Situated a few kilometres north of the main Hikkaduwa town lies the Sea Turtle Hatchery and Rescue Centre, a centre with the aim of conserving some of …
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4.0/5 · 1,534 reviews
5-star
40%
4-star
17%
3-star
3%
2-star
11%
1-star
29%
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Feb 2, 2025
The ticket prices is ridiculously expensive . Just go to turtle beach in Hikkaduwa or Bentota - all free !! There’s a conservation area on Hikkaduwa beach as well - free !!Full review by Michael F
Jan 12, 2025
It is so good to see that this place is doing their part in rescuing turtles. Sad to see some of the turtles are without body parts and that they can not be released, but they have a place in the san…Full review by Jennie G
Jan 10, 2025
This is a very important tourist site to visit. Turtles who have been hurt by getting entangled in fishing nets or shark bites are brought here for treatment and taken care of the authorities in saf…Full review by Vinith V
Open from 0700 to 1800 every day. Telephone 0772 938 338 Sometimes just before dark they release the baby turtles back into the sea. You may be able to see this at closing time! …
Open from 0700 to 1800 every day. Telephone 0772 938 338 Sometimes just before dark they release the baby turtles back into the sea. You may be able to see this at closing time! Good luck!
Did you find the experience to be ethical and good for the wellbeing of the animals? I worry that baby turtles should not be handled by lots of tourists - do the turtles get released to be in the wild where they belong?
A:
I can only report my experience: this place is located next to a jewellery shop (which may mean nothing, but still...) and the day I visted it was very crowded, packed full with groups of …
I can only report my experience: this place is located next to a jewellery shop (which may mean nothing, but still...) and the day I visted it was very crowded, packed full with groups of tourists and families. We were told to "join the ongoing tour", which was a guy explaining in broad terms how they work. We were shown the sandpit and then the tanks on the right side, where they keep baby turtles. There were at least four people handling the turtles or giving them to their kids to take pictures. I found it annoying and unethical. There are other tanks with larger turtles, which seem able to fend for themselves but I had the impression they're kept for tourists to take a look at bigger speciments and finally two central tanks with two turtles, each missing a leg. In that case, I can understand they cannot survive in the wild. Summarizing, it was a short visit and I guess at least they save somne turtles, but having anybody picking up and putting down baby turtles is certainly not ethic. The ticket price is very low, so it's not an issue. I would not recommend and regretted having visited, but it's just my personal opinion.
I don't think they close down except int he wee hours, the poeple who maintain it, also live there.. so good chance you would see them if you go 10 - 4ish. But look at the website …
I don't think they close down except int he wee hours, the poeple who maintain it, also live there.. so good chance you would see them if you go 10 - 4ish. But look at the website for more details.
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