Mainly three locations in Sri Lanka are ideal for whale watching: Mirissa in the southwest, Trincomalee in the northeast & Kalpitiya on the west coast
Whale Watching in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is considered one of the most popular whale-watching destinations in the world (Sankalpa et al., 2021). Presently, three locations in the country have become ideal for whale watching (Buultjens et al, 2016). These are Mirissa (and Galle) in the south-west, Trincomalee in the north-east and Kalpitiya on the west coast (Bandara & Bandara, 2019; Buultjens et al, 2017). The two species of whales in these locations are the blue ( Balaenoptera musculus ) and sperm whale [( Physeter macrocephalus ) Bandara & Bandara, 2019; Buultjens et al, 2016]. The history of whale watching in Sri Lanka can be dated back to 1983 (Bandara & Bandara, 2019; Buultjens et al, 2016; Buultjens et al, 2017). Small-scale operators brought tourists to watch whales from the Trincomalee coast but its growth was constrained due to the Sri Lankan civil war that majorly arose in the north and east of the country in 1983 (Buultjens et al, 2016). The next phase of whale watching tourism began in 2008 at Mi…
