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Victor Hasselblad Sea Turtle Research & Conservation Center

Victor Hasselblad Sea Turtle Research & Conservation Center

Victor Hasselblad Sea Turtle Research & Conservation Center
4.5
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Duration: < 1 hour
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  • Yolanda C
    Hong Kong, China37 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Sea Turtles Galore… a happy experience!
    There are many sea turtle hatcheries in Sri Lanka but this one is the largest and they truly care about the turtles. My daughter was fortunate to do an internship with Isuru for the week and learned a great amount about what they do and the problems facing the turtles. Isuru is the third generation to take over this conservation which must be run as a business in order to survive. The biggest enemy facing sea turtles are humans because of the trash we leave behind. Although we cleaned the beaches daily, the trash just keeps coming back. Sea turtles have a 15% higher chance to survive if people find the eggs ang bring them to the hatchery. Otherwise dogs, reptiles and other predators will eat them. After they are hatched, they are put into tanks for at least 4 days until they are strong enough to swim back to the sea. There are some injured turtles which are resting in tanks. The center pays local vets to treat the animals … some of which have their fins almost torn off from fishing nets. Albino turtles cannot survive in the wild as they are too easy to spot by predators.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 6 October 2023
  • Rgojer
    Bengaluru, India17 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A wonderful experience
    This is the oldest turtle conservatory in the region. Our guide Ravi was excellent and showed us the whole process and lifecycle of sea turtles step by step. the hatchlings are kept day wise in 4 pools and released into the sea on day 4. They also have a few sick and injured rescues that they are treating. The experience was so good we went back the next day to see the turtles again. Kids and adults will love visiting this place. A must do if you are in Kosagoda
    Visited November 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 26 November 2023
  • DeLaLittle
    London, United Kingdom320 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Heart Warming
    Beautiful little project that I visited on my way from Yala to Colombo. I’ve read in various well reputed tourism guides that this project practices the best ethics and does really good work and this seemed evidenced when I visited, plus the turtles were gorgeous. Very enthusiastic and funny staff. Loved it.
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled solo
    Written 26 March 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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4.5
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Jacquie
Dubai, United Arab Emirates90 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2023
We visited the Victor Hasselblad hatchery at the end of our recent trip to Sri Lanka. It is a few minutes walk from the Sheraton hotel and costs 1000 ruppees (cash, no card facilities) to enter.
Our guide talked us through the 5 different breeds which are found around Sri Lanka's coasts and the battle to save the eggs from poachers. We were then taking inside and shown the tanks of turtles from 1 day to 4 days (at 4 days they are released) and given the opportunity to hold some of the 3 and 4 day old turtles. There are also some injured turtles permanently homed here.

The whole tour felt very rushed - as soon as the guide was done, we were asked for another donation (this is fine, I get this is a charity and costs to maintain) but then we were almost pushed out the door.

The beach area around the hotel and hatcheries (there are 2 that we could see) is a real mess with litter and glass everywhere which doesn't really give a good impression of 'conservation work in progress'
Written 5 July 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.

Yolanda C
Hong Kong, China37 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Family
There are many sea turtle hatcheries in Sri Lanka but this one is the largest and they truly care about the turtles.

My daughter was fortunate to do an internship with Isuru for the week and learned a great amount about what they do and the problems facing the turtles. Isuru is the third generation to take over this conservation which must be run as a business in order to survive.

The biggest enemy facing sea turtles are humans because of the trash we leave behind. Although we cleaned the beaches daily, the trash just keeps coming back.

Sea turtles have a 15% higher chance to survive if people find the eggs ang bring them to the hatchery. Otherwise dogs, reptiles and other predators will eat them. After they are hatched, they are put into tanks for at least 4 days until they are strong enough to swim back to the sea.

There are some injured turtles which are resting in tanks. The center pays local vets to treat the animals … some of which have their fins almost torn off from fishing nets. Albino turtles cannot survive in the wild as they are too easy to spot by predators.
Written 6 October 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.

