Legal distance for boats watching blue whales in Mirissa
7 Answers from travellers
Under Sri Lankan Coast Guard and DWC regulations, boats MUST maintain a minimum distance of 100 meters from a whale. They must also reduce speed to a no-wake crawl and approach from parallel, NEVER from the front or rear. Unfortunately, many rogue operators ignore this. Please report the boats registration number to the tourist police.
Make sure to write a terrible TripAdvisor review. It is the only way to hurt these unethical operators.
The Navy occasionally patrols the waters, but they cannot catch everyone.
Never buy the cheapest ticket on the street. Those are the boats that break the rules.
Is there a list of approved ethical operators anywhere.
I was on a boat that chased one. The whale just dove deep and disappeared. It ruins it for everyone.
Look for operators that are WDC (Whale and Dolphin Conservation) certified, like Raja and the Whales.
Fair TukTuk Prices
Help travelers avoid overcharging!
Be the first to report a priceYou must be logged in to post an answer.
Log In to Answer