About Western Sri Lanka
Western coast of of Sri Lanka offers lots of different adventures for divers as well as non-divers. Among divers Western Province is well known as a great place for wreck diving. Its wrecks vary from commercial barges to aircrafts and oil tankers with site depth ranging from 30-57m/98-187ft. However, diving here is not limited by wrecks. Divers can also explore a lot of outer reefs with soft corals and massive gorgonian sea fans. Worth visiting diving destinations include Negombo, Kalpitiya, Beruwala, and Colombo.
Most popular dive sites
The most popular sites include the Bar Reef, Barracuda Rock, Bull Dog Reef, Kalpitiya Ridge, Diyamba Gala, Lobster Reef. Colombo offers such sites as Car Carrier Wreck, The Barge, Taj Wreck, and World War II Plane. One of the most famous wrecks in the area is Car Carrier Wreck. It sank in 1983 and formed one of the most magnificent artificial reefs in the area. Its hull is well encrusted with corals. The Barge, lies 30m/98ft deep, schools of tropical fish teeming on the deck carpeted with stunning corals. The Gorgonian Gardens are one such example. The Gardens are a unique dive site found nowhere else in Sri Lanka.
When to go to Western Sri Lanka
The best time to dive in Western Province of Sri Lanka is from November till April when there is no monsoon season and diving conditions are good. The average water temperature throughout the year is around 28C/82F. The air temperature averages between 25-35C/77-95F all year-round.also The water visibility depends on high and low tides and usually ranges between 5-25m/16-82ft.
What to see
Macro photographers can search for nudibranchs, crabs, shrimps, electric rays, pipefish, sea moths and other critters on the rocky reefs. Wrecks are also teeming with marine life from large schools of snappers and fusiliers to visiting pelagics such as dogtooth tuna, wahoo and eagle rays.