Sri Lanka · SNORKELING

15 Snorkelling Trips in Sri Lanka That Earn the Day

29 tours  ·  from $16

The good snorkelling trips go weeks ahead and the best go first. Below: the 15 to sort out early, what each one includes, and where they part company.

Snorkeling with Turtles in Mirissa - What the guide does in the water
Mirissa Tours, Snorkeling, Snorkeling Trips in Mirissa, Tour Reviews, Turtle Hatchery Tours

Snorkeling with Turtles in Mirissa

1.Snorkeling with Turtles in Mirissa

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 268 reviews · from $25Our pick

Meet your guide at Araliya Restaurant in Mirissa, walk to the beach, and spend about an hour snorkeling from shore near Parrot Rock. Your private guide supplies equipment, helps less-confident swimmers, searches for turtles and reef life, and sends underwater photos and videos afterward. Punsara is one guide praised by name.

“The guide was very kind and helpful. It didn't take many minutes before he could show us the first turtle. We saw several turtles, both small and large. We were also offered to swim out to look at the fish in the coral reef, which we accepted. We ended up swimming in the middle of a large shoal of fish. Although the water was not completely clear, it was certainly an experience to recommend!”

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Mirissa: Snorkeling Experience with Turtles - The wildlife you might see
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Mirissa: Snorkeling Experience with Turtles

2.Snorkeling Experience with Turtles

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 123 reviews · 1 hour · from $29

Join Z R I Adventures for a one-hour snorkel near Mirissa, with gear, a boat ride, instruction, and optional tuk-tuk pickup. Guides such as Amil, Pasi, and Sandesh help beginners spot turtles, rays, moray eels, coral, and reef fish. Photos and videos are included, and groups are limited to eight.

“Really amazing and original experience. Worth it, and you can choose to prepare such a beautiful things that you cannot imagine. Just amazing☺️”

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Mirissa Unforgettable Snorkeling Experience with Turtles - The guides and the value of personal help
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Mirissa Unforgettable Snorkeling Experience with Turtles

3.Mirissa Unforgettable Snorkeling Experience with Turtles

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 120 reviews · from $24

Meet your personal instructor for a short lesson, then snorkel in Mirissa’s clear coastal waters with supplied gear in search of sea turtles, fish, and coral. Pickup and drop-off are included within the Mirissa area, along with water, fruit, biscuits, and a freshwater rinse. Nuwan is especially praised as an instructor, though guide assignment may vary.

“Great experience! The staffs were friendly and we had a wonderful time. I highly recommend doing it.”

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Trincomalee: Whales Watching and Navy Island Snorkeling Tour - Should you book the Trincomalee combination tour?
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Trincomalee: Whales Watching and Navy Island Snorkeling Tour

4.Whales Watching and Navy Island Snorkeling Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 81 reviews · 5 hours · from $84

Start with tea or coffee at Trinco Bay Dive Center, then head offshore for blue whales, sperm whales, fin whales, and spinner dolphins. After fruit and refreshments, snorkel at Navy Island with a guide, calm water, coral, fish, and possible turtles. Equipment and underwater photos are included.

“Absolutely loved this snorkeling trip with Trinco bay dive center! We went to Navy Island, and the experience was amazing. The water was so clear, and I got to see turtles, beautiful coral reefs, and lots of colorful fish. The whole area is stunning and peaceful both above and below the surface. Everything was well organized and felt very safe. A great activity if you’re in Trincomalee and love the ocean!”

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Snorkeling at Pigeon Island - Three hours around the snorkeling area
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Snorkeling at Pigeon Island

5.Snorkeling at Pigeon Island

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 66 reviews · from $42

Spend about three hours snorkeling around Pigeon Island National Park, roughly 3 km from the beach. A small group of no more than seven takes a round-trip boat, uses supplied masks and fins, and explores designated waters filled with coral, parrotfish, eels, boxfish, and damselfish. Check the entrance-fee details carefully before booking.

