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Negombo
West coast · Best season: December through April
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Negombo
Negombo is the gateway to diving in Sri Lanka — a historic fishing town on the west coast, just 35 kilometres (around 90 minutes) from Bandaranaike International Airport, making it the easiest region on the island to reach straight off a flight or dive into on your way home.
Known locally as "Little Rome" for its strong Catholic heritage left behind by Portuguese and Dutch settlers, Negombo's old town is scattered with churches, canals and the remains of a Dutch fort. But beneath the waves, the real history lies in the wreckage of a WWII-era British fighter aircraft, resting in the twin-reef Ahas Yatrawa dive site a kilometre off Katuneriya — one of the more unusual wreck dives in Sri Lanka.
Diving here runs from December through April, with generally calm, boat-accessible sites suited to divers of every level, from first-timers to experienced wreck hunters. Expect reef fish in good numbers — cardinalfish, sweetlips, snapper, lionfish and the occasional nudibranch — over shallow rock and reef formations rarely deeper than 25 metres.
Because it sits so close to Colombo and the airport, Negombo is also the natural staging point for divers heading further along Sri Lanka's west coast to Kalpitiya, Colombo and beyond.
Dive Sites in Negombo
Adam's Peak
Sri Lanka is a diving paradise. At the same time, Negombo is a good example of that. It has various diving regions, including the second and third reefs, which are clusters of dive sites. Adam's peak diving site is also a wonderful diving area. The fish varieties and coral reefs found there have significant and unique features.
Ahasyatra Gala
Ahas Yatrawa Dive Site is the most wonderful out of all the diving sites in Negombo. It is due to the presence of old WWII Fighter British aeroplane remains, which crashed into the waters about a kilometre away from Katuneriya, Negombo, in 1940.
Bandara rock
bout 1,000 miles (1,600 km) of Sri Lanka's coastline—an island nation in the Indian Ocean near the southern tip of India—is still mainly undeveloped. Visitors to Sri Lanka will find themselves immersed in a rich fusion of cultures and heritages because it was an important stopping-off place on the old Silk Road and has a significant marine and trading history. Coral reefs are similar to oceanic rainforests in supporting various aquatic life. Still, they are pretty fragile and are believed to become extinct in a few decades if current global warming trends continue. Despite this, thriving coral reefs can be found in many parts of the world. Travellers who want to enjoy colourful reefs and amazing beaches can head to the tropical island of Sri Lanka.
Barracuda point
A small island called Sri Lanka lies just beyond India's southernmost point. It is not surprising that the island is considered one of the best places for diving, given its almost 1600 km of coastline.
BULLET PROOF VIP CAR Wreck
These cars, which were termed “too strong to be crushed” due to their sturdy build and nature, were also unable to be auctioned off as they could have been extremely dangerous had they fallen into the wrong hands.
Deranagala
At the mouth of the Lagoon on the island's western coast, Western Province has the popular tourist resort of Negombo. The distance between it and Bandaranaike International Airport is 6.2 mi. Divers of all levels of expertise flock to Negombo to enjoy the reefs, rocky obstacles, wrecks, and caves the area offers, especially the Derana Gala Diving Site. Both shallow and deep regions have a variety of marine organisms. The most well-liked dive locations are Diyamba Gala, Lobster Reef, Ahas Yatra Gala, with its sunk British Fighter Aircraft, Barracuda Point, and Derana Gala, the top diving spots near Negombo.
Diyambagala
Some divers mistakenly refer to it as the third reef - the last land area before the depths of the Indian Ocean. But Diyamba Gala is the tenth riff if you count the variations in a straight line. There are between 15 and 20 different types of rocks and reefs on the way to the site.
Hanova
There are too many magnificent coral reefs on this tiny island – Sri Lanka – to explore in a short time. While Hikkaduwa's coral gardens usually take center stage, other places, too, have outstanding coral reefs. Hanova's coral reefs are sometimes overlooked, despite offering some of the best diving in the nation. Various aquatic wildlife, including sweetlips, barracuda, eagle rays, and grouper, call Negombo's coral reef systems home.
Lobster Reef
Diving in Negombo is a pleasure not to be missed, with its sun-kissed sandy beaches and waters teeming with colourful reef species and dolphins. The dive sites in Negombo are divided into two areas; the closer dive sites known as the second reef are 5 to 8 kilometres from the beach, and the more remote dive sites known as the third reef are almost 22 km away.
Muttiyan Gala
Divers from all over the world come to Negombo. They love enjoying the excitement of the beautiful blue seas and the peaceful charisma of the sea organisms that live there. From December to April, Negombo beaches are well explored and suitable for divers of all levels, whether beginners or experienced.
Route 66
Welcome to the Northwest Route 66. Sri Lanka's only decent highway! Sadly, we must acknowledge that these fish can swim better than we Sri Lankans can drive! The marine highway known as Route 66 travels northwest. Due to heavy traffic, it is advised to obey the speed limit. Negombo is so closer to the airport. So it is effortless to travel Route 66.
Thanthirigala
Sri Lanka is undoubtedly a place like no other, where the best kind of beauty stands ready for hours of feasting on the eyes. The island nation surrounded by the Indian Ocean offers plenty of opportunities to enjoy the delights. Given the abundance of treats gently tucked away in this quaint town, Negombo is one of the nation's most well-known beach towns and is visited by countless tourists worldwide.
Third Reef
Do you want to go diving in Sri Lanka, where there are many marine creatures?Third Reef is yet another excellent diving spot in Negombo, only 22 kilometers away in the bright blue calm sea waters as far as the eye can see. It is also Negombo's most distant diving location.