5/5 on Tripadvisor
Visit Island Boathouse
River safaris & wildlife adventures on the Bentota River — winding through living mangrove tunnels in Aluthgama, Sri Lanka.
- Hours
- Open daily 8:00 AM – 5:30 PM
- Location
- Aluthgama, Bentota River
Our story
A small boathouse on the Bentota River
Visit Island Boathouse started with one wooden boat, a jetty under the palms and a simple idea: take people slowly into the mangroves and let the river do the talking.
Every trip leaves from our jetty in Aluthgama and heads upstream into narrow mangrove tunnels, past fish farms, cinnamon islands and quiet lagoons. Whether it's your first monitor lizard or your hundredth kingfisher, we go at the pace of whatever wants to show itself that day.
- A real rainforest riverNo staged attractions — just the living mangrove channels, lagoons and islands of the Bentota River as they've always been.
- Family-run, guide-ledBorn and raised on this river. Our guides read the water, know where the birds nest and love sharing it all.
- Animal welfare firstWe never bait, chase or handle wildlife. Engines are cut near nesting trees so animals stay calm and wild.
Tours & activities
Choose how you meet the river
Every trip is private and flexible — tell us your time, your group and how adventurous you're feeling.
Boat Tours
Boat Safari
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Motor slowly through mangrove tunnels and open lagoons, stopping for crocodiles, monitors and nesting birds.
EnquirePontoon Ride
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Relax on a stable, open pontoon as it glides along the river — an easy, comfortable ride for all ages.
EnquireSpeed Boat Ride
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Blast across open water with the wind in your face — a fast, fun way to see the river.
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Water Sports
Kayaking
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Paddle the quiet backwaters at your own pace — silent, low to the water and the best way to slip into the mangroves.
EnquireJet Ski Ride
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Take the controls of your own jet ski and carve across the river at full throttle.
EnquireBanana Boat Ride
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Hold on tight as the inflatable banana gets towed, bounced and dunked behind the boat — pure group fun.
EnquireSofa Ride
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Ride an inflatable sofa towed behind the boat with friends — bumps, splashes and plenty of laughter.
EnquireWakeboarding
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Get towed and ride the wake on a board — great for adrenaline seekers.
EnquireWater Skiing
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Classic towed skiing on two skis or one — glide across the glassy morning water with a guide coaching you.
EnquireSnorkeling
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Slip beneath the surface with mask and snorkel to spot fish and river life up close.
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Wildlife you'll see
The river is full of life
Sightings change with the tide, the light and the season — but the mangroves are rarely quiet. Here's who usually turns up.
- Saltwater crocodilesBasking on the mud banks
- Water monitorsSwimming between the roots
- Toque macaquesRaiding the riverside canopy
- KingfishersStork-billed, white-throated & common
- White-bellied sea eaglesCircling the estuary
- Cormorants & dartersDrying wings on dead branches
- Purple herons & egretsStalking the shallows
- Fruit batsHanging in daytime colonies
- Mudskippers & fiddler crabsEverywhere, if you look down
Gallery
Mornings, mangroves and long golden evenings
Reviews
Rated 5 out of 5 by our guests
“Our guide knew exactly where to look — crocodiles, monitors, monkeys and more kingfishers than we could count. He spotted things we'd have floated straight past.”
Guest from the UK
“It poured halfway through and they handled it perfectly, keeping everyone dry and cheerful. The rain actually made the mangroves more magical.”
Guest from Germany
“Kayaking through the mangrove tunnels was the highlight of our Sri Lanka trip. Completely silent, just birds and water.”
Guest from Australia
“Warm, welcoming and genuinely passionate about the river and its animals. Service from start to finish was excellent.”
Guest from the Netherlands
Book your trip
Let's get you on the water
WhatsApp is the quickest way to reach us — we usually reply within minutes during opening hours.
Chat on WhatsApp- Opening hours
- Open daily, 8:00 AM – 5:30 PM
- Email us
- Rachitha.stc@gmail.com
- Where to find us
- Bentota River, Aluthgama, Sri Lanka