“Booked at the last minute and it turned out I was the only one on the boat from the location south of Nilaveli… a restaurant on the beach. The trip to Pigeon Island was a 10 min hop.”

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From Uppuveli Beach: Pigeon Island Snorkeling Tour - What you see around Pigeon Island
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From Uppuveli Beach: Pigeon Island Snorkeling Tour

6.From Uppuveli Beach: Pigeon Island Snorkeling Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 58 reviews · 3 hours · from $50

Meet at Trinco Bay Dive Center near Uppuveli Beach, then take a 30-minute boat ride to Pigeon Island. A professional guide leads you through clear water among coral, tropical fish, turtles, and Black Tip Reef Sharks. The tour lasts about three hours and includes gear, transfers, snacks, and water, but not the LKR 13,000 park fee.

“good guide, lead us around the island with attentiveness to ensuring we saw marine life. the guide pointed out loads of different fish, 2 sharks & a turtle, and maintained a respectful distance to the animals (unlike some other tours). would be great to have a bit more time to snorkel around the island, as we felt a bit rushed both times we went in the water. thankfully we were able to go back in the water on our own after the first initial guided part, but only for about 45 minutes. maybe a bit expensive, might be worth looking into ferries if your not bothered about being guided around…”

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Snorkeling with Whales in Mirissa - A small boat changes the feel
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Snorkeling with Whales in Mirissa

7.Snorkeling with Whales in Mirissa

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 42 reviews · from $348

Set out from Mirissa Beach in a boat limited to 10 people, searching for blue, fin, Bryde’s, sperm, and pilot whales. Start time shifts between 6 and 9 a.m. according to sea conditions. Pickup from Mirissa hotels, snorkeling gear, bottled water, and snacks are included, but swimming with whales is never guaranteed.

“It was enjoyable, and we did swim with a Whale shark which obviously was very exciting, but I do think this trip is overpriced for what it is. Had the cost been less, I would have put 5 stars”

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Snorkeling Trip To Pigeon Island - The extra park fee changes the value
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Snorkeling Trip To Pigeon Island

8.Snorkeling Trip To Pigeon Island

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 38 reviews · 3 hours · from $17

Meet at Pigeon Island Tours, collect your mask, fins, safety jacket, and water, then take a shared boat to Pigeon Island Marine National Park. You spend about three hours swimming independently among corals, reef fish, turtles, and possible blacktip reef sharks. No snorkeling guide is included, and park admission costs extra.

“We arrived to a small hut where the leader of the activity gave us all the equipment and a bottle of water each. We then went by boat to the island, where we saw sharks, a turtle, various colourful fish. The corals were mostly dead, however it was expected due to the prior natural disasters. Some corals were alive and vivid. This experience in general is great at offering the equipment (snorkels, masks, fins, the boat ride to the island), but travelling to and from the activity is not offered (which was said in the description). Overall, we were very pleased with the experience and it was definitely worth the…”

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Snorkeling with Turtles in Mirissa - What the guide does in the water
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Snorkeling with Turtles in Mirissa

9.Snorkeling with Turtles in Mirissa

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 28 reviews · from $35

Meet your pickup in Mirissa, collect your mask, snorkel, and fins, then head by boat to a turtle spot over coral reef. A swim guide accompanies you in the water and can adjust the outing to your wishes. The private format suits families and small groups, while weather and water clarity can affect what you see.

“This was an amazing experience, really enjoyable. You get close up to the turtles and the crew filmed us which was a good memory”

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Snorkeling Trip To Pigeon Island - The extra park fee changes the value
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Snorkeling Trip to Pigeon Island

10.Snorkeling Trip to Pigeon Island

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 24 reviews · from $42

Meet Divinguru Nilaveli at 1:30 pm for a short boat ride to Pigeon Island Marine Park. You will snorkel from the shore for two to three hours among hard corals, reef fish, eels, and possible turtles or Blacktip Reef Sharks. Gear, snacks, water, and pickup options are available.

