Dolphin & Whale Watching Kalpitiya

Dolphin Watching

Kalpitiya is the paradise of Dolphins and Kalpitiya is apparently the best place to go dolphin watching. You can see pods of 1000 dolphins. Kalpitiya is home to a variety of dolphins that can be found in close proximity to the coast the Spinner dolphin being the most common. Other dolphins that can be spotted here include Bottlenose, Risso’s, Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphins, etc.The best time for dolphin watching in Kalpitiya is from November to March/April. During this time, conditions are perfect to view a variety of sea mammals: the monsoon season is over and the seas are relatively calm. During this dolphin watching season in Sri Lanka, it is relatively safer for boat rides out in the ocean, since the sea is not as choppy as it is during monsoon months. In addition, since the sea is calm, it is easier to spot dolphins and see them from greater distances.. Dolphins avoid windy seas, which is why being aware of the season is so important November and December ideally. The seas off Kalpitiya Peninsula became famous relatively recently in 2005 when large pods of Spinner dolphins were spotted. These dolphins were mainly found in an area that ran north-south parallel to the Kalpitiya peninsula, in-shore off the reef, which is commonly known as the ‘Dolphin Line’. Since then, Kalpitiya has become one of the top destinations for dolphin watching in Sri Lanka. The fully licensed boats can hold a maximum of 6 people.

Whale Watching

You can be seen Blue Whales (largest mammal in the world), Bryde's Whales , Sperm Whales , Killer Whales , False Killer , Dwarf , Melon Headed Whales, Minke, Cuvier's Beaked Whales and if lucky, the elusive Indian Blue Whales in Kalpitiya.Sperm Whales are most common (the second largest species of the whale). November to December and March to April showcases the whales. Seeing whales in their natural habitat are something only a few of us can dream of, and Kalpitiya affords you this opportunity to view whales just a short distance from the island’s shore. Kalpitiya is one of the best places in Asia to watch Sperm Whales. It has cemented its place as one of the top three whale watching spots in Sri Lanka, in addition to Mirissa in the south and Trincomalee in the east. These spots are key whale watching sites because of the proximity of the continental shelf, logistics and the wide diversity of marine mammal species. The best place to set off on a whale watching tour is from Alankuda Beach in Kalpitiya. Whales are usually spotted beyond the reef, which lies around 6 km from the coast, parallel to the peninsula. As the edge of the continental shelf comes in close to the peninsula, whales and other marine mammals can safely migrate in deep water whilst having access to nutrients close to shore. This means that whale watching enthusiasts do not have to travel far out in the open seas to see the spellbinding creatures, making Kalpitiya, Sri Lanka one of the best whale watching destinations in the region.