Ahangama and Mirissa from Bentota (2 Days)

About this experience

This two-day tour runs along Sri Lanka's south coast from Bentota, combining tea, coastal tradition and colonial history before heading further south for whale watching. A chauffeur guide drives throughout, taking in a low-country tea estate, the stilt fishermen of Koggala and the old fort city of Galle on the way down, then Mirissa and Matara on the return leg.

Travellers get a mix of culture, wildlife and coastal scenery in a short span: tasting virgin white tea at source, watching stilt fishermen at work, walking Galle's fort ramparts, heading out on the water to look for whales off Mirissa, and learning about Sri Lanka's snakes at a family-run farm near Matara.

The tour is run privately with your own vehicle and English-speaking chauffeur guide, who handles the driving and logistics between stops so you can focus on the places visited. Accommodation, meals and entrance fees are arranged separately, leaving you free to choose where you stay and eat.

Your service advisor

Malsiri Consultant

Have questions about this service or want it arranged around your dates? Reach Malsiri directly — replies usually within a few hours during Sri Lanka business hours.

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What’s included

Included

Transport in a Private Vehicle, Fuel, Parking & Highway tolls.
Service of English-Speaking Chauffeur Guide.
All prevailing taxes and service charges.

Not included

Hotel Accommodation and Meals.
Entrance fees to the respective sites.
Chauffeur Guide's Accommodation.
Expenses of personal nature.
Visa and Related Expenses.
Tips & Portages.

Tour route

Day-by-day waypoints across Sri Lanka. Each marker is where you spend the night; lines trace the daily drive.

Day-by-day itinerary

Download itinerary (PDF)

1 Ahangama

Day 1 — Bentota → Ahangama

The day heads south along the coast from Bentota, stopping for tea, a glimpse of a local fishing tradition and a walk through Galle's old quarters.

Handunugoda Tea Factory

Visit the Handunugoda Tea Factory, known for its Virgin White Tea, and learn how the tea is plucked and processed without being touched by hand. A tasting session with tea and chocolate cake follows, with leaves available to buy as a souvenir.

AI-generated image · not an actual photograph

Stilt Fishermen in Koggala

Watch fishermen perched on stilts along the Koggala coastline and hear from the fishermen themselves how the practice began and how it is done. It is also a good spot for photographs of the fishermen silhouetted against the shore.

Bernard Gagnon · CC BY-SA 3.0

Old Colonial City of Galle

Explore Galle, once a Portuguese and Dutch headquarters, including the well-preserved Galle Fort, the Maritime Museum, the Galle National Museum and the lighthouse. Cobblestoned streets still carry their old Dutch names.

Rovin Shanila · CC BY-SA 4.0

2 Bentota

Day 2 — Ahangama → Mirissa → Matara → Bentota

An early start for whale watching off Mirissa is followed by a visit to a snake farm near Matara before the drive back to Bentota.

Mirissa Whale Watching

Reach Mirissa Fishery Harbour by 0600 hrs for a whale watching tour in the waters south of Sri Lanka, with a chance of seeing blue whales, sperm whales and fin whales. A qualified naturalist on board explains more about the whales and how to identify them, on a trip run with minimal impact on the animals.

Ji-Elle · CC BY-SA 3.0

Matara Snake Farm

After checking out, continue to Matara to visit a snake farm run for three generations by the Bandara family, whose elder members practise Ayurvedic snake medicine. Here you can learn about the island's reptiles and, if willing, get a close look at some of the snakes before the drive back to Bentota.

Please note

Public transportation nearby
Infant seats available

Not wheelchair accessible
Not stroller accessible
Not suitable for pets
Infants must not sit on laps
Not recommended for people with back problems
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Not recommended for people with heart conditions
Comfortable clothes and hats recommended
Your Hotel in Bentota

Cancellation policy

More than 24 hours notice: full refund
Less than 24 hours notice: no refund

To cancel, reply to your booking confirmation email or message us on WhatsApp.

Frequently asked questions

Is this a private tour?

Yes. The tour is private to your group: your own air-conditioned vehicle and an English-speaking chauffeur guide for all 2 days, with no other travellers joining.

Where does the tour start and end?

Day 1 starts at Bentota and day 2 ends at Bentota. Every stop in between is reached by road in the same vehicle, so there is no other transport to arrange.

Are hotels included?

The base price covers the vehicle and chauffeur guide. In the booking box you can add hotels for all 1 nights at Budget (3★), Standard (4★) or Luxury (5★ and boutique) level, on half board. Hotels we hold contracts with for your dates are named in the price; for any other night our team books a hotel of the same class after you pay.

What vehicle will we travel in?

It depends on your group: a car for 1–2 guests, a van for 3–5, a large van for 6–8 and a bus for 9–15. Choose the number of guests in the booking box and the price updates to match.

Are entrance fees included?

Not in the base price. Set Tickets to Included in the booking box to add the entrance fees and safari jeeps for the sights on this itinerary; the booking box lists exactly which ones are covered.

Can we have a national guide?

Yes. A chauffeur guide is always included, and you can add a government-licensed national guide who travels with you for the whole tour. Choose it under Guide in the booking box; the vehicle is sized for the extra seat.

Can we change the itinerary or the dates?

Yes. Every tour is private, so it can start on any date you choose. To change stops, add nights or combine it with another tour, write to us in the booking notes or plan your own trip at lakpura.com/plan-your-trip.