Snorkeling Coral Island
A quiet coral garden off Nilaveli, often yours alone, because we don't share the boat.
Coral Island is a coral garden off Nilaveli on Sri Lanka's east coast, about 15 minutes by boat from the beach. We don't share the boat with other groups, so the reef often feels like yours alone: clear, calm water over living coral, reef fish everywhere, and turtles, octopus and moray eels seen regularly. In season, visibility is often 15 to 25 metres. They are wild animals, so we can never promise what you will see.
What’s included
- Mask, snorkel, fins and a life jacket
- An experienced guide
- Drinking water at the centre, plus tea and snacks after
- A boat to the reef
- Free GoPro photos and video of your experience
Not included
- DAN dive insurance (not a dive)
Good to know
Minimum age 6 (under-12s with a parent or guardian). Non-swimmers welcome with a life jacket.
Highlights
- A quiet coral garden, about 15 minutes by boat from Nilaveli.
- We don't share the boat, so the reef often feels like yours.
- GoPro photos and video of you included, free.
- Non-swimmers welcome with a life jacket and a guide close by.
Requirements
- Minimum age 6. Children under 12 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
- Non-swimmers can join if comfortable wearing a life jacket and following the guide.
- No medical questionnaire (not a scuba activity).
Programme & duration
Start at 06:00
- 05:45Arrive and get ready
- 06:00Briefing and kit: mask, fins, snorkel and life jacket
- 06:15Boat out
- 06:30Snorkelling at Coral Island, about 75 minutes
- 07:45Boat back
- 08:00Finish
Start at 08:30
- 08:15Arrive and get ready
- 08:30Briefing and kit: mask, fins, snorkel and life jacket
- 08:45Boat out
- 09:00Snorkelling at Coral Island, about 75 minutes
- 10:15Boat back
- 10:30Finish
Start at 10:30
- 10:15Arrive and get ready
- 10:30Briefing and kit: mask, fins, snorkel and life jacket
- 10:45Boat out
- 11:00Snorkelling at Coral Island, about 75 minutes
- 12:15Boat back
- 12:30Finish
Start at 14:00
- 13:45Arrive and get ready
- 14:00Briefing and kit: mask, fins, snorkel and life jacket
- 14:15Boat out
- 14:30Snorkelling at Coral Island, about 75 minutes
- 15:45Boat back
- 16:00Finish
Start at 16:00
- 15:45Arrive and get ready
- 16:00Briefing and kit: mask, fins, snorkel and life jacket
- 16:15Boat out
- 16:30Snorkelling at Coral Island, about 75 minutes
- 17:45Boat back
- 18:00Finish
About 2 hours, including about 15 minutes by boat each way.
What to bring
- Swimwear
- Towel
- Reef-safe (biodegradable) sunscreen. At Angel Rock and Coral Island you’re swimming over living coral, so the right sunscreen protects what you came to see
Meeting & pick-up
- Arrive 15 minutes before your start time for registration, briefing and equipment fitting.
- Our centre is right on the beach. Most accommodation is a short walk or tuk tuk away. There is no tuk tuk pick-up service on the east coast.
- Your confirmation email carries the exact meeting point and time.
Who it’s for
For: Everyone: kids (6+), non-swimmers, divers on a day off.
Not for: Not a scuba experience. For breathing underwater, see a Discover Scuba Dive.
What you’ll see
A coral garden often to yourselves, with no shared boat.
How the trip works
The trip takes about 2 hours. We start on the beach with a short briefing and fit your mask, fins and life jacket. The boat reaches the reef in about 15 minutes, and you get around 75 minutes in the water with a guide who stays close. Back on the beach there is drinking water, tea and snacks, and the GoPro photos and videos we took of you are yours at no extra charge.
When to go
The Nilaveli season runs from 30 April to 30 September, when the east coast has flat water and its clearest visibility. Outside the season you can pre-book for when it opens. Choose your start time when you book below.
Where we meet
We meet at our dive centre on Nilaveli Beach Road in Nilaveli. Open in Google Maps If you can't find us, call +45 40 72 26 72.
The other reef
Looking for the most fish? Angel Rock is the best-known reef on this coast. Snorkeling Angel Rock