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Whale watching rules and Pettah ticket scams in Colombo

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O
Oliver B.•10450 rep•2

A tout outside Pettah station offered to sell us cheap whale watching tickets for Mirissa Is this a known scam or are the rules lax

27
colombobeacheswildlifebudget-travelsafety

5 Answers from travellers

✓Accepted Answer

100% a scam. Legitimate whale watching companies in Mirissa do not sell tickets through street touts in Colombo (which is 3 hours away). These touts will sell you fake paper vouchers or book you onto illegal, tiny speedboats that harass the whales and break all Coast Guard rules. Walk away. Only book directly through the websites of ethical operators like Raja and the Whales.

34
A
Amali D.•10950 rep•1

Wow, they had an official looking binder and everything. Glad I asked.

49
O
Oliver B.•10450 rep•2

Pettah touts lie about everything. Do not buy any tour tickets from them.

33
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Sophia M.•7995 rep•2

It is all part of the hustle. Keep walking straight into the bus terminal.

14
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Amali D.•10950 rep•1

If you show up in Mirissa with one of those fake vouchers, the boats will just laugh at you.

9
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Suresh K.•9390 rep•1

Scam Watch: colombo

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