Sea Turtle Hatchery
Sea Turtle Hatchery
4
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Duration: < 1 hour
Meets animal welfare guidelines
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.0
123 reviews
Excellent
57
Very good
36
Average
20
Poor
3
Terrible
7
S Hollywood
Ireland9 contributions
Jun 2017
Really hated this place during our tour of Sri Lanka. Found it extremely cruel as large turtles have very small area to swim sometimes even 4/5 turtles jammed into a tiny pool with not enough room. Some turtles are limbless and blind and the guide makes them dance - did not impress me in fact it made me even more angry. Stray dogs wandering around during the tour and I explained at least 5 times I wanted the dogs away but the guide did not listen. At the end of the TEN MINUTE Tour the guide shoved a note in our face explaining that the turtle hatchery was very poor and needed tips. Also he lied and pointed to a tiny hut saying it was his home expecting EVEN MORE TIPS. I am extremely angry at the Sri Lankan country as we experienced this everywhere we went - people expecting tips even though u pay into these places. Do not go here
Written June 16, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Annelies De R
6 contributions
Jun 2016 • Solo
Entrance 500 R. The tourguide is less than 5 minutes. Many turtles are swimming in really small places. I didnt had a good feeling about everything.
Written June 15, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Simona M
24 contributions
Feb 2016 • Friends
Me and my mum (two women) stayed one day in Ambalangoda. We saw the Turtle Hatchery from the bus and decided to visit it. It's just a little place and the visit takes about half an hour or even less. The tutles are really cute and there is enough time to touch them, take pictures. I really appreciate this activity of saving the sea turtles.
But the problem was with our guide. He looked nice and friendly but later he turned too friendly. He kept standing really close to me and at the very end of the tour while taking a picture with a big turtle he rolled up his skirt and showed his "manhood".
This completely destroyed all the impression of the Turtle Hatchery. He also invited us for the evening to see the releasing of turtles to the sea which must be amazing experience but we were not keen on comming back again!
But the problem was with our guide. He looked nice and friendly but later he turned too friendly. He kept standing really close to me and at the very end of the tour while taking a picture with a big turtle he rolled up his skirt and showed his "manhood".
This completely destroyed all the impression of the Turtle Hatchery. He also invited us for the evening to see the releasing of turtles to the sea which must be amazing experience but we were not keen on comming back again!
Written February 24, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
NswAustraliaDidi
NSW AUSTRALIA1,141 contributions
Feb 2016 • Couples
Firstly I think it is wonderful that an effort is being made to rescue and protect the turtles, well done. The turtles you see are beautiful however I feel for them swimming in such confined areas just going up and down how sad to think that some of them will do this for the rest of their lives. Also I was concerned that we were allowed to handle the baby turtles, at the very least I think we should have been asked to wash our hands before touching them. I didn't handle any turtles as only a few minutes before arriving at the hatchery I had coated my hands in lotion, I didn't think baby turtles needed this on their little bellies.
Written February 8, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ljr2209
United Kingdom75 contributions
Sep 2018 • Couples
This place prides itself on being a sanctuary. After our visit I’m very sceptical this is little more than a money making scheme (naive statement perhaps) and we both felt very guilty we supported it afterwards.
Written October 13, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
A&D Meredith
United Kingdom216 contributions
Apr 2017 • Couples
Me and my partner visited this place after booking a day out with a guide by our hotel (Riu)
It was one of the best experiences we have ever had! We were lucky enough that on that day they had turtles ready to hatch so our first sight was seeing a worker digging to find them.
Once he had he pulled them out he gave us one to hold. Then we were able to go and put the babies into a large tank and see them swim for the first time. We were then guided around the rest of the tanks shown all the different species they have and how they rescue and save sick turtles.
We could then hold a larger turtle and that was a brilliant experience.
The place I find amazing as they are only interested in saving turtles and putting babies back safely into the sea.
A must visit if you are going to Sri Lanka
It was one of the best experiences we have ever had! We were lucky enough that on that day they had turtles ready to hatch so our first sight was seeing a worker digging to find them.
Once he had he pulled them out he gave us one to hold. Then we were able to go and put the babies into a large tank and see them swim for the first time. We were then guided around the rest of the tanks shown all the different species they have and how they rescue and save sick turtles.
We could then hold a larger turtle and that was a brilliant experience.
The place I find amazing as they are only interested in saving turtles and putting babies back safely into the sea.
A must visit if you are going to Sri Lanka
Written May 1, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Germur
8 contributions
Nov 2023 • Family
We found our visit to be more about money as the entry price cost more than entry to a large City Zoo. The Turtles’ tanks weren’t much larger than a household bath or plunge pool which we thought cruel for turtle species.
With staff following us around everywhere just looking for money, this trip was not enjoyable nor recommended.
With staff following us around everywhere just looking for money, this trip was not enjoyable nor recommended.
Written November 15, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Marns
Sri Lanka17 contributions
Jun 2019
I had the absolute please of volunteering at the hatchery for 5 weeks. Originally only 1 but it was so great I asked to stay on for another 4.The staff are incredible and matches the experience! I felt so involved in helping out as well as raising awareness for seal like safety. I got to cut fish, feed turtles, admit medicine, clean their shells, burry eggs and release babies to the wild! we also did beach cleans and collected so many bags of trash and removed them. An unforgettable experience. 10/10
Written July 28, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AsianExplorer
Yokohama, Japan241 contributions
Dec 2018 • Couples
We had to pay quite a high entrance fee and a mum and her daughter told us stories of the different turtles and how they were saved. As we walked around the small area, I noticed that there were photos of international schools that came to visit and help. The girl kept offering to touch and hold the turtles which made us feel uncomfortable as the turtles clearly didn't like to be held out of their water area. As we were walking around and they told us that they nurse the turtles until they are ready to go back to the water, I kept asking myself if that's really true. Having to pay a high fee to see the turtles and the whole atmosphere just felt like they were trying to make money. However, that's just my feeling, maybe that's not true at all! You have to decide for yourself whether you want to visit this place or not.
Written January 30, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Craig S
67 contributions
Dec 2018
Awesome turtles and they were so cute especially the baby ones You could hold the baby turtles and touch the eggs.
Great place!
Great place!
Written December 13, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Виктория З
Kramatorsk, Ukraine
Адрес фермы Амбалангода, а на карте указана Индурува. судя по фотографиям и отчетам, это две разные фермы. Помогите разобраться.
Written March 4, 2017
Здравствуйте.
Ферма,где мы были, находится именно в самой Амбалангоде,сразу за мостом, по направлению на Хиккадуву.
Written March 4, 2017
Bonjour, il faut compter combien par personne pour la visite ? merci
Written August 9, 2016
bonjour, 500 roupies par personne. (un peu moins de 4 €) . Cdlt.
Written March 3, 2017
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