Sri Lanka being a tropical Island, located 5 to 9 degrees north of the Equator provides the most breathtaking underwater scenery teeming with marine life and wrecks, coral banks, reefs, rocks and ravines. Diving and snorkeling enthusiasts will have more than they bargained for especially since diving is always in season and the temperatures perennially warm around 27C. There have been no reports of shark or barracuda attacks unlike in diving areas in other countries.
Sri Lanka has two monsoon seasons that govern sea conditions. The southwest monsoon lasts from June to around September and the Northeastern monsoon prevails from about October to April making the seas rough in these areas with strong winds. Rock boulder reefs lie in the southwest and southern coasts interspersed with coral banks at varying distances from the shore which constitute a barrier against pounding waves during the monsoon season, preventing large scale sea erosion.
Sri Lanka’s largest reef called the ‘Bar Reef’ with a length of about 5.5 km and about 1.5 km in breadth, lies in close proximity to the town of Kalpitiya on the west coast which is a hotspot for observing dolphins and whales and also for kite-surfing.
The reef is a hive of activity as manta rays, reef sharks, turtles, an occasional octopus and vast shoals of various varieties of tropical fish have made it their home. The underwater currents in this area are not strong and the temperature of the water is quite comfortable eliminating the use of wet suits.
The ideal diving areas for snorkeling or scuba diving in the south are Hikkaduwa, Weligama, Kirinda and Rumassala. The Wildlife Conservation Department has declared Hikkaduwa and Rumassala. Rumassala is the Marine Sanctuary in Galle , Pigeon Islands in Trincomalee and the Bar Reef in Kalpitiya are protected areas under the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance.
Hikkaduwa is a hot favorite area for diving and snorkeling enthusiasts as there is an abundance of everything you would look for under the seas. The Hikkaduwa National Park in the southwest is the oldest marine protected area. There are shoals of a wide variety of fish that gather around the coral growths, you will also be able to find an octopus or two if you can spot them in their camouflage colors. You might also catch a glimpse of sharks and dolphins.