Explore Diving
( 14 days/13 nights )
Day 1: Arriving Colombo
Welcoming at the airport and then we transfer you to "Pegasus Hotel"
- freshen up and take a rest. You will pick you up at the hotel for
an evening Colombo city tour - like many capital cities in developing
countries is fast changing itself. Almost overnight, skyscrapers arise
from where old building once stood. Yet in some parts, the old world
charm is retained. As an example there is a 100-year-old clock tower
and several British built colonial buildings. Other places of interest
are the Pettah Bazzar where one cam shop for a bargains, the old Parliament
in Fort, a Hindu and a Buddhist temple, residential areas where you
find the stately homes of the affluent and the Bandaranaike Memorial
International Conference Hall BMICH, and outright gift to Sri Lanka
from the People's Republic of China. Dinner and sty overnight at Pegasus
Hotel.
Day
2: Colombo - Kandy
After breakfast, we journey by road to Kandy with en rout visiting at
"Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage" , setting up by Department
of National Zoological Gardens, was established to feed, nurse and house
young elephants found abandon by their mothers. Afterward we keep moving
to Kandy - Sri Lanka's hill capital stronghold of the Sinhala Kings,
repository of culture, religious center is Sri Lanka's most beautiful
town. Focal point of this city is the Dalada Maligawa, were the sacred
Tooth Relic of the Buddha is enshrined. Highlight of the yea is the
Kandy Escala Perahera, when a replica of the relic casket is paraded
in the streets, accompanied by exotically costumes dancers, drummers
and anything from eighty to a hundred gaily-caparisoned elephants, for
then littering festival nights. Once in Kandy you cannot miss the gorgeous
artificial lake built by last Sinhala King, Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe,
in 1806. Dinner and stay overnight at Tree of Life Hotel.
Day
3: Kithulgala - Belihuloya
After breakfast, we drive to Belihuloya. A short stop is made at Kithugala
for experience on a white water rafting. After lunch, we keep driving
to Belihuloya - is a very picturesque and romantic hamlet situated about
160 km from Colombo in the historical "Sabaragamuwa" province.
This region is a climatically transitional area linking the wet &
dry zones and the hill country& the low country. This very important
location ha made it one of the places in the country with the highest
bio-diversity.
Upon arrival Belihuloiya, if the time permits, we love you to have experience of river bathing in the natural rock pool - this is a unique place where two streams namely "Belihuloya" and "Galagamaoya" meet together creating a natural nothing area with clear unpolluted water that flows down from "Horton Plains", 2200 metre above the sea level. Dinner and stay overnight at River Garden Hotel.
Day
4-6: Tangalle - Diving
After breakfast, we go to Tangalle for your excitement and adventure.
It is two days of marine exploration, is one of the nicest spots along
the coast, particularly if you just want somewhere to laze and soak
up the sun.
Optional:
Turtle Watch at Rakawa
Find out of 7 species of marine turtles come ashore to nest in Sri Lanka.
The turtle watch program is a nature tourism initiative developed by
the TCP (Turtle Conversation Project). "Rekawa",which is one
of Sri Lanka's most important marine turtle nesting where all 5 species
come to the nest throughout the year. The peak season takes place between
February and July. Nevertheless we cannot reckon on the coming along
of the marine turtle every night but we can guarantee that you will
have an exciting nighttime adventure on one of the world's most beaches.
Day
7-10: Weligama - Diving
The rest three days of the trip, you will be taken to the Island of
Weligama (which means Sandy Village), recognized as the "Pearl
of the Indian Ocean". Its dazzling beaches and tropical greenery
are waiting for you as the ideal relaxing escape. You will also have
much time to admire the magnificent underwater garden, abounding with
its colorful coral reefs as well as exotic tropical marine lives. During
these three days, you dine and stay overnight at Weligama Bay
Day
11-13: Hikkaduwa - Diving
After breakfast, we leave for Hikkaduwa for diving activities. Renowned
for its beautiful corals and clear blue water, Hikkaduwa is the ideal
site for diving, endowing shipwrecks and coral reefs as a challenge
for your exploration. On the first day in Hikkaduwa, proceed to "Madagala"
in Galle where the shipwrecks could be seen. Surrounded by the thriving
tropical marine lives and colorful underwater gardens, Madagala is one
of excellent diving sites in the area. The highlight of the site is
the chance to see "Dolphin, big Groupers" if you have luck.
You will spend 45 minutes to get to the diving site and will reach 20-28
meters in depth.
The next diving destination is the "Wrecks of Ship Earl of Shaftsbury" which is still within the area of Hikkaduwa. Here, an English ship sank in the year 1847 (1 piece) can be explored. The area is studded with magnificent corals grown over last few centuries and abundant with a wide variety of tropical fish. It takes 15 minutes to reach he site and you will dive into the water at 15 meters deep.
The last diving site to visit before returning to Coral Sands Hotel is "Wreck Conch", Hikkaduwa. The site is where an oil tanker that sank in 1903 and which is acclaimed to be the world first oil tanker. Apart from the wrecks of the ship, you can admire the abundance of the magnificent corals and tropical marine lives. You will be taken to the site by boat which takes 20 minutes. This time, you will plunge into the water at 14.22 meters deep.
All
diving activities will be arranged by well-trained and experienced UDI
and PADI instructors with extreme consciousness of your safety.
Day
14: Departure
After breakfast, we will be transferred to the airport for your next
destination flight.
