Both Colombo and Negombo are home to some fantastic reefs. See below for information regarding reefs of Colombo and click here to move right down to the reefs of Negombo
Reefs of colombo
Taprobane East (20-35m)
Located in pristine blue waters 17km away from the dive center this is a large offshore patch reef with large coral domes. Clear water is the norm here, and visibility can reach 40m+ on calm days. Large schools of surgeonfish, unicornfish and batfish are often seen and pelagic's such as eagle rays, devil rays and dogtooth tuna often throw in cameo appearances. This reef can be exposed to strong swells and currents and divers should carry a surface-signaling device. If you get lot here your next stop might be east Africa!
Advanced Open Water certification is required to dive this site
Serendib Reef (20-35m)
An open hard bottom habitat with scattered coral domes. Located further away from the shore the visibility is generally more consistent than the inshore reefs. This reef has everything from macro critters to visiting pelagic's. Commonly seen fish are Angelfish, surgeonfish, sweetlips, snappers and batfish.
Open Water certification is required to dive this site
Barracuda Reef (21-24m)
This is a great macro site but it also has plenty of reef fish to keep the fish watchers happy. Glassfish and hunting blue lined groupers are a common sight on this reef. The southern part of the reef is covered in small blue seafans and usually has a school of small barracuda.
Advanced Open Water certification is required to dive this site
East Approach (23-25m)
The south end of the Barracuda Reef (above). The rocks are more embedded to the sand and have a flatter appearance almost like a neatly laid out Japanese Garden. Excellent place for small things - colorful Nudibranchs, Hawkfish & Octopus with occasional schools of Fusiliers in the background
Advanced Open Water certification is required to dive this site
Snapper Alley (30m)
A deep reef for advanced divers it has numerous ledges and crevices that provide shelter to larger reef fish including a few large groupers. The edges of the reef are interesting places to look for unusual fish such as dartfish, fighter wrasses and tuskfish.
Advanced Open Water certification is required to dive this site
Triggerfish City (32m)
A deep and scattered patch reef spread over a wide area. The site seems full of Red Tooth Triggerfishes during certain times of the season. A great macro site as well as for schooling fish.
Deep Specialty certification is required to dive this site
Gale Reef South & Gale Reef North- Gorgonian Gardens (36m-40m)
A recent find by colombo divers this is a jewel in the ocean. Pristine Wilderness. A place where one seeks tranquility in the soul. Seven to Eight Kilometers right in front of the dive center and 36 to 40 Meters below in the surface this is a massive garden of thriving Gorgonian Sea fans in pristine conditions. This is a dive for the experienced only and requires negative buoyancy insertion and rapid descent - sometimes in gale force currents. Some parts of the reef consists of a patch reef with small groupers and shoals of baitfish. A Zen dive for sure!
Deep Specialty certification is required to dive these two sites
Temple Rock (15-22m)
This is another limestone and sandstone reef with some large boulders and gullies. Some areas have large barrel sponges. If you are lucky you will see one of the shy resident napoleon wrasses live here. The reef is massive.
Advanced Open Water certification is required to dive this site
Guruvam Rock (20 - 25m)
A fierce looking and huge rocky jagged reef with shoals of Fusilier, Snapper and sometimes Trevally.
Advanced Open Water certification is required to dive this site
Pandora (15-18m)
A rocky reef with interesting topography and scattered coral growth near Panadura. Lots of colorful reef fish can be seen here and there is often a large school of barracuda. The shallow sections of the reef have interesting macro life including nudibranchs, hermit crabs and coral gobies.
Open Water certification is required to dive this site
Formosa Reef (12-15m)
A near shore limestone reef with large ledges, whip corals, sponges, soft corals and many interesting macro subjects. Just a two minute boat ride from the dive center.
Open Water certification is required to dive this site
Ten Fathoms (15-19m)
Named due to the average depth of the reef this is a typical inshore Colombo reef with limestone and sandstone ledges with scattered whip corals and sponges.
Open Water certification is required to dive this site
First Reef & Light House (2-10m)
A shallow reef located parallel to the shore. Visibility is often low but small reef fish are common. A small precariously erected tower atop a rock acts as a beacon for returning fishermen.
The reefs in Negombo fall into two broad groups. First group is the Second Reef and associated sites. On average these are 15 Meters deep with some sites going down as much as 18 Meters. Here you find schools of fish such as Snappers, Fusiliers, Trevally, small Groupers, small Sting Rays, excellent macro life (Nudi Branchs), Scorpionfish, Lionfish, and so many other critters. Once in a while you may spot Eagle Rays swimming around the sites.
Then you find the famous Third Reef, similar to, and actually an northward extent ion of the Taprobane Reef System found in Colombo, the Third Reef is about a 1 hour boat ride from Negombo. Here in these far off waters the visibility is often over 25 Meters and the reefs are lush with fish life and also chance of big encounters with Eagle Rays, Giant Bull Rays, Large Groupers and Manta Rays.
Negombo has two wrecks. One is very close to the dive center and is a very shallow dive at about 12M. The other is actually an aircraft that crashed down in World War II. Its badly broken up.
- Ura Gala
- Small Ship Wreck - 12 Meters
- Derana Gala
- Muttian Gala
- Maha Gala
- Godin Gala
- Uravi Gala
- Mutu Paraya
- Air Craft Wreck (Badly Broken) - A.K.A Ahasyatra Gala
- Kammala Coral Reef & Patch
- Diyamba Gala
- Hipolis Gala
- Maha Kaburu Gala
- Eleven Fathoms Reefs
- Wellamankarai Diyamba
- Wade Sitnam Paruwa
- Nastham Paruwa
- Muttian kate
- Godin Gala
- Kantri Gala
- Diymba Suda (Third Reef - this is a collection of many dive sites)