Going whale and dolphin watching as a tourist attraction has only really come up since the civil war ended in 2009. It is still relatively affordable in Sri Lanka, when compared to countries like Australia, and you have a 90% chance of actually seeing any, if you’re at the right spot at the right time.

The best places on the island to go whale and dolphin watching in Mirissa and Kalpitiy. Mirissa is located in Down South and Kalpitiya is located in the North West. The best time of the year to do it is from November through April. 

There are many companies offering those boat rides at just about the same price, but the ones you’re looking for are the ones who adhere to the WDCS (Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society) criteria. One of the most important criteria being: not going to close so as not to disturb the animals. Bring a tele-lens! Oh, and when offered seasickness pills, be sure to take them, as the boats are rather small and tend to be quite rocky when out on sea.

The Blue Whale is the largest animal on earth measuring a mind boggling 30 meters. It is a mammal with lungs, so it has to come up for air. It can stay down holding its breath for 30 minutes at a time, so whale watching is really a waiting game, as are all safaris by the way. When it comes up it will spout air and water from its blowhole, take a couple of breaths swimming back and forth, before taking a really long one and dive down to look for food again, showing you its enormous – and the photo moment everybody is waiting for – tail. There are many other kinds of whales though: fin whales, sperm whales, etc. Sri Lanka counts 27 types.

On the way over to the spotting grounds on sea, or on the way back, you will probably – if you’re lucky – also encounter any number and variety of pods of playful dolphins, that will accompany the boat like an escort for a while, darting, jumping, and cavorting, seemingly saying: hi, how are you doing, do you want to play? Going out watching whales and dolphins is a great opportunity to talk to you kids about the animals and our duty to protect them, help them thrive. Make them understand, though, that either the whales or dolphins are there to do any acrobatics, as they may expect them to do from having seen animals like them on television.