Sri Lanka has the potential to become one of the global hot spots for whale watching as it is among the easiest places in the world to watch blue and sperm whales, according to researchers, marine biologists and eco tourism specialists.
The country is situated within the International Whaling Commission’s protected zone in the Indian Ocean. Of the 80 species of cetaceans observed and identified worldwide, 26 are found in the Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal.
Whale and dolphin watching is a seasonal activity in Sri Lanka, particularly on the west coast from Kalpitiya and along the south west coast from November to March, while the east coast off Trincomalee is preferable from June to September.
“The Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society estimates that ten million people go whale watching every year,” said Heba AL Ghais AL Mansoori, Middle East director of Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB). “Sri Lanka has the potential to attract several thousand whale watchers on bespoke tours or even to take one off excursions.”
Al Mansoori said that Sri Lanka was the most reliable and easiest location in which to see both blue and sperm whales.
Sri Lankan Airlines operates a full Airbus fleet to 41 destinations in 22 countries worldwide. Flights from the Middle East to Colombo connect with onward services to the Maldives, 11 key destinations in India, seven destinations in the Far East including Malaysia, Singapore, China and Thailand.