If you want to go whale watching in Sri Lanka, the best area for this is in Mirissa.  In fact, that is the main reason to visit Mirissa.  The beach isn’t spectacular, but the blue whales that swim in its water are incredible.  The blue whales are the largest animal that have ever lived.  Blue whales are even bigger than the biggest dinosaurs.  The whale watching trips leave at 6 am, so you will be getting up early, but the early morning harbor views are just gorgeous.

I highly recommend going whale watching in Sri Lanka with the group Raja and the Whales.  Raja is a researcher with the University, so he makes sure to keep a good distance from the whales and gives them the respect that they are due.  (I was beginning to curse the distance part when three hours went by and we hadn’t seen any whales, but finally we did).  He even makes the statement on the boat that the whale’s happiness comes first and then the customers.  I was very glad to be on a boat that had this attitude towards preserving the natural environment of these magical animals.

The other thing that won me over was food!  They served us coffee in china cups right when we arrived.  (Very much-needed).  They also served us some beautiful fruit on china as well, which I found to be very impressive.  A note if you get sea sick.  The water is VERY choppy.  Sit on the bottom deck as it’s less rocky than the top.  Also, I highly recommend taking something for motion sickness.  I know I wouldn’t have survived without it.  I did sleep on the whole boat ride back because it made me so drowsy, but it was worth it.

I saw blue whales and bottlenose dolphins on the whale watching trip.  Both were unforgettable.  Even more unforgettable were Raja’s words.  Someone asked him about a boat that was going faster than it should to get to the whales.  Raja’s response was, ‘We can’t get angry at them. They don’t know any better. If I get angry and start yelling at them, they won’t want to listen. I have to teach them that there is a better way.”

Yes, Raja, yes.  If we could all remember this when others disappoint us, that they are just doing what they know. If we can teach each other in kindness rather than anger, well, I think that’s the message the whales have been trying to give us all along.