Scuba diving in Colombo

Discover Colombo’s deep waters with many diving sites off its shore consisting shipwrecks and coral reefs.
The Taprobane North wreck, located 20 kilometres off the shore of Colombo, is a large and well protected vessel believed to be the SS steamer called the Peresus and lies approximately 30 metres deep. It is a haven for many species of fish and soft corals. Fishes found are mainly napoleon fish, snappers, groupers and trevally. Although the shipwreck can be seen clearly, the dive is recommended for level 2 or PADI certified advanced divers.
Located almost 32 deep is the Taprobane East wreck, a site which has been renowned in the world for the site is full of glassfish, Napoleon fish, Red lions and stingrays which give stunning beauty under the sea.
Popular dive site is the unique Gorgonian Gardens which is located in the South Gale Reef and is an exotic garden of fans creating a colourful spectrum of orange, yellow and red fans standing in the deep blue water. It has such a high density of magnificent gorgons with some as huge as the height of a diver. On some days there are strong currents that usually brush off the reef. However, during good conditions and calm seas, diving in this site is extraordinary as apart from the gorgons, there are fish especially the triggerfish.
The Cargo wreck is another site for diving in Colombo. It is a French vessel that sank in 1994 while carrying goods to India. It is a huge well preserved ship that lies on the side of its starboard which gives easy access to the cargo holds. Hard and soft corals flood the decks which attract plenty of fish from large fish such as snappers, sweetlips and groupers to small fish such as pipefish. There are many fusiliers that gather around the wreck which invite tuna, mackerel and eagle rays.
Medhufaru which is a Maldivian cargo vessel that had sunk in 2009 and it sits upright 30 metres deep on a sandy seabed and many groups of batfish flock to the area. Lionfish hang around the bow and fusiliers gather around the wreck. There are large mackerel and tuna as well.
Barracuda Reef is approximately 24 metres deep and is a wide stretch of rocky reef with corals and fish. Towards the southern end, it is wrapped with blue soft corals and it is filled with many types of shrimps, crabs and scorpion fish.
There are many more dive sites off Colombo such as Chief Dragon (Car Wreck), Nilgiri (Tug Wreck), Thermopylae Sierra, Clarke’s Wreck, Battery Barge, Serendib Reef, Snapper Alley, Galle Face Point, Mid Point, Panadura Wreck, Ten Fathoms, Palagala and Pandora’s Box.