Whale and Dolphin Watching in Mirissa – ‘Best for Blue’
Sri Lanka is the best place in the world to see Blue Whales and Spinner Dolphins. It is almost certainly the best place in the world to see both Blue Whales and Sperm Whales together. Several years ago, Dr. Charles Anderson, a British marine biologist, resident in the Maldives, developed a theory that there was a migration of whales between the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea which took them near the shores of Sri Lanka. The best time of the year is October to April with the calm sea.
Observations, since 2001 have proven Dr. Charles is right. As author Philip Hoare says ‘It is a unique situation: nowhere else [in the world] do these whales come in so close to land, or are so reliably seen.’ Gehan de Silva Wijeyeratne popularized whale-watching in Sri Lanka and coined the phrase ‘Sri Lanka - best for blue’.
We are proud to announce that Anoma Alagiyawadu has significantly contributed to many researches on Whales and Dolphins in Mirissa highlighting Responsible Whales Watching.
Whale and Dolphin Watching| Tour itinerary
Among the trees on the river banks is Sea Mango (Cerbera Mangas). Soft wood from this tree is used to carving masks - a traditional livelihood of the southern area. Enjoy the serenity, tranquility, vegetation and the fauna of this wide, unspoiled river.
Time and Duration
Option 1:
Shared Big Boat Price
Option 2:
Private Speed Boat Price
Option 3:
Private Sail Boat Price
Time and Duration
• Depart at 5.00 – 5.15 am from your hotel to Mirissa harbour (when you are going on a privet boat or sail boat, the starting time can be adjusted according to your preference).
• The boat leaves at between 6.30 - 7.00 am from the harbour, and the sightings of whales and dolphins may occur after a one-hour ride in the boat.
• Spend about an hour at sea just watching whales and dolphins, and return thereafter.
• This tour is seasonal, and recommend between October to April each year.
Distance You Go
• 35 km from Galle to the Mirissa harbour, 45 - minute drive, distance travelled at Sea is around 7-15 nautical miles.
• The total duration at sea is about 3-5 hours.
• The total duration for the excursion is 5-7 hours. ( When you go on the Privet Speed Boat you may return early)
What is included
Transport to and from the site, Boat fee, Government Fee, Light Breakfast and Water Bottles, Experienced Marine Biologist or Naturalist, Life Jackets, Binoculars, Marine Mammals Field Guide Book(For Reference)
Recommending - What to wear / Bring
Comfortable clothes, hats/caps, sun block, camera. (Make sure the equipment have water proof covers)
What can be seen
Marine Mammals
Blue Whales (Balenoptera musculus) are the largest living mammals and the largest animals that ever lived. Growing to a length of 27 m and weighing 150 tonnes, a single Blue Whale weighs the equivalent of 50 elephants or three of the largest dinosaurs. Blue Whales are filter feeders, lacking teeth, but sporting enormous plates of thickened, horny skin hanging from roofs of their mouths known as baleen plates. In a single mouthful, they can sieve 40-60 tonnes of water!
Sperm Whales (Physeter macrocephalus) are ‘toothed whales’ and have teeth on its’ lower jaw. They feed on fish and other animals such as squid. Sperm Whales are the deepest diving whales reaching to depths of two kilometres or more. They can also hold their breath for over an hour.
Spinner Dolphins (Stenella longirostris) are one of the commonest of the species of dolphins found in Sri Lankan waters. They are undoubtedly the most spectacular, leaping out of the water and spinning in the air – hence its common name.
Marine Fish
• Whale Shark
• Hammer Head Shark
• Puffer Fish
Sea Birds
• Pomarine Skuau
• Long-tailed Skua
• Brown Noddy
• Lesser Noddy
• Sooty Tern
• Bridled Tern
• Little Tern
• White-winged Tern
• Whiskered Tern
• Common Tern
• Greater Crested Tern
• Lesser Crested Tern
• White-tailed Tropicbird
• Red-billed Tropicbird
• Swinhoe’s Storm-petrel
• Streaked Shearwater
• Flesh-footed Shearwater
• Wedge-tailed Shearwater
• Sooty Shearwater
• Persian Shearwater
Other Birds
• Purple and Grey Heron
• Cattle and Little Egret
• Fish-tailed Drongo
• Little Cormorant
• Barn swallow
• Indian Darter
• White-breasted Kingfisher
• Spotted Dove
• Blue-tailed Bee Eater
• Paradise flycatcher
• Rosed Ringed Parakeets
• Greater Coucal
• Brahminy Kite
• White-bellied Sea Eagle
