend them. Don’t even think twice. We had a blast! Thank you, Sam and everyone!
Thank you Bentota Travel Mart for the highlight trip of the holiday, it was so memorable. Thanks firstly to Dinesh who drove the two of us for the day and took us to the various venues on the tour, he couldn't have been more helpful and even supplied us with umbrellas and a towel when it rained. The star of the show however was Samir who drove the boat for the safari up the Bentota river into the mangrove swamp. What an experience, we saw baby crocodiles, a water monitor, lizards, monkeys and assorted birds. How he spotted some of them I really don't know. He also cut coconuts for us to have a coconut water drink and peeled a pineapple with a machete for us to eat, I didn't see any other boats having that level of service. Despite the fact that it rained for most of the trip we wouldn't have missed it for anything.
The best driver, Mr. Dinesh, which I had in Sri Lanka. Also great guide during the river safari, very peacefull place and together we saw plenty animals, also 3 crocodils. Was a long great day!!