The 15 Best Whale Watching Tours in Sri Lanka

1.Whales and Dolphins Watching-Luxury Super Grade Cruiser(Hotel Pick up offered)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,268 reviews · from $65Our pick

Set out from Mirissa at 6:30 am on a cruiser carrying up to 40 people. The crew searches for blue whales, fin whales, sperm whales, and dolphins, with breakfast, tea, coffee, and a restroom included. Hotel pickup may be available, but confirm the exact fee and return arrangements before booking.

“After having experienced whale watching in several places, this particular activity turned out to be a nightmare. Firstly they asked us to report by 6:10 am and the boat did not depart until 7:05 am. The boat was extremely dirty and not well Read more”

Check availability →Read our full review

2.Whale Watching Mirissa with ( WWC )

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 252 reviews · from $55

Meet Manoj and the Whale Watching Club at Mirissa Harbour at 6:00 am for a five-hour trip aboard Queen Whale, a roomy catamaran limited to 45 people. Expect coffee, breakfast, dolphins, possible whales, snacks, and a 30-minute sea swim.

“Wonderful crew. They have eagle eyes. Freindly and very helpful for our entire group. I would recomned an outing with this business.”

Check availability →Read our full review

3.Whale Watching Mirissa with Eagle Eye

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 128 reviews · from $70

Set out from Mirissa at about 7:00 a.m. aboard Eagle Eye’s large trimaran to search for blue whales, dolphins, and turtles. You’ll get hotel pickup in the Mirissa area, breakfast, snacks, drinks, Wi-Fi, life jackets, and first-aid equipment. Sightings depend entirely on nature and weather.

“All worked according to plan but we needed to proactively confirm the pick up time via Whatsapp. Luckily we did as it was 30 min before what was written in Viator app. I got really sea sick (despite a sea sick pill) and saw almost nothing - just hanging (vomiting) on loRead more”

Check availability →Read our full review

4.Sports Boat- Private Whale Watching Trip( free breakfast & paid pick-up)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 93 reviews

Set out from Mirissa at 7:00 am on a private 10-meter twin-engine sports boat for up to eight people. A naturalist provides live commentary as you search for blue whales, dolphins, turtles, and other sea life. Breakfast, drinks, snacks, WiFi, and an onboard restroom are included.

“Great whale, dolphin and turtle spotting experience. Wonderful staff and an excellent, clean boat. We had a whale of a time :)”

Check availability →Read our full review

5.Whales Watching and Navy Island Snorkeling Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 81 reviews · 5 hours · from $84

Start early at Trinco Bay Dive Center with tea or coffee, then watch for whales and spinner dolphins offshore before snorkeling near Navy Island. Your guide provides equipment, safety support, fruit, and free underwater photos and videos. Whale sightings depend on season and sea conditions.

“Great experience! We strongly recommend. The staff was extremely professional and friendly, we saw everything that we wanted and even more (whales, dolphins, sea turtles etc.). 100% must in Sri Lanka.”

Check availability →Read our full review

6.Whale & Dolphin Safari Tour with Expert Guides

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 53 reviews · 1 day · from $71

Set out early from Trincomalee on a 2 to 3 hour speedboat safari with an English, German, French, Russian, or Chinese-speaking guide. Search for blue and fin whales, dolphins, turtles, flying fish, and seabirds, then return past the famous Hindu Temple. Small boats, refreshments, and life jackets are included.

““I had the most unforgettable experience with this whale and dolphin watching tour in Trincomalee! From the moment we stepped onto the boat, the crew was incredibly friendly, knowledgeable, and clearly passionate about marine life. We saw several pods of dolphins and even spotted a majestic blue whale—something I’ll never forget! What really made this tour stand out compared to others was the small-group setting, which made it feel personal and safe. Unlike the crowded boats we saw from other companies, this tour offers a peaceful, close-up experience with nature. The guides followed respectful, eco-friendly practices, and shared fascinating information about the whales, dolphins, and local ...”

Check availability →Read our full review

7.Snorkeling with Whales in Mirissa

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 42 reviews · from $348

Set out from Mirissa in a boat limited to 10 people to look for blue, fin, Bryde’s, sperm, and pilot whales. Your package includes snorkeling gear, snacks, bottled water, and tuk-tuk pickup from Mirissa hotels. Swimming is allowed only when sea and wildlife conditions permit.

