Go whale watching in Sri Lanka, acclaimed as one of the best places in the world to see whales. Spot dolphins, sperm whales and blue whales near Mirissa. The island’s shoreline lies unusually close to the continental shelf, the point when the ocean floor drops dramatically and where larger marine life is found, and so it does not take too long to reach these deep waters from Sri Lanka’s western, southern and eastern coastlines. Whale and dolphin watching is possible from Kalpitiya, Bentota and Mirissa between December and April, and from Trincomalee and Pasikudah on the east coast between June and August, but Mirissa is widely thought of as the best place for whale watching in Sri Lanka.
Best Time : 4 hours
Duration : November to April
Set out from Mirissa Harbour in the early morning and watch as spinner dolphins spiral and soar through the air beside the boat. Look out for other marine life too, including flying fish and sea turtles, as you move further out into the ocean. The conditions of the water surrounding Sri Lanka are particularly good for sperm whales and blue whales, and there is a 90% chance of spotting one on a whale watching expedition between December and March. The whole journey will last approximately three hours.
As well as public ‘join-in’ whale watching experiences, we can also arrange a private boat for you and your party which can hold a maximum of ten people. Additionally, we also offer a half-day (seven hours) whale watching experience which is a bit more luxurious: see Sri Lanka’s marine life from the comfort of a private catamaran, complete with experienced crew and a chef who will whip-up breakfast and lunch for you as you sail, and try a spot of snorkelling and stand-up paddle-boarding on your way back to shore.
Public ‘join in’ boat rides are on offer each morning at approximately 6am. This is the cheapest whale watching option (approximately LKR 7,500 for adults and LKR 3,750 for children) but boats can be slow and overcrowded.
If a client reserves whale watching on a shared boat operated by Mirissa Water Sports, and they do not have sightings of whales on their tour, they can reschedule another tour for a different date without any additional costs. The supplier will provide a ticket to the client for the rescheduled whale watching tour.
If clients do not wish to schedule a second tour, no refunds will be made as sightings are not guaranteed.
Borderlands offers private whale watching experiences. The private boat can hold a maximum of ten people.
Sail Lanka provides a comfortable private catamaran with a well-equipped kitchen that the chef will use to cook a delicious breakfast and light lunch for those on board. You will also have the opportunity to do some snorkelling and paddle-boarding on the way back to shore. This experience lasts approximately seven hours.
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