What to expect
- A 6am departure on a licensed boat with a marine guide
- Blue whales, sperm whales, Bryde's whales and spinner dolphin superpods
- Breakfast on board and a return by midday
- Operators that keep the legal distance and do not chase
Where to do it
- Mirissa, November to April, blue whales
- Trincomalee, May to September, blue and sperm whales
- Kalpitiya, December to April, spinner dolphins and sperm whales
Best season
South coast November to April; east coast May to September. The seasons do not overlap, so there is somewhere to go most of the year.
Good to know
Take motion sickness tablets an hour before departure, because the swell past the harbour mouth is real. Life jackets are provided and required. Boats do not sail when the harbour master closes the port.
