Sri Lanka is one of the finest whale-watching destinations in the world, a fact that surprises many travellers who do not realise that the waters off the southern and eastern coasts are among the most reliable places to observe blue whales, the largest animals to have ever lived, at close and respectful range. The channel between Mirissa and Dondra Head, at Sri Lanka’s southernmost tip, serves as a migratory corridor for blue whales between November and April, with sightings on the great majority of expeditions during peak season. Spinner dolphins, sperm whales and occasionally sei whales and blue whale mother-calf pairs can also be observed on these ocean excursions.