Rekawa Turtle Beach
A protected beach near Tangalle where five species of sea turtle come ashore at night to nest, watched on guided conservation walks after dark.
About 10 km east of Tangalle, in the small fishing village of Rekawa, a stretch of coastline holds the distinction of being one of Sri Lanka's most important sea turtle nesting sites, five of the world's seven marine turtle species, green, hawksbill, olive ridley, leatherback and loggerhead, all coming ashore here to lay their eggs. That significance nearly went unprotected though, decades of local egg poaching threatening the population until the Turtle Conservation Project, founded in 1993, launched a pioneering community based protection program here in 1996, one of the first of its kind anywhere in Sri Lanka.
What made the program genuinely effective was its approach, rather than simply banning egg collection, it employed former poachers directly as nest protectors and tour guides, turning a destructive livelihood into a conservation one, an initiative that's since won international recognition for its impact across environmental, economic and community lines. In 2006, the Department of Wildlife Conservation, working alongside the project and several other environmental bodies, formally declared Rekawa Beach a wildlife sanctuary, a designation that legally blocked hotel development along the shore and cemented long term protection for the nesting grounds. Since 2012, the program has operated under full community management through Nature Friends of Rekawa, self sustained through the very eco-tourism it helped build.
Visitors typically arrive after dark for guided turtle watch sessions, waiting quietly along the beach for a female to emerge from the surf and begin nesting, April through July bringing the strongest activity with sometimes 5 to 15 turtles visiting in a single night, while October through January sees considerably fewer sightings. It's a genuinely patient, unhurried kind of wildlife encounter, watching an ancient ritual unfold in near total darkness, guided by people whose own relationship with these turtles has fundamentally changed over the three decades since the project began.
At a glance
- Entry fee: Turtle watch fee applies
- Opening hours: Nightly turtle watches, roughly 8:00pm onward
- Time needed: 2 to 3 hours
- Best time: Year-round, with peaks around April to July
Getting there
At Rekawa, about 10km east of Tangalle.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does it cost to visit Rekawa Turtle Beach?
- Turtle watch fee applies.
- What are the opening hours at Rekawa Turtle Beach?
- Nightly turtle watches, roughly 8:00pm onward.
- How long should I spend at Rekawa Turtle Beach?
- Plan for 2 to 3 hours.
- When is the best time to visit Rekawa Turtle Beach?
- Year-round, with peaks around April to July.
- How do I get to Rekawa Turtle Beach?
- At Rekawa, about 10km east of Tangalle.