Marine National Parks in Sri Lanka

As a beautiful island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka is rich in stunning beaches around the coast. The underwater life in several Sri Lankan beaches shows high biological diversity and ecological importance. This fascinating underwater life is one of the many reasons which attract lots of visitors to the island. There are three marine national parks to protect the marine life of Sri Lanka.

Hikkaduwa, Pigeon Island, and Adam’s Bridge are these protected ocean areas in the country. There are hundreds of coral and reef fish species authentic to these parks. Rent some snorkel gear and have a closer look at the fascinating underwater life of these marine parks. The amazing marine life in these national parks will definitely inspire you to make Sri Lanka a great place for your next vacation.

1. Hikkaduwa Marine National Park 

Hikkaduwa Beach is a popular tourist spot in the southern area with a lovely palm-fringed coast. It is the first marine national park in Sri Lanka. Hikkaduwa coral garden is a marine sanctuary protected by a large reef. The area was declared first as a wildlife sanctuary in 1979 and then converted to a national park in 2002.

The Hikkaduwa fringing coral reef has a high degree of biodiversity. The reef is a typical shallow coral reef with an average depth of around 5 m. It acts as a natural breakwater making Hikkaduwa a particularly safe place. The marine national park extends up to 4 km along the coast. The coast is narrow, but it ranges from 5 to 50 m according to the climatic conditions of the year.  Definitely, Hikkaduwa is the most famous marine park in the country, which attracts lots of visitors from all over the world.

Access to Hikkaduwa

Hikkaduwa marine national park is located 100 km south of Colombo in the southern coastal belt. It can reach by the southern expressway, Colombo-Galle main road, or the southern railway line running from Colombo to Matara. As well, Hikkaduwa is easily accessible from the major touristic city of Galle. It is only a 30-minute drive from Galle, while it is less than a 1-hour drive from Colombo, along the southern highway.

Hikkaduwa is a tourist city with many boutique shops and food stalls which are readily available along the coast. The beach area stretches more than 4 km and this whole area is stud with souvenir shops, fancy boutiques, hotels, shops, bars, and restaurants to offer the most family-friendly environment.

Weather of Hikkaduwa

The Hikkaduwa marine national park is situated in the wet zone and receives rain from the southwestern monsoon from May to September. December to March is the dry period and the best season to visit Hikkaduwa. The weather in Hikkaduwa is usually warm, sunny, and pleasant.

Water sports activities

Without a doubt, it offers ample opportunities for water sports and recreation, including snorkeling and scuba diving. In addition, Hikkaduwa has earned a reputation as the best place for diving. If you are a diving enthusiast, you can get an exciting opportunity to see the four shipwrecks right off the coast in the Hikkaduwa area. You can get support from dive shops offering diving equipment and the help of experienced divers.

Snorkeling is the most famous activity in Hikkaduwa to witness marvelous underwater life. Scuba diving is also popular to see the marine life in the shallow fringing reef in this park.

For the people who don’t like to get wet, there are glass-bottom boats to get up close to the sea creatures and watch how they live in their natural habitat. Colorful fish that swim around the coral formations can view clearly through the glass bottom of the boat.

Hikkaduwa is a famous destination and a perfect place for surfing. It is one of the major surfer-friendly beaches in Sri Lanka due to its clean and consistent waves. There are many shops around the beach to rent a surfboard and enjoy surfing in Hikkaduwa.

Which species you’ll see

Most importantly, the reefs of this beautiful park are extremely rich in biodiversity, and it houses over 60 species of coral, and 170 different species of reef fish. Coral-associated ornamental fish, such as Turkey fish, butterflyfish, parrotfish, clownfish, squirrelfish, snappers, and sergeant majors are abundant in Hikkaduwa waters.

In addition, there are other marine species such as crabs, oysters, shrimps, prawns, and many more. Seagrass and marine algae are common in the seabed which provides habitat to some of the threatened Turtle species.

Corals

Corals of 60 species belonging to 31 genera were recorded from the Hikkaduwa reef. Montipora species dominate the coral reef while encrusting and branching species are also present.  Staghorn, Elkhorn, cabbage, brain, table, and star corals are the major highlights of the reef.

Turtles

Hawksbill, Green, and Olive Ridley are frequent visitors to the Hikkaduwa coral garden. You’ll often meet these 3 species while snorkeling around the reef. The appearance of Hawksbill and Green sea turtles is quite similar. The easiest and fastest way to recognize them is through their beak. The Hawksbill turtle has a sharp narrow pointed beak, hence its name. Besides, turtles in Hikkaduwa are accustomed to humans; you can enjoy hand feeding seaweed to them.

