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 almost 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 angle fish, butterfly fish, surgeon 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 November to April. On the east coast, the seas are calmest from April to September. But at none of these times can underwater visibility be described as breathtaking.
*Diving shops can be found in Colombo and in the major west coast resorts. They hire and sell gear, including snorkelling equipment.

Safety Guidelines for Diving 

*Before embarking on a scuba diving or snorkelling trip, carefully consider the following points to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience.
*Possess a current diving certification card from a recognized scuba diving instructional agency (if scuba diving)
*Be sure you are healthy and feel comfortable diving.
*Obtain reliable information about physical and environmental conditions at the dive site.
*Dive only at sites within your realm of experience if available engage the services of a competent, professionally trained dive instructor of dive master.

Responsible Diving 

Please consider the following tips when diving and help preserve the ecology and beauty of reefs

*Never use anchors on the reef and take care not to ground boats on coral.

*Avoid touching or standing on living marine organisms or dragging equipment across the reef. Polyps can be damaged by even the gentlest contact. If you must hold on to the reef only touch exposed rock or dead coral.

*Be conscious of your fins. Even without contact the surge from fin strokes near the reef can damage delicate organisms. Take care not to kick up clouds of sand which can smother organisms.

*Practise and maintain proper buoyancy control. Major damage can be done by divers descending too fast and colliding with the reef.

*Take great care in underwater caves. Spend as little time within them as possible as your air bubbles may be caught within the roof and thereby leave organisms high and dry. Take turns to inspect the interior of a small cave.

*Resist the temptation to collect or buy corals or shells or to loot marine archaeological sites. (mainly shipwrecks)

*Ensure that you take home all your rubbish and any little you may find as well. Plastics in particular are a serious threat to marine life.

*Do not feed fish.

*Minimize your disturbance of marine animals.