Sri Lanka has many PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) approved site. The Sri Lankan waters are clear and rich in marine life. No wonder this has been a popular scuba diving and snorkeling place for years now.
The PADI diving sites are widespread across the island right up in the North East at Trincomalee to way down South at Batticaloa. And down in the South East at Galle all the way up in the East coast near Colombo, Negombo and Kalpitiya.

Dive Summary (from PADI):
Visibility – Visibility ranges from around 10-25 metres/30-80 feet between high and low seasons.
Water Temperature – Water temperatures are usually around 27° C/80° F for most of the year.
Weather – Seasonal averages: 22°C/72°F in winter and 33°C/93°F in summer. West coast diving is best from around October to May, and the east coast is best from around May through to October.
Featured Creatures – Blue and sperm whales, whale sharks. Green, loggerhead, hawksbill and leatherback turtles. Parrot fish, Napoleon wrasse and barracuda. Macro invertebrates, including nudibranchs.

Trincomalee /Nilaveli:
∗ Trincomalee is situated about 250 Kms away from Colombo and you can reach Trincomalee in about 5-6 hours.
∗ Trincomalee harbors’ one of the most beautiful and pristine beaches in Sri Lanka. Nilaveli, is about 20 minutes away from the main city of Trincomalee and it is renowned for its white sand beaches and shallow bays.

Dive Sites:
∗ The North East Coast of Sri Lanka offers some outstanding diving on coral reefs, walls and drop-offs, sharks and if you’re really lucky a large whale might pass by within a few meters.
∗ Over a 100 species of Coral and 300 reef fish species have been recorded in and around the Pigeon Island National Park. Juvenile & adult Blacktip reef Sharks, Hawksbill Turtles, Green Turtles and Olive Ridleys can all be seen in the surrounding waters