2. Pigeon Island Marine National Park

Pigeon Island on the eastern coast was designated as a sanctuary in 1963 and redesignated as a marine national park in 2003. Certainly, it is one of the most beautiful places to see underwater life in the country. The national park got its name after wild blue rock pigeons that inhabit the nearby island. This island is an important breeding ground for them.

Pigeon Island Marine National Park consists of two islands; large and small. Firstly, the large pigeon island is fringed by a coral reef, about 200 m long and 100 m wide. Its highest point is around 45 m above mean sea level. Secondly, the small pigeon island is a coral-rich habitat surrounded by rocky islets. This area has high biological diversity and you can see plenty of marine life within a short reach from the beach. The lovely underwater sceneries you’ll find here are hard to discover anywhere else in the world.

Access to Pigeon Island

Pigeon Island is situated 1 km off the coast of the famous tourist beach Nilaveli. To reach Pigeon Island National Park, visitors must rent a boat from Nilaveli Beach and then take a one-hour trip to the island. There are boat operators who arrange trips to the island and the islands. You can rent goggles, snorkeling gear, or other swimming equipment there.

Weather of Pigeon Island

The Pigeon Island National Park is situated in the dry zone and receives rain from the northeastern monsoon from December to February. March to September is the dry period and the best season to visit Pigeon Island. The weather is pleasant during this period and most suitable to visit this place.

Water sports activities

Above all, Pigeon Island is heaven for people who are looking for a good snorkeling spot. Since the reef here is shallow and the water is clear, snorkeling is the best way to see the corals. You can witness a variety of underwater life there easily and safely on Pigeon Island.

Particularly, this is one of the best diving spots in Sri Lanka. It is possible to enjoy scuba diving and deep-sea diving on Pigeon Island. You can dive with a certified diver and even take your underwater photographs. Capturing an incredible shot with lovely marine creatures on Pigeon Island will be a great chance to amaze your Instagram followers.

Which species you’ll see

This national park contains some of the best coral reefs in Sri Lanka. Around 100 species of corals and 300 species of reef fish are found in the national park. The rocky outcrops and the islets are the breeding and feeding grounds of coral reef fish. The fish species range from trumpet fish, angelfish, parrotfish, eels, and many other colorful fish. The water is crystal clear and it is easy to observe the rainbow colors of underwater life on Pigeon Island.

Turtles

Certainly, there is a high chance of seeing huge sea turtles in Pigeon Island waters. Hawksbill turtle, green turtle, and olive ridley are the frequently visiting sea turtles of the coral reef. You’ll often meet these 3 species while snorkeling around Pigeon Island. Hawksbill turtle has a pointed beak and you can identify them easily.

Blacktip reef shark

In addition, the major stars in the Pigeon Island area are Blacktip reef sharks. It is easy to recognize these sharks by their black-tipped fins. They are up to five feet long and reliably seen in an area known as Shark Point Reef. In this particular place, you can easily see these stunning creatures. This is one of the few places in the world, where even inexperienced snorkelers can spot a shark. If you like scuba diving, you can swim with them in the shallow coral reef area. Since they are neither aggressive nor harmful, you don’t have to be afraid of them.

 Anemones

Furthermore, many species of sea Anemones live in the Pigeon Island area. Clark’s Anemonefish is one of the most frequent anemone fish. They are easy to spot, and it is marvelous scenery to watch them moving around. They are beautiful sea creatures and witnessing them on your own will be a wonderful experience.

3. Adam’s Bridge Marine National Park 

Adam’s Bridge is the latest protected area of the country, which was declared as a marine national park in 2015. It is a park surrounding Adam’s Bridge in northern Sri Lanka. According to Ramayana, it is the previous land connection between Sri Lanka and India. There are many legends proving there was a bridge between two countries called Adam’s Bridge. The area surrounding this bridge calls Adams Bridge Marine National Park. It has a high biological diversity and ecological importance along with the Gulf of Mannar National Park in India.

It is a chain of limestone shoals that spread 35 km long from Pamban island of India to Mannar island of Sri Lanka. These miniature islets are called dancing islands since they appear and disappear within minutes with the tides. This is an interesting phenomenon, which you must observe in Adam’s Bridge.

Access to Adam’s Bridge

Adam’s Bridge is located off the north-western coast, approximately 30 km