Rekawa turtle watch
A late-evening, community-run walk along Rekawa beach to watch a female turtle come ashore and lay eggs. It is dark, it involves waiting and nothing is guaranteed.
What the Rekawa turtle watch actually is
Rekawa is a long beach east of Tangalle where sea turtles nest. Five of the world’s seven species are recorded nesting on this coast, and green turtles are the ones most visitors see. The turtle watch is a guided night visit: you arrive after dark, wait on the beach with a guide, and only when a female has started to lay do you approach quietly.
The set-up grew out of a community project. A youth group began surveying the coast in 1993, and the Turtle Conservation Project later turned former egg poachers into nest protectors and guides. In 2006 the beach became Sri Lanka’s first marine turtle sanctuary, according to the project’s partnership listing, and local people now run the watching.
Expect a long wait. Visitors typically arrive around 8 pm and can be told it may run until midnight or later. The turtle digs a decoy pit first, then the real nest, and laying only starts well after that. Sightings are not guaranteed any night.
Worth your attention
A female coming ashore
Slow, heavy and obviously exhausted. Guides keep everyone back until she is laying.
The nesting sequence
Decoy pit first, then the real nest. The delay is part of the animal’s routine, not a guide stalling.
The guides
Many are former poachers, and they identify and tag turtles and protect nests from predators.
Marked nests
Nests are marked and guarded against dogs, crows and ants, and staff record what hatches. What you see depends on the night.
Before you go
Do this
- Wear dark clothes and bring mosquito repellent
- Follow the guide’s instructions about when to approach
- Bring a torch only for the walk in, and switch it off on the beach
- Book through your hotel or the local conservation hut
Know this first
- No flash, no torches and no loud noise on the beach
- Sightings are not guaranteed, and you can wait for hours
- It is dark and the beach is uneven; take care with children
- Some beach operators elsewhere keep turtles in tanks for photos; this is the opposite and should stay that way
Getting to Rekawa turtle watch
Most people see Rekawa turtle watch as part of a stay around Tangalle. Our Tangalle guide covers where to stay, how long to give it and what else is nearby.
Coming straight from the airport, the relevant run is Colombo Airport to Tangalle — fixed price per vehicle, driver waiting inside arrivals with a name board.
Read the full Tangalle guideFrom Colombo Airport
Car up to 3 passengers; vans quoted on the route page. No night surcharge.
Rekawa turtle watch — frequently asked
What is the Rekawa turtle watch?
A guided night visit to Rekawa beach near Tangalle to watch nesting sea turtles, run by the local community with conservation partners.
Will I definitely see a turtle?
No. Guides say there is no guarantee that turtles come to nest every night, and you may wait for hours.
Which turtles nest at Rekawa?
Five of the world’s seven species are recorded on this coast, with green turtles the ones most visitors see.
Can I use a camera?
Not with flash. Guides also do not allow torches or loud noise on the beach, so check with your guide before photographing.
Also worth stopping for around Tangalle
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