Kosgoda, on Sri Lanka's south-west coast, is known above all for its sea turtles. This is a two-hour snorkelling experience that sets out from a diving centre in Kosgoda and takes you into the sea to watch turtles swimming in the wild, along with corals and schools of small fish.
Snorkelling needs only a mask and snorkel tube, with fins to help you move smoothly through the water, so it suits first-timers as well as people who have done it before. You float at the surface and look down on whatever the water brings: turtles rising to breathe or cruising over the bottom, and small fish moving around the corals. If you have an underwater camera, bring it along.
Sessions usually start early in the morning, at 7:30 am, when the water tends to be at its clearest and more sea life is close to the surface; later in the day visibility generally drops and many creatures move into deeper water. Other timings can be arranged on request. The experience works well for families, groups of friends and solo travellers.
The snorkelling session with sea turtles is included. Hotel pickup and drop-off, food and drinks, and gratuities are not included, so plan your own way to the diving centre. The experience is not wheelchair accessible, and the starting point is near public transport.
