About 1,000 miles (1,600 km) of Sri Lanka's coastline—an island nation in the Indian Ocean near the southern tip of India—is still mainly undeveloped. Visitors to Sri Lanka will find themselves immersed in a rich fusion of cultures and heritages because it was an important stopping-off place on the old Silk Road and has a significant marine and trading history. Coral reefs are similar to oceanic rainforests in supporting various aquatic life. Still, they are pretty fragile and are believed to become extinct in a few decades if current global warming trends continue. Despite this, thriving coral reefs can be found in many parts of the world. Travellers who want to enjoy colourful reefs and amazing beaches can head to the tropical island of Sri Lanka.
The small island is home to some fantastic coral reefs, too many to explore in a short time. Negombo's Bandara rock coral reefs often go unmentioned, despite offering some of the best diving in the country. The coral reef systems in Negombo are home to various aquatic fauna such as sweetlips, barracuda, eagle rays, and grouper. Sri Lanka is becoming one of Asia's top technical wreck destinations. While there are scores of shallower wrecks affording chances for recreational divers, many of the island's deeper wrecks are only now being identified. These deep wrecks offer a new and fascinating frontier for technical wreck specialists looking to diversify their skill sets. Corals in Bandara rock diving site have a species of sea creatures made up of clusters of polyps. The polyps form a hard outer shell of calcium and are known to grow best in shallow, warm, sunny, clear, and aerated water. It's a lot of fun to dive at Bandara Rock. While the coral is pretty uninteresting, there are numerous fish of all sizes and colours, including Sweetlips, Lionfish (including an albino type), Scorpionfish, Morays, and Sting Rays. Negombo offers access to both the colourful inshore reefs teeming with fish and the offshore reefs of Final Frontier, which are 90 minutes by car from Colombo. Bandara rock, Derana Gala, and Barracuda Point are just a few of the well-known dives in this region.