The whale watching season in Sri Lanka runs from from November to April / May, as during the rest of the year, the waters will be too rough because of the Monsoon.
The best place to spot whales is in Mirissa, a small tourist town on Sri Lanka’s south coast, popular for surfing and famous for whale watching. The waters around Mirissa are particularly rich in plancton (a groop of mirco organisms whales feed on), which lead scientists to believe there is a resident population always present which will result in sightings whenever conditions are good, particularly between November to April.
The ever smiling, mischievous dolphins will put on a show while some of the oldest and the largest sea creatures, the humpback and the blue whales, will nonchalantly glide past you, when you embark on a whale/ dolphin watching excursion off the Southern, Eastern or the West coast of Sri Lanka. The ideal locations for whale watching would be Dondra Point (accessible from Galle, Hikkaduwa and Mirissa) and Trincomalee while the sea off Kalpitiya teems with an abundance of dolphins.
Sri Lanka Coast Guards assures a safer season of whale watching at Mirissa.
With the whale watching season in Mirissa being in full swing and many local and foreign tourists gathering to the Mirissa harbor, The Sri Lanka Coast Guards had increased their vigilance in monitoring the implementation of Sea Mammals Observation, Regulation and Control Regulations.
To ensure that the Regulations are adhered to by boat operators and tourists engaged in whale watching, the members of the Rohana Coast Guard base had been observing whale and dolphin watching activities in Mirissa since last year. The coast guards also make sure that the boat operators; crew and the tourists abide the safety precautions and regulations before and during their tour of observation.
Blue whales can hold their breath underwater for an average 30 minutes before they have to surface for air. They don’t have a nose and can’t breath through their mouth so rely on their blow-holes. When they surface, they spout the air (and lots of water with it) out of their blow-hole.
Mirissa offers a wide variety of options, from budget to luxury. Whether you are looking for a hotel close to Mirissa beach or hidden away in the hills with splendid views, you will find it. Below are the places we loved because they fit every budget and have a unique charm. All of them will be able to help you with booking your whale watching tour.
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