Trincomalee
Sri Lanka · East Coast
Trincomalee on Sri Lanka's northeast coast hosts the country's best diving — Pigeon Island National Park, the British Sergeant wreck, and reliable blue whale sightings just offshore. Opposite season to Hikkaduwa.
How this reef is doing
ⓘ How we measure thisReef state
Wrecks and blue whale season drive trips. Reef cover modest and slowly declining.
Coral cover
Fish life
Heat
No unusual heat right now.
Fishing
Protected on paper, but boats are still busy nearby.
Sources · MERMAID and partner coral surveys · NOAA Coral Reef Watch · Global Fishing Watch and reef gravity
What you will see
15 species across the dive sites here
Moorish idol
Seen 1 month ago
at Pigeon Island
Least concern
Hawksbill turtle
Seen 1 month ago
at Pigeon Island
Critically endangered
Giant trevally
Seen 1 month ago
at HMS Hermes
Least concern
Blacktip reef shark
Seen 1 month ago
at Pigeon Island
Vulnerable
Giant moray
Seen 2 months ago
at Pigeon Island
Least concern
Green turtle
Seen 10 months ago
at Pigeon Island
Least concern
Batfish
Seen year round
at HMS Hermes
Least concern
Bluestripe snapper
Seen year round
at HMS Hermes
Least concern
Butterflyfish
Seen year round
at Pigeon Island
Grouper
Seen year round
at HMS Hermes
Kuhl's stingray
Seen year round
at Pigeon Island
Lionfish
Seen year round
at Pigeon Island
Least concern
Parrotfish
Seen year round
at Pigeon Island
Least concern
Reef octopus
Seen year round
at Pigeon Island
Least concern
Bull shark
Rare sighting
at HMS Hermes
Vulnerable
Dive sites
What divers say
Reef sharks in Pigeon Island's lagoon, a 25m wreck in the afternoon, and dinner overlooking a temple — Sri Lanka does that.
Good to know
Park fee
Pigeon Island has a modest national park entry fee.