PIGEON ISLAND

Following a 15min scenic boat ride from the Nilaveli beach of Trincomalee, you will enter into the exotic heavenly island of powdery white sand and shady trees surrounded by crystal blue water, housing a 200m long and 100m wide spectacular coral reef teeming with ravishing marine life.
Named after the flocks of rock pigeons that used to live on the island, Pigeon island consists of two small islands covering 470+ hectares of land and is one of the two marine national parks of Sri Lanka. While the large island is fringed by the splendid coral reef alluring a vibrant array of 200+ species of reef fish, coral species, and exotic marine life, the small island is surrounded by rock islets and rock pools and a gorgeous underwater landscape that is sure to leave you astonished.

With surreal picture-perfect seascapes, Pigeon island is perfect for any snorkeling enthusiast. The large island fringed by the protected coral reef is home to an array of sensational reef fish such as Box fish, Emperor Angel fish, Parrot fish, Filigree lined sweet lips fish, Bannerfish, Butterflyfish, and many more.
While swimming along with these colorful reef fish, the mesmerizing beauty and the unimaginable structural complexities of soft and hard corals such as Sarcophyton, Lobophyton, and Sinularia, and the striking coral species such as Acropora spp, Poritidae, Faviddae, and Muscidae will leave you awestruck.
No, that’s not it. If you are lucky, you will also spot sea turtles such as Green Turtles, Leatherbacks, Hawksbill Turtles, and even Blacktip reef sharks around Pigeon island. Yes, both adult and juvenile Blacktip sharks live in shallow waters in the region.

On a bright sunny day, as the sunlight lightens up the seascape underwater, wear snorkeling gear and a pair of swim fins and float in the shallow water surrounding the Pigeon island to explore the marvel of underwater. It is just magic down there.
While most snorkeling expeditions are about 2 - 3 hours long, you can also book a longer snorkeling tour and float with exotic marine life of the enchanting Indian ocean to your heart’s content.
Keep in mind that to experience the best of Pigeon island, you must get into the water on a sunny day between 8 am - 12noon during the months of May to October.

Snorkeling on Pigeon island is an extraordinary visual experience of pure bliss where time stands still, and it is just you and the ocean.