Sri Lanka is one of the few places in the world where you can view wild sea turtles interact in their natural habitat. On top of this, five out of the world’s seven turtle species – all of whom are endangered – can be found along the shore of Sri Lanka. One of the best locations to observe these fascinating marine reptiles is at the Rekawa Beach in Tangalle.
Rekawa Turtle watching is a marine conservation programme that’s based around the Rekawa Beach. It focuses specifically on ensuring the continued survival of Sri Lanka’s sea turtles. Here, turtle eggs are collected and kept safe until they are ready to hatch – at which point the hatchlings are released into the ocean – and old and injured turtles are rehabilitated and given sanctuary. As for turtle observing, you can go out to the beach with an experienced guide on any given evening. Granted, it is not always a guarantee that you’ll see a turtle – you’ll still be able to observe their nests and study the trails they leave behind.
Now, you can interact with some of the turtles found in the establishment as well. However, there are certain rules that you’ll need to abide by. These have been put in place so that the turtles don’t get too stressed out. For example, flash photography is prohibited alongside bright torches.
In order to keep functioning, Rekawa Turtle Watch primarily relies on donations. So, you can do your part to save Sri Lanka’s turtles by donating if you had a good time here.
