See playful and mischievous dolphins dancing above the waters; the Blue Whale, the largest aquatic mammal on earth and humpback whales sail effortlessly past you as you venture out on a dolphin and whale watching in Sri Lanka, a place where the BBC documentary titled “Ocean Giants” featuring the amazing world of Whales and Dolphins was filmed around the island and according to them 30 Blue Whales were sighted in a single day.
Go on whale watching tours of Sri Lanka taking you to the most crucial locations for this well loved leisure activity which are Dondra Point which can be accessed from Galle, Hikkaduwa and Mirissa, east coast of Trincomalee and the seas off Kalpitiya Peninsula.
Mirissa thrives on the whale watching industry and it is what made Mirissa the place it has become today. The whale watching Sri Lanka season starts in December to April and many dolphins can be seen especially the spinner dolphins. There are boat trips to go whale watching in Mirissa during this season which gives great chances of spotting Blue Whales just off Dondra Point since it is along the migration path from Africa to Australia.
Whale watching in Trincomalee is another dolphin and whale watching destination along the east coast of Sri Lanka. Its shallow teal blue waters have dolphins and whales popping up during the months of May to October. The calm seas give favourable conditions to ride out to the deep sea to see the marine giants of Blue Whales and sperm whales. These can be viewed around 6-8 miles east off the coast of Trincomalee which is approximately a 30 minutes boat ride. Seeing blue whales in their natural habitat is a rare and unique opportunity. Dolphins, the main being the Spinner dolphins are seen playing, dancing and showing off their acrobatic skills. Other dolphins that can be seen are Bottlenose Dolphins and Fraser’s Dolphins. Most sightings of the dolphin occur between March/April and August/September.
Kalpitiya is best known as the ultimate destination for offshore spinner dolphin and whale watching on the island, as the coastal waters bordering the peninsula is often the haunt of marvelous dolphin pods and whales. These large pods of dolphins include the spinner dolphins. One need not venture too far out into the ocean for these sightings for the continental shelf of Kalpitiya lies within close range of the shoreline. Boat excursions for dolphin and whale watching are conducted by trained and certified guides and generally begin at Alankuda beach. The season for Dolphin watching is from November to March/April; this is the monsoon season and the sea is likely to be less rough, thereby making it easier to sight dolphins. The calmness also contributes to a higher visibility amid the waters that allows one to glimpse dolphins from afar.
EPIC Sri Lanka Holidays has a range of dolphin and whale watching tours. Please do contact our tour consultants for further enquiries in the search for your ideal sea mammal excursion filled holiday in Sri Lanka.
