Mirissa Fisheries Harbour — Attraction in Southern Province

A small harbour for fishing boats & probably more important for whale watching boats.

A narrow laneway from beach highway leading to the water side. No matter which hotels you stay or that you have your own car or private driver, the operating system is that your driver will take you to a certain spot, usually a guest house, depending on for whom you booked your whale watching tour. Then a tuktuk will take you to the waterside through that narrow laneway which is too narrow for any car.

Once to the waterside, it becomes very messy as there are too many tuktuks and too many tourists. Sticking to the prime contacting person you met in the first place. Don't listen to othets, otherwise you might be told to board on a wrong boat.

Lifejacket provoded once on board - not bad a safety measure. Be prepared to wait for an hour or even more after boardong before the boat leaves harbour. Simply too many such boats, too many tourists & too many unexpected factors to delay the departures.

Coffee & boxed snack are provided on board.

It is said the chance to see the whale is 90%. Let's see how is our today's luck. (Written when on board waiting for boat departure.)

Back to harbour after 4 hours at sea. I boarded the Eagle Eye boat. A really exciting whale watching trip. We sighted whales on about 10 occasions with 3 quite close-in sighting to take photos of whale blowing water, diving and playing. An amazing and spectacular sight.

The whales we saw are blue whale, the largest animal on the planet, can grow to 33 meters and 180 tons. In fact, the whales we saw today are all very large.

When all are happy with this whale watching, boat started returning harbour. Except to the boxed breakfast served at start, the cake and banana are also served on return trip.

The Eagle Eye seems going far in to sea than all the other boats and the Captain is very experienced in his profession.

During our return trip to harbour, suddenly the full-throttlef engine stopped. While everyone was puzzling, captain pointed at near distance - there is a sea turtle swimming nearby for us to see and to take photo.

How sharp are his eyes to spot a sea turtle on a vast sea while controlling and piloting this double deck vessle!

Boat crew's friendly service is also very much appreciated. (Written during the Eagle Eye return trip...

This place looks so beautiful in the mornings. We had to be there early as we had to board our boats for the whale watching trip. We left our hotels at about 5 in the morning as it was about a 1 hour drive in the morning from our hotel in Hikkaduwa to Mirissa and one hour because there was absoulutely no traffic enroute to Mirissa.

The boats in the harbour looked so beautiful with the rays of the sun falling on them. This place reminds me of places such as Kerala and Goa in India.

We got on to our boats and we were about 10 of us friends. Apart from us there were another 20 passengers in the boat.

All were given life jackets and sea sickness tablets. Many of my friends and I did not take the tabs. We were served tea/coffee on the boats and then the trip started. The waters were really rough. After about 20 minutes we were served packed breakfast which consisted of a chocolate drink, a sandwich and a bottle of water. We were also served bananas.

We were on the ground deck as we wanted to take some pictures, however the sea was so rough that we could not stand out and came in as there was a heavy splash of water.

Finally we were told that they spotted the whales and indeed, we did spot them and i managed a few pictures of them. We were surrounded by many boats but we managed seeing the whale from close.

The trip costed us close to about $50, but yes these trips are memories for a life time as we got to see the whales too.

Have fun and take care and do not miss Mirissa when you are in Sri Lanka as this place too has lovely beaches.

Stay safe ! Keep the...

The Mirissa Fisheries Harbour is a fascinating spot to experience the authentic coastal life of Sri Lanka. It's not just a hub for fishing activities but also a vibrant and bustling place filled with local energy. The harbor provides a great opportunity to witness fishermen unloading their fresh catch and preparing their colorful boats for the next venture into the sea.

For tourists, it’s a gateway to whale-watching tours and deep-sea fishing expeditions, making it a must-visit for adventure enthusiasts. The area is clean and well-maintained, and the surrounding view of the ocean is stunning, especially during sunrise.

If you’re a seafood lover, you’ll also find vendors selling the freshest fish straight from the boats. The locals are warm and welcoming, eager to share stories of their fishing traditions.

Overall, Mirissa Fisheries Harbour is more than just a working port—it’s a cultural experience that offers a glimpse into the daily life of Sri Lanka’s coastal communities. Highly recommended for a unique and...