Tuk Tuk Safari from Ahungalla: Bentota, Hikkaduwa & Galle

Four hours in a tuk tuk across Sri Lanka's southern coast: beaches, temples, turtle hatcheries and craft shops

A tuk tuk tour departing from Ahungalla that lets you choose your route (Bentota, Hikkaduwa, Galle or Ambalangoda) with a driver-guide navigating you through beaches, cultural sites and local workshops. The tour includes pickup from your hotel and covers entry fees to paid attractions. You travel by three-wheeler, stopping at free sites like temples, wood carving shops and spice gardens alongside paid experiences like the turtle hatchery and glass boat safari.

Step-by-step itinerary

Tuk Tuk Safari and Beach Visits

• Visit Bentota Beach
• Explore Turtle Hatchery
• See wood carving shops
• Visit Gems Museum
• Walk through Herbal and Spice Garden
• Visit Kande Vihare Temple
• Visit Hikkaduwa Beach
• Explore Tsunami Monument and Museum
• Take Glass Boat Safari
• Visit Moonstone Mine
• Explore Galle Fort
• Visit Silk Factory
• Visit Masks Museum in Ambalangoda

The experience

You pick one of four routes when you book: Bentota loops through a 7-8 kilometer beach known for its quiet and clean stretches, a turtle hatchery, wood carving workshops, a gems museum and the Kande Vihare temple; Hikkaduwa runs 98 kilometers south from Colombo to a coastal town 14 kilometers from Galle, with a coral sanctuary visible from a glass boat and a tsunami monument and museum; Galle adds the fort and silk factory to the tsunami sites and moonstone mine; Ambalangoda centers on a masks museum and turtle hatchery. Your driver-guide handles the route and timing, and the tuk tuk, a three-wheeler, is how you move between stops.

Entry fees to the turtle hatchery, glass boat safari and any paid museum are included in your booking. Free stops like Benthota beach, the temples, carving shops and spice gardens need no separate payment. The tour runs about four hours, which means you see the main sites without eating up your whole day. Pickup from your hotel in Ahungalla is part of the package, and the driver knows the roads and the stops.

Wear clothes that cover your body if you plan to enter the Kande Vihare temple: that is a requirement. The tuk tuk itself is open-sided, so you feel the air and the landscape as you move, and you can ask the driver to stop for photos or to linger at a site that catches your attention. Infants and small children can travel in a pram or stroller, and the tour is wheelchair accessible throughout.

What’s included

• Driver-guide for the full tour.
• entry to the turtle hatchery and any paid museum or attraction on your chosen route (glass boat safari on Hikkaduwa, gems museum on Bentota, masks museum on Ambalangoda).
• hotel pickup and return transport in the tuk tuk.
• 10% live entertainment tax.

Options for this experience

7 options

Ahungalla to the turtle hatchery10 departure times: the first at 08:00, the last at 17:00Starting from Ahungalla, you can head to the turtle hatchery. The tour covers the Ahungalla area and pickup is included from your hotel (for example RIU, Heritance, White Villa, Ranmanika, Walauwa and others).

Ahungalla to the Madu River Safari10 departure times: the first at 08:00, the last at 17:00Starting from Ahungalla, you can head to the Madu River Safari. The tour covers the Ahungalla area and pickup is included from your hotel (for example RIU, Heritance, White Villa, Ranmanika, Walauwa and others).

Ahungalla to the moonstone mine9 departure times: the first at 08:00, the last at 16:00Starting from Ahungalla, you can head to the Moonstone mine at Metiyagoda. The tour covers the Ahungalla area and pickup is included from your hotel (for example RIU, Heritance, White Villa, Ranmanika, Walauwa and others).

See 4 more options

Ahungalla To Ambalangoda8 departure times: the first at 08:00, the last at 15:00Starting from Ahungalla, you can head to Ambalangoda, to the Avalibalae old temple and the Mask museum. The tour covers the Ahungalla area and pickup is included from your hotel (for example RIU, Heritance, White Villa, Ranmanika, Walauwa and others).

Ahungalla To Benthota8 departure times: the first at 08:00, the last at 15:00Starting from Ahungalla, you can head to Benthota. The tour covers the Ahungalla area and pickup is included from your hotel (for example RIU, Heritance, White Villa, Ranmanika, Walauwa and others).

Ahungalla To Hikkaduwa8 departure times: the first at 08:00, the last at 15:00Starting from Ahungalla, you can head to Hikkaduwa. The tour covers the Ahungalla area and pickup is included from your hotel (for example RIU, Heritance, White Villa, Ranmanika, Walauwa and others).

Ahungalla To Galle6 departure times: the first at 08:00, the last at 13:00Starting from Ahungalla, you can head to Benthota. The tour covers the Ahungalla area and pickup is included from your hotel (for example RIU, Heritance, White Villa, Ranmanika, Walauwa and others).

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day10 departure times: the first at 08:00, the last at 17:00

Book up toStart time

GroupPrivate

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 7 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 8 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Suduhansa Tours

Is this one for you?Choose your route based on what draws you: Bentota for a quiet beach and temple, Hikkaduwa for the coral reef and glass boat, Galle for the fort and history, or Ambalangoda for the masks museum. The tuk tuk is open-sided, so you feel the landscape as you travel, and the four-hour span fits easily into a morning or afternoon without overwhelming your schedule.

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Top questions

Can I choose which route I want to take on the tuk tuk tour from Ahungalla?

Yes. You pick one route at checkout: Bentota, Hikkaduwa, Galle or Ambalangoda. Each route visits different beaches, temples, museums and craft sites, so choose based on what interests you most: the coral sanctuary and glass boat are on the Hikkaduwa route, the fort is on the Galle route, and the masks museum is on the Ambalangoda route.

What is the Benthota beach like, and why is it included on the tour?

Benthota beach stretches 7-8 kilometers along the coast and is known for being quiet, clean and peaceful: a place to sit and relax rather than a crowded resort strip. The tour stops there so you can walk the sand and experience the natural surroundings without the noise of bars and restaurants.

Does the tour include entry to the turtle hatchery?

Yes. The turtle hatchery entry fee is included in your booking on all four routes. You'll see green turtles, which are the most common species found in Sri Lankan waters and also live in the Indian, Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.

What happens at the glass boat safari on the Hikkaduwa route?

The glass boat safari takes you out over the coral sanctuary: a shallow body of water enclosed by a reef and filled with layers of colorful corals and fish. The boat has a glass bottom so you can watch the underwater life without getting wet, and entry is included in your booking.

Do I need to dress a certain way to visit the temple?

Yes. If you enter the Kande Vihare temple on the Bentota route, you must cover your body. Wear long pants or a long skirt and a shirt with sleeves to show respect at the site.

How does pickup work, and where does the tour start?

Your hotel pickup in Ahungalla is included. If you're staying at the RIU Hotel, the tour office is a 100-meter walk to the left of the main entrance. Otherwise, the office is located at No. 72/A Galle Road near the Ahungalla main bus stop, and your driver will collect you from your hotel and bring you back after the tour ends.