Sri Lanka Scuba Diving

110 Dive Sites in 15 Destinations

Basses (5)
Batticaloa (6)
Bentota (3)
Beruwala (6)
Colombo (14)
Galle (14)
Hambantota District (0)
Hikkaduwa (24)

Kalpitiya (5)
Mada Gala (1)
Matara (0)
Negombo (12)
Trincomalee (12)
Unawatuna (4)
Western Province (4)

To Greek cartographers, Sri Lanka was known as Taprobane. Arabs were inspired to refer to it as Serendib "serendipity" while the Portuguese favored Ceilao or Ceylon. The Sanskrit word, lamka, meaning 'resplendent land' has remained to this day, along with the favored term of endearment bestowed by the world; 'Pearl of the Indian Ocean'.

Sri Lanka is the quintessential trading port with its tea, coffee, coconut, indigo and rubber exports. In 1400BC the island was in demand for its cinnamon as far-flung as Egypt. It is also known as the first Asian nation to be ruled by a woman (Queen Anula 47 - 42 BC) History repeated itself again in 1960, when Sirimavo Bandaranaike assumed her post as the first female prime minister in the world.

Two thousand years of monarchy ended once the Netherlands, Portugal and later the British laid siege to the Island. It was used as an allied base to fight the Japanese, hence the well known wreck dives off its shores. Today Sri Lanka mostly enjoys political sovereignty aside its internal rebel faction, the Tamil Tigers who desire a separatist state in the North.

Caves sites have revealed Paleolithic settlements and its first inhabitants are traced back to the Wanniyala-Aetto people (or the Veddahs) Sri Lankan's officially speak Sinhala and Tamil after their two major local cultural groups.

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Sri Lanka's location in southwest of the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea as well as its tropical climate and lush vegetation are a sure sign of the mirror image occurring below its waters. The island's 3 biosphere reserves are; Hurulu, Sinharaja, and the Kanneliya-Dediyagala-Nakiyadeniya.

Scuba Diving in Sri Lanka

The coastline is dotted with hundreds of little places to dive. Expect to visit among them remote places of legend. The little town of Kalpitiya sports Trevally Pass or 'Paraw' rock with its endless 'swarms' of fish.

Well known Sri Lankan Sir Arthur Clarke, discovered a real-life treasure off the Great Basses on the south east coast. His book, The Treasure Of The Great Reef is based on this experience. He also details and encounter with three large Groupers which he names Ali Baba, Sinbad and Aladin who meet a grisly end due to human greed and ignorance.

Tipped the best dive site in Sri Lanka, The Basses (form the Portuguese 'baixios' or reef) is 40 kilometers in length. At Little Basses is the 40 gun frigate Daedulus. Great Basses has the Flute Overness and the Alette Adrian. Here the currents have carved ravines, caves and pinnacles for endless exploration.

The beaches of Negombo are near to Colombo have Bandara Rock with its Sweetlips, Lionfish Scorpionfish, Morays and Sting Rays of various sizes.

Remote Colombo, on the west coast has the beautiful reef of Gingiripita and the Cargo Wreck, an Indian steel carrier, as well as Wetiya Reef and Pitagala Patch Reef.

Beruwala on the west coast has Shark Point, Malu Gala and Mada Gala while little Hikkaduwa small but urban and buzzing offers The Conch Wreck, Earl of Shaftesbury Wreck and Black Coral Point.

Unawatuna's beaches are famous. Ironically they were hard hit by 2004 Tsunami but have since recovered without a trace of devastation and sport sites such as the SS Rangoon, Talpe and Galu Gal.

Batticaloa in the east is remote, tough to reach and untouched by time and man, The best spots lie just off the coast of Nilavali, north of the Trinco town at Swami Rock, Sitanampara, Eel Rock and Coffin Ray Point Home to the H.M.S Hermes Wreck and as legend has it many other wrecks which require Navy permission to dive.

Sri Lankan marine life is abundant and dives promise encounters with any one or more of the following: Groupers, Gray Sharks, Tuna, Angelfishes, Rays, Giant Maori Wrasses (Napoleons), Snappers, Pufferfish, Porcupinefish, sweetlips, trevally and breathtaking coral.

Be sure to check out some of the dive operators in Sri Lanka

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