Whale Watching in Trincomalee
From dolphins to tropical fish, and various sharks, the Indian Ocean has been quite generous with its marine biodiversity. But if you’re looking to have a whale of a time, Sri Lanka has just what you need! With many hot whale-watching spots and even the world’s largest resident blue whale community, Sri Lanka’s waters are teeming with these gentle giants!
A Whale Watching Paradise
Trincomalee, even though it’s best known for its amazing surf, is also one of the best places to catch a glimpse of these whales! Located about 2 hours away from Pasikudah, Trincomalee boasts a bunch of whale watching spots, but the most popular ones are the Nilaveli and Uppuveli beaches. Here, you can even see groups of bottlenose dolphins, being their usual mischievous selves in the water. The occasional orca, too, may show up (though this is rare)!
The Diverse Species and Season
The blue whale does make an appearance in this region, though not as commonly as in Mirissa, but the world’s largest mammal is more than accommodating when it comes to being flashy in Trincomalee. Another friendly behemoth that frequents the waters of Trinco is the sperm whale, which deep-dives down the very bottom to feed and then pops up the rare now and then to say hello and take a breath.
July is the best time to spot blue whales here, whereas whale watching, in general, is in season on the East Coast from May to October every year. If you’re experienced and are able to get a guide for your underwater expedition, you could even swim along with the whales!
