Rajesh (right) and the crew of Raja & the Whales
See the biggest
creatures
on Earth
with Raja & the Whales
Blue whales – the largest creatures on Earth – humpback whales, dolphins, sperm whales, orcas (killer whales), flying fish, can all seen a few miles off the South Coast of Sri Lanka.
The ‘Raja and the Whales’ crew run daily whale-watching trips aboard their boat Raja to see the whales year-round.
Raja - the 43-foot boat specially built for whale watching
-
What:
Boat-based whale watching -
Where:
Depart Mirissa harbour,
Sri Lanka - south coast -
When:
7am daily departure
Half-day trips
Year-round
(sometimes 2 trips a day depending on demand) -
Skipper:
Rajesh -- with support crew -
Cost:
Sri Lanka rupees 6,000 (about US$60) per person -
Contact:
Tel: 0094 (0)77 695 3452 (Rajesh)
Tel: 0094 (0)71 941 0479 (Sameer)
Email: rajaandthewhales@gmail.com
A blue whale dives off the coast of Sri Lanka
Former fishermen, these young guys have spent a life on the sea and know
these waters like it's their own backyard - it literally is. They have
moved from catching fish to protecting and observing whales. They are all
local surfers at Mirissa point and have a deep-rooted love of the ocean
and respect for Nature. From this has grown their strong conservation ethic
and their desire to protect and show others these magnificent creatures.
They depart from the palm-fringed, picturesque Mirissa harbour in the early morning
and head south. These guys are really experienced with the sea and the waters
off the coast of Sri Lanka - they know where the whales are!
November thru April is a perfect time to do this half-day whale watching adventure
– as the sea here at this time of year is calm and is an exquisite iridescent
blue wafted with a light tropical breeze.
Raja, the 43-foot wooden, specially designed whale-watching boat, is robust, comfortable and safe. It is fitted with all necessary navigational equipment and life preservers.
The round trip takes about 4-5 hours. The crew serve a light breakfast on board as well as refreshments throughout the trip.
View Whale watching - Sri Lanka in a larger map
Whale protection
Raja & the whales follow internationally agreed whale watching regulations to avoid disturbing the whales.
The Crew play an important part in whale conservation by providing their whale observation data from this part of the Indian Ocean to key international whale observation and mapping programmes.
