Blue whales are the largest creatures on earth, measuring up to 30 meters in length, they live only a few miles off the South Coast of Sri Lanka. Whales are mammals so they have lungs instead of fish gills for breathing. Therefore, they cannot breathe underwater and need to come up for air. Blue whales can hold their breath underwater for an average 30 minutes before they must surface for air. When they surface, they spout the air (and lots of water with it spout out of their blowhole). They then stay onshore dipping in and out of the water,around 3-4 times, breathing in and out. Finally, they take one last long breath before making that beautiful dramatic (money shot) dive back down to look for food.
About a 30 minutes’ drive from the OTP Hotel, you will find the small seaside village of Mirissa. This is a jumping-off point to view blue whales in all their glory. This is the main whale watching area of the island. During the blue whale watching Sri Lanka season, there is a great opportunity to spot both Blue Whales and Sperm Whales in the same sail as well as Spinner Dolphins. This is where the whales congregate for part of the year, given the relatively calm seas in the south of the island from December onwards.
The whale watching is an approx. 7-hour tour, starts at 6 am where you will be picked up by a pre-booked car from the hotel and will reach the Mirissa harbour at 6:40 am. The boat tour from harbour will start at 7 am and takes around 30 minutes to an hour to reach a safe distance from where you can view the whales. The breakfast will be served on the ferry which is a real treat for everyone. A boat trip can last anywhere from 4 to 5 hours including 40 minutes to 1 hour whale-watching time. You will be safely dropped back to the hotel at 1 pm where you can relax at our OTP Botanik Beach Bar and followed by a wonderful al fresco lunch by the sea. Of course our bartender can stir up a chilled cocktail or for you he can spice it up with a Sri Lankan twist.
You could also opt to take a private boat for 2-6 people to avoid the group whale watching tours. Our hotel can make all the necessary arrangements including boat reservation, transport & breakfast hamper for your adventure trip to the whale safari. The guest just needs to wake up, have a coffee and get ready for the unforgettable marine life experience. The cost starts from $ 100 per person.
We can make your trip more comfortable with pressure bands to avoid the queasies! Relax and enjoy a session of blue whale watching. Sri Lanka awaits you!
We can make your trip more comfortable with pressure bands to avoid the queasies! Relax and enjoy a session of blue whale watching. Sri Lanka awaits you!
