Kirinda - Diving and Snorkelling in Sri Lanka

On the southeast coast, approximately 10km south of Tissa, lies the pretty village of KIRINDA .  The village itself boasts a superb beach and an interesting Buddhist shrine on the rocks.   However, it is best known as a base from which to experience some excellent diving at the famous ‘Great Basses' wreck and the Great and Little Basses reefs (southeast of Kirinda). The famous Arthur C Clarke also put Kirinda on the map when he used it as his base for his diving exploration in order to write his book ‘The Treasure of the Reef'.  A particularly unique feature of the Great Basses is the light-house that was actually constructed on the reef in 1860.

N.B. Due to the seasonal nature of Sri Lanka's climate, Kirinda is only suitable for diving during specific times of the year (with the optimum time to dive being March - mid April).  Obviously we cannot predict the weather at all times – diving opportunities are always dependent upon the roughness of the sea.  The currents can also be strong so Kirinda is a location only suitable for those who have completed approximately 25 dives.