Rgojer
Bengaluru, India17 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2023 • Family
This is the oldest turtle conservatory in the region. Our guide Ravi was excellent and showed us the whole process and lifecycle of sea turtles step by step. the hatchlings are kept day wise in 4 pools and released into the sea on day 4.

They also have a few sick and injured rescues that they are treating. The experience was so good we went back the next day to see the turtles again. Kids and adults will love visiting this place. A must do if you are in Kosagoda
Written 26 November 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.

Annelie W
4 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2024 • Family
A table of contents tour with good information about their work. That 10-15% of hatched eggs survive the first time because of the work that is done, instead of the approx. 1% that it otherwise means. Rehabilitation for injured turtles, most often injured by ghost nets. Great efforts the organization makes! Worth visiting and donating money to!
Google
Written 23 February 2024
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.

ukwrw
Scottsdale, AZ21 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
Really hard to determine if this organization is a tourist trap or truly focused on conservation. Dissapointed to see newly hatched turtles in tanks where they are kept for 3 days before supposedly being released in to the ocean. However some of the mature turtles are apparently survivors of fishing nets etc and can no longer survive on their own. Whole place gave me a bad vibe
Written 30 January 2020
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.

DeLaLittle
London, UK320 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2024 • Solo
Beautiful little project that I visited on my way from Yala to Colombo. I’ve read in various well reputed tourism guides that this project practices the best ethics and does really good work and this seemed evidenced when I visited, plus the turtles were gorgeous. Very enthusiastic and funny staff. Loved it.
Written 26 March 2024
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.

ibizamotters
ibizamotters45 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2015 • Couples
We visited for the second time, first was 19 years prior, it is much larger now.
We visited this time at a very busy time and wish we had gone at a quieter time, we did walk past the first day and it was very quiet, we felt it was a bit rushed, probably because there were coachloads of tourists when we were there.
Its well run but not as personal as it was years ago.
We would have loved to release the turtles but on the night we went, our last night, there was already a coachload of 40 booked in and they couldn't squeeze 2 more in!
We stayed next door on the beach and should have gone at a quieter time, I would suggest calling them to ask when the best time to go is so its not as busy.
Written 6 February 2015
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.

stewart b
Calangute, India76 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2016 • Family
This has been our 5th visit. The first was after the Tsunami when the place had been destroyed. But with the failies continued hard work the place is now looking great. If are looking to visit an honest turtle sanctuary this is the place to go. The family recognised us when we walked up and our two boys were at once made comfortable and taken under their wings. They were taken round and had every question answered. Patience and understanding made the visit once again fabulous.
Written 9 June 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.

Indygo005
Dubai, United Arab Emirates353 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2015 • Couples
The green sea turtles regularly make the trip back to this very beach where they were born to lay their eggs and then they go back, perhaps never to return.

The Center buys the turtle eggs from the local fishermen, offering them double the market price so as to ensure that all eggs are delivered to the center safely for conservation. Here the eggs are buried in sand for around 45-50 days when the hatch-lings start to appear. These tiny hatch-lings are kept in a tank for 3 days before releasing them back in the cover of darkness. It's nice knowing how the turtles are cared for in the Center, which also cares for sick, injured and old turtles. We saw a few blind turtles and a few which had lost a flipper or two in marine accidents.

The center is run by volunteers. Entry fees are SLR 500, and for SLR 1500 you can release a bucket full of 3 day old hatch-lings in the evening. We would go back whenever we get another chance. You guys are doing a fantastic job, wish you all the best for the future.
Written 13 June 2015
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.

rmnl
Son en Breugel, The Netherlands65 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2015 • Family
We asked our tuktuk driver to take us to "the" sea turtle conservation centre, thinking there was only one of them. Turns out there are more of them, however the driver took us to Victor Hasselblad and we were glad he did so. Our guide had been working there since 2004 and was very helpful and gave us a great tour. It seems small, but there's still a lot to see. Highly recommended.
Written 12 May 2015
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.

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VICTOR HASSELBLAD SEA TURTLE RESEARCH & CONSERVATION CENTER (2024) All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

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