Colombo really is one of Sri Lanka’s best kept diving secrets. Right off the bustling city center is some of the best wreck diving in Sri Lanka, and probably South Asia. Intact freighters, WWI wrecks, tugboats and barges offer exciting diving for all experience levels. Almost all the wrecks have very good fish life and the older wrecks are covered in colorful soft corals. If you want a break from wrecks you can hunt for elusive reef critters on the many rocky reefs or explore current swept outer reefs with gorgonians, clownfish and soft corals.
Many of the popular wrecks in Colombo are deeper than 18m, and hence we require divers to have Advanced Open Water certification to dive them. Those with Open Water certification can dive the Thermopylae Sierra, a massive 155m freighter starting in only 5m of water (max depth 25m), as well as a couple of smaller wrecks located in less than 18m depth.
Island Scuba has been at the forefront of dive exploration in Colombo. Some members of our team have been diving here for more than 20 years, and our knowledge of the dive sites is unmatched by any other dive operator in Sri Lanka.
Our Colombo dive base is located in Dehiwela, a suburb just south of the city center, and we offer daily two tank dive trips from November 1st to April 10th. Our fleet of 23ft dive boats provide easy access to all the popular Colombo wrecks. Several wrecks are located less than 20 minutes boat ride from our dive base.
Our morning dives start at 8am. After completing the necessary paperwork, preparing your equipment and a dive briefing from your guide our boats depart for the chosen dive sites of the day. Dive groups are small, with a maximum of 5 divers per guide, so you get a personalized dive experience. Boats return to shore between 12-1pm depending on the dive site. Drinking water and biscuits are provided on the boat. After diving it’s time to complete your log books, swap stories with fellow divers and enjoy some time on the beach.