The season for whales (and dolphins) off
the south coast and Kalpitiya is from Janu-
ary to April, while on the east coast it runs
from May to October.
Diving & Snorkelling
There are plenty of opportunities to live
like a fish in Sri Lanka. Dive schools can
be found all along the coast (except the far
north) and you can slap on a snorkel al-
most anywhere. Diving and snorkelling in
Sri Lanka is more about the fish than the
reefs, but there are a few exceptions and
wreck diving is also possible. Sri Lanka
has the full dose of tropical Indian Ocean
fish species including such pretty little
numbers as angel fish, butterfly fish, sur-
geon fish and scorpion fish. Higher up the
gnashing-teeth scale come the black- and
white-tip sharks.
Along the west coast, the best time to
dive and snorkel is generally from Novem-
ber to April. On the east coast, the seas are
calmest from April to September. But at
none of these times can underwater visibil-
ity be described as breathtaking.
Diving shops can be found in the major
west-coast resorts. They hire and sell gear,
including snorkelling equipment. PADI
courses cost around €265 to €340 and are
also available with the following respected
dive schools:
̈ Poseidon Diving Station (p 98 ),
Hikkaduwa.
̈ Unawatuna Diving Centre (p 117 ),
Unawatuna.
̈ Sport Diving (p 123 ), Weligama.
̈ Sri Lanka Diving Tours (p243), Batticaloa.
̈ Poseidon Diving School (p254), Nilaveli.
̈ Colombo Divers (p^87 ), Negombo.Safety Guidelines for Diving
Before embarking on a scuba-diving trip,
carefully consider the following points to
ensure a safe and enjoyable experience:
̈ Possess a current diving certification card
from a recognised scuba-diving instructional
agency.
̈ Be sure you are healthy and feel comfortable
diving.
̈ Obtain reliable information about physical
and environmental conditions at the dive site (eg
from a reputable local dive operation).
̈ Dive only at sites within your realm of
experience; if available, engage the services
of a competent, professionally trained dive
instructor or dive master.BEST DIVE SPOTS
Great Basses Reefs (p137) Several kilometres off the southeast coast, these re-
mote reefs are ranked by divers as about the best in the country. Eagle rays and
white-tip sharks are the big fish to see here. And just in case you’re interested, treas-
ure from sunken ships has been found here too... But take note – the reefs are for
experts only.
Bar Reef (p 92 ) These offshore reefs in the northwest of the country offer pristine
reef systems, masses of fish and dolphins and whales to boot, but again it’s for expe-
rienced divers only.
Pigeon Island (p 253 ) Accessible for beginners but still rewarding for experts, the
beautiful, colour-splashed reefs off this pinprick of an island put a smile on every-
one’s face. Around 300 species of fish and other marine life have been seen in the
waters around here. Also a great snorkelling spot.
Unawatuna (p117 ) It’s all about wreck diving here – one boat was even sunk exclu-
sively for the purpose of improving the diving. Several dive schools, lots of facilities
and good for all levels of experience.
Batticaloa (p 243 ) Calm waters and exploring the wreck of HMS Hermes, a WWII
British naval ship.
Negombo (p87 ) Looking at the rather brown waters here you might not expect it
to be a very good dive area, but that brown water hides reefs bustling with fish just
offshore.PLAN YOUR TRIP
Be
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Ac
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