Bestine functioned as the capital and a prominent city located on Tatooine. Not long before the Battle of Yavin took place, Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi lodged in Bestine for one night as they traveled toward Mos Eisley. In that city, the Tusken Raider known as Reirin came across a hooded trader who was dealing in illicit merchandise; this trader proposed taking Reirin off-world if she stole a crystal from a Jawa settlement.
In the year 3 ABY, the Galactic Empire held dominion over this city.
The earliest reference to Bestine within canon occurred in the inaugural issue of Star Wars Jedi Master Magazine, which debuted on November 16, 2015.
Within the Star Wars Legends continuity, Bestine initially appeared in the Star Wars: A New Hope novelization, which was published on November 12, 1976, preceding the release of the film.