Whale Watching in Mirissa: A Humbling Experience

Nature is a well of beauty that never fails to enthrall, a dayout in the open in its lap means memories for a lifetime. One such brilliant memory you will carry from Sri Lanka is of the moment you will see whales, in the flesh.

Whale watching in Mirissa is without doubt the best place to catch these majestic creatures. Mirissa is a tourist darling on the Southern coast of Sri Lanka that attracts both beach and whale lovers. Around here are a lot of planktons that whales feed on, making it easy to spot them, and especially between November to April you are sure them see them. In fact, Mirissa is known to be the best place for whale sightings in the world as it is closest to the migratory corridor of their travel from the Polar regions where they spend summer time to the warmer Indian Ocean where they spend winters. Whales come close to the Equator to breed.

Here, in just over an hour’s time the sea will throw off marvellous sightings like pods of dolphins, turtles, manta rays, flying fish and sharks, apart from different kinds of whales like sperm whale, killer whale, sei whale and the biggest mammal on earth – the blue whale. That’s quite a few marine animal sightings at one go! Don’t despair if you don’t see them immediately – off the coast of Mirissa there are 90% chances that you will not be disappointed. The first indication that they are around you is when you see a stream of water shooting upwards from the sea. Whales being mammals have lungs instead of gills and need oxygen every 30 minutes that makes them come to the surface. They take in air after expelling a gush of water from their blowholes. After this, the whale remains on the surface taking in more air for a minute or two, before descending into the sea by elegantly gliding its tail fin down the water. It is a sight to behold and many have admitted to feeling very humbled in such close range of the majestic blue whale (fun fact: a blue whale is 24 – 30 meters in length and weighs 200 tonnes! Its tongue itself weighs more than an elephant.)

Whale watching in Mirissa is no hassle as there are many whale watching tour companies offering you the experience at competitive prices. The prices are much cheaper than in other countries and the boats must comply with international whale watching standards. But make your adequate research before booking with a tour company as many of the boats are known to breach the law and either go too close to the cetaceans or speed towards them causing them distress. Here are 10 things to know before getting on a whale watching tour:

1. Adequate sleep the previous night with limited alcohol consumption is important to not feel seasick.
2. Most tours begin before 7 am, it is recommended to stay some place close to where tours commence.
3. Take some seasickness pills.
4. Don’t eat before getting onboard.
5. Wear your life jacket.
6. You can choose between two decker boats with lots of tourists or private boats with about 10 co-passengers only (prices differ greatly).

7. There will be many other boats jostling for space when a whale is spotted, you might be put off by the commercialisation of the activity.
8. The whole tour takes about 3 – 4 hours, from end to end.
9. Take your own food if possible, some biscuits and fruits will do. Generally, the boat crew gives some basic things to eat.
10. Kids pay half the price.

Enjoy your date with the world’s largest mammal! You can book your trip from Colombo to Mirissa conveniently with
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Happy Travel !