Responsible Whale Watching in Sri Lanka with F-airways

Watch the largest mammal in the world and the natural beauty of the Southern Coast of Sri Lanka from the sky!

It has been almost 10 years since the end of Sri Lanka’s civil war and Sri Lanka has been named as the top country for travel in 2019 by Lonely Planet. The country has a lot to offer and explore for tourists, which can easily take days up to weeks. Yet something to include in your travel itineraries is whale watching in the South of Sri Lanka.

We travelled from Galle to Koggala Airport which took less than 30 minutes in a cab in order to experience this for ourselves. Koggala Airport was originally a Royal Air Force Station and is now used by F-airways and the Sri Lankan Air Force. 

Scenic Views 

The first thing that blew our minds was the breathtaking view of the entire South Coast of Sri Lanka. We could see the beaches of Mirissa, Unawatuna and Galle which is a scenic composition of several different hues of blue and turquoise. We had visited these places the day before but our view from the sky gave us a whole new perspective to it and to Sri Lanka’s natural beauty. 

Responsible Whale Watching

We were flying over the Indian Ocean, about 20 miles off the coast at 500 plus feet, trying to spot a whale and we saw over 15 boats filled with tourists in the ocean. When we spotted a whale, it took our pilot a few seconds to bring us closer to see the blue whale up close but within a safe distance so as not to disturb the whale in its natural habitat. It was an incredible experience seeing the 70 to 90 feet Blue Whale breathe at the surface from its blowhole. This immediately became the highlight of our trip. 

What really disturbed us while whale watching was how the boats were aggressively trying to chase the whale, and due to their sudden acceleration, instead of breathing for a minute, the whales dived into the water in less than 30 seconds. It is also concerning to know that the whales are starting to swim further away from the coast as their natural habitat is currently being disturbed by boats. 

Observing the majestic nature of the largest mammal in the world, the Blue Whale, from an aerial point of view and seeing the natural beauty of the South coast of Sri Lanka has made us fall in love with this country. We absolutely recommend adding this to your bucket list the next time you visit Sri Lanka. 

Whether you’re a solo traveller, a couple travelling together, or families with children, F-airways has flights 7 days a week that starts from 8.00am till 3.30pm. Whale Watching with F-airways starts from USD$150 per person for 45 minutes. It is USD$90 for children between 3 - 14 years old. 

For online reservations please visit www.f-air.lk or call + 94 774 445 830. Email [email protected]