“Well it was one of our most looking forward moments on our Sri Lanka Tour. The booking and booking personal was smooth. 1 Star for this. The pickup was file as well. Just arrived we got a quick welcome and our mask and flippers. FlippeRead more”

Check availability →Read our full review

8.Dolphin & Whale Watching Boat Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 37 reviews · 2 hours · from $40

Meet your captain at Nilaveli Beach before sunrise for a two to two-and-a-half-hour shared boat ride. Look for spinner dolphins, blue whales, sperm whales, turtles, flying fish, and pilot whales. Life jackets and water are included, while hotel transfers cost extra.

“Fajna przygoda, widzieliśmy wiele delfinów, przewodnik był zaangażowany. Niestety nie widzieliśmy wieloryba...”

Check availability →Read our full review

9.All Inclusive Mirissa Whale and Dolphin Watching Boat Ride

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 29 reviews · 4.5 hours · from $90

Set out before sunrise from the Mirissa area for 4.5 hours on the Indian Ocean. Your English-speaking crew searches for whales and dolphins, with possible sightings of turtles and manta rays. Hotel pickup, snacks, water, and an animal welfare ticket are included.

“Really nice tour. Compared to other ships there were almost no people on the board which made it even better. Service was great.”

Check availability →Read our full review

10.Mirissa Whale & Dolphin Watching Cruise with Geeth’s Crew

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 16 reviews · from $29

Meet Geeth’s crew at Mirissa Fisheries Harbour for a 3 to 4-hour whale-watching cruise at 7:00 AM. Look for blue whales, sperm whales, Bryde’s whales, fin whales, dolphins, and turtles while enjoying breakfast, tea, safety gear, and hotel pickup in Mirissa.

“Good experienced crew who managed to find us whales. We had no problems everything ran smoothly would recommend”

Check availability →Read our full review

11.Whale & dolphin Watching Boat Tour with Breakfast

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 8 reviews · from $71

Join Believe it tours from Mirissa Harbour for a three-hour morning at sea. Delon handles WhatsApp contact, while an experienced captain guides the boat. Watch for whales and dolphins, eat a hot breakfast, and return with fruit, water, and wide ocean views.

Check availability →Read our full review

12.Whale & Dolphin Watching Tour in Trincomalee | Scenic Boat Ride

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 8 reviews · from $30

Set out from Nilaveli near Trincomalee for a roughly three-hour search for blue whales, sperm whales, and spinner dolphins. Choose a private cruise or a small group of up to 14, with some options offering transfers, breakfast, snacks, and drinks. Sightings are likely, but never guaranteed.

“Wasn’t deep sea fishing and kept taking the line off my son everytime he caught something. Guide spoke zero English”

Check availability →Read our full review

13.Great Whales Education Programe Dolphins and Whales are in SL

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 7 reviews · from $25Best value

Spend one hour with Ms. A.H. Deepika Kumari learning about blue whales, dolphins, Sri Lanka’s whale watching points, boats, weather, and responsible viewing. The private session in Matara includes tea, coffee, snacks, bottled water, and time for questions.

“We booked Great Whales education programme on line . The staff send What app message and ask about time and we were confirm time , but that date we were unable to organized our transport. We were inform , they were like to change tRead more”

Check availability →Read our full review

14.2-Day Whale Watching & Southern Sri Lanka Tour

★★★★★★★★★★3.8 · 6 reviews · 2 days · from $292

Travel from Colombo to Mirissa with a small group of up to 10 people, stopping at Bentota, Galle Fort, Hikkaduwa, a turtle centre, and Kande Vihara. Your guide handles the route and overnight stay, while whale and river boat fees are paid separately.

“The tour was everything I had expected and envisioned it to be - we had a very friendly and knowledgeable guide, who explained to us certain histories and information about the places we passed, or was going to. He made sure we were well settled into our hotel for the night, and was ready to help us at any of the other excursions. I really enjoyed the river cruise - as I did not know what to expect, and saw the amazing wildlife the mangroves had to offer us! My only complaint is that the hotel room we stayed at had very little air conditioning, and the room and bathroom…”

Check availability →Read our full review

15.Whale & Dolphin Watching Trip with Private Transfer

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 6 reviews · 7 - 9 hours · from $85

You leave your coastal hotel before dawn for Mirissa Fisheries Harbour, then join a shared boat at 7:00 AM. Expect three to six hours at sea, a light breakfast of sandwiches and fruit, English guidance, and private air-conditioned transport back to your hotel. Whale sightings are never guaranteed.

“Excellent trip. Well organised. We saw a few fin whales, so exciting when the guides spot them and direct everyone to have opportunity to see both dolphins and whales in their habitats. Loved this trip, very informative. Food was also very good. Thanks.”

Check availability →Read our full review