Whale watching by air in Sri Lanka – A win-win for the whales and you.
At Fozoo Travel we always seek out sustainable ways in which Sri Lanka and its magic can be explored. With the waters off Sri Lankan being considered some of the best in the world to see all kinds of whales, the demand for whale watching tours have been staggering. Kalpitiya, Trincomalee and Mirissa all offer a multitude of whale watching excursions. Unfortunately this means heavy traffic in those areas frequented by whales.
A lot of travellers are put off by the experience when you see far too many boats and the environment is being polluted by fuel fumes, smoke and noise pollution. More importantly, all this traffic is distressing to the gentle giants and maine life in general. This is why Aerial tours for whale watching are a spark of genius!
Flight details
We work with a provider that offers two Cessna 172 aircrafts and engage in whale watching excursions that are safe for both you and the whales. Flights operate from Koggala airport (arrivals/departures via Koggala Air Force Camp) with scheduled flights starting from, 8.00 am to 3.30 pm
Ticket cost per person is $150 ($100 per kid between age 3-14) and the flight will be 45 minutes.
All content here is courtesy of pir partner F-airways.
“Long advocated by marine biologists, the aerial tours have the benefit of not disturbing whales in their natural habitat, which is a worrying trend in Sri Lanka, where dozens of vessels chase down whales and create a large stress burden for the world’s largest mammals, in addition to marine pollution from lubricants and fuel. As compared to a 4-5 hour trip by boat, the aerial excursion takes just one hour and can also operate when sea surface conditions are not ideal for boat journeys” – Daily FT
“Whales are generally located between 5 to 15 nautical miles (8 to 25 km) off the coast and as we fly overhead amidst a cluster of tourist boats below – also on the same whale-watching expedition – we spot a blue whale. The boats are closing in like a race, the fastest to get there gets the best (camera) shot. We drop down to 700 feet and clearly see a large, majestic blue whale squirting water as it breathes on the surface of the water. As everyone up and down scramble for their long-range cameras, another one is spotted. Then at different times, single and whales moving in groups are spotted or breaking away probably due to the sounds, gliding through the turquoise blue waters. It’s easier to see them from the top as small aircrafts are less noisy than boats. As a boat nears one, the whale takes a huge dive and sinks into the ocean without a trace. Sanjaya says it would take 10 to 15 minutes for that creature to surface again because it dives to the depth of the ocean before rising.” – Sunday Times
To find out more about Whales, and the amazing work done by Sri Lankan Marine Biologist, Asha De Vos, please visit Oceanswell: www.ashadevos.com