“A nice day to snorkel, my family and I were picked up at our hotel by a Tuktuk (who also brought us back in the late afternoon)!”

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Snorkeling in Unawatuna - The two-hour boat outing
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Snorkeling in Unawatuna

11.Snorkeling in Unawatuna

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 17 reviews · from $40

Meet at Weliwatta House in Unawatuna for a two-hour, instructor-led snorkeling trip capped at five people. You’ll receive equipment, safety guidance, and a boat ride to shallow reef areas. The $40 price suits beginners who want help choosing a safe spot, though sea conditions can affect visibility and reef quality.

“The guides and organisation of the trip was really good but the reef they took us to was really disappointing. No corals, very few fish and nothing else.”

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Snorkeling with Sea Turtles in Mirissa (Pickup and Drop included) - What happens when you arrive on the beach
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Snorkeling with Sea Turtles in Mirissa (Pickup and Drop included)

12.Snorkeling with Sea Turtles in Mirissa (Pickup and Drop included)

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 16 reviews · from $45

Meet at 7:30 am for a guided snorkel outing in Mirissa. Aja leads you to a turtle area between the reefs, with gear, fins, wetsuit, towel, life jacket, tea, cookies, and select hotel pickup and drop-off included. Expect about three hours, including roughly two hours at the beach.

“We had a fantastic time. Saw loads of turtles and colourful fish. The guide was fabulous. Would highly recommend this experience.”

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Pigeon Island Snorkeling – Swim with Sharks & Turtles - The coral gardens and reef fish
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Pigeon Island Snorkeling – Swim with Sharks & Turtles

13.Pigeon Island Snorkeling – Swim with Sharks & Turtles

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 13 reviews · from $16Best value

Meet Pigeon Island Tours in Nilaveli for a roughly three-hour boat trip to Pigeon Island National Park. Snorkel among coral, eels, parrotfish, butterflyfish, rays, turtles, and possible blacktip reef sharks. Equipment, a return boat, and safety gear are included, but the park ticket costs extra.

“Had a great experience with this tour. Highly recommend to anyone who is looking to explore the beautiful pigeon island”

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Snorkeling Trip from Polhena Beach, Matara, Sri Lanka - Ninety minutes in the water and around the café
Mirissa Tours, Snorkeling, Snorkeling Trips in Mirissa, Tour Reviews

Snorkeling Trip from Polhena Beach, Matara, Sri Lanka

14.Snorkeling Trip from Polhena Beach, Matara, Sri Lanka

★★★★★★★★★★3.8 · 11 reviews · 1.5 hours · from $29

Meet Snorkeling Mirissa near Kamburugamuwa, then head to Polhena Beach for 1.5 hours in the water. English-speaking staff fit clean masks and fins, and guides such as Dilip and Supul have helped beginners see turtles, fish, coral, and shells. Groups are limited to five, with an English audio guide and wheelchair access.

“We hebben vandaag de snorkeling gedaan en hebben een schildpad gezien. Was heeel leuk!”

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Pigeon Island Snorkeling Tour From Uppuveli Beach - Starting at Trinco Bay Dive Center at 8:30 am
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Pigeon Island Snorkeling Tour From Uppuveli Beach

15.Pigeon Island Snorkeling Tour From Uppuveli Beach

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 8 reviews · from $50

Meet at Trinco Bay Dive Center at 8:30 am for a three to four-hour boat trip to Pigeon Island National Park. Your guide provides equipment, safety help, snacks, and water while you snorkel around coral, turtles, tropical fish, and Black Tip Reef Sharks. Boats carry no more than seven people, but several boats may share the same beach and route.

“Great guide & friendly crew. Lovely to see coral growing and so much sea life. Wonderful green turtles and black tip reef sharks of all sizes.”

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