Whale Watching In Sri Lanka

The World's Top Location For Whales!

"To see a Blue Whale at sea is something most of us can only dream about. To see more than one in a lifetime is a rarity reserved for a fortunate few" - Genevieve Johnson"

Sri Lanka may be the world's top hot spot for Whale Watching due to a high concentration of Blue Whales and Sperm Whales that can be spotted in the seas off Dondra Head along the Deep South Coast of Sri Lanka during the months of January to April. Alankuda Beach in Kalpitiya is the best location if you are interested in seeing Dolphins.

There are peaks in the movement of Whales in Nov-Dec and again in March-April.

Mirissa – Deep South Coast

During the season, Mirissa is the most reliable site in the world for seeing the difficult and desired Blue Whale. It may also be the best place for seeing Sperm Whales. Large Baleen Whales and Toothed Whales also come within sight of the shore.

Seeing a Blue Whale during April can be almost guaranteed. Due to the calm seas between December and April, there is an outstanding window of opportunity for observing Blue Whales and Sperm Whales close to shore. Marine biologists believe that sightings have peaks in December and April because of a migration of whales between the Bay Of Bengal and the Arabian Sea that takes them near the shores of Sri Lanka.

Note : Whale Watching at Mirissa can be easily arranged as a day trip from all resorts of the South West Coast – although an early start may be required. Mirissa is only about 30 minutes from resorts near to Galle.

Trincomalee Bay

A pioneering documentation of whales in the Trincomalee Bay began in the 1980’s by marine biologists of the research vessel The Tulip. They found out that Blue Whales and Sperm Whales were actually coming into the Trincomalee Harbour using a submarine canyon! The Whales of Trincomalee also featured in the award winning film "Whales Weep Not", the first underwater filming of Sperm Whales in their natural habitat. Trincomalee is now again tipped to be a major whale watching hot spot, as security restrictions are eased and projects have begun to develop commercial whale watching in the area.

The amazingly beautiful seas around Swami Rock have deep waters where Whales literally come to the shore!

Note : It is possible to go on Whale Watching Trips in Trincomalee Bay organised by The Nilaveli Beach Hotel and Chaaya Blu Hotel. Be aware that Trincomalee Bay is a High Security Zone of the Sri Lanka Navy and permits may be required.

Kalpitiya

During the season, at times, literally thousands of Dolphins can be observed in large pods at Kalpitiya. If you take a boat at sunrise, sightings are almost a certainty! Spinner Dolphins are the most common and the most spectacular due to it’s engaging in acrobatic leaps out of the water. Other Dolphins to be seen are Bottlenose, Risso’s and Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphins - popularly known as "Pink Dolphins".

The deeper waters off Kalpitiya's coastline are also the haunt of five types of whales. They can be seen surfacing from time to time and the sight of these enigmatic creatures is a breathtaking, spellbinding and a truly humbling experience. Sperm Whales are most common but Blue Whales, Minke, Melon-Headed and Dwarf Sperm Whales can also be sighted.

Note : Dolphin Watching Trips are arranged by all hotels at Kalpitiya, sometimes free of charge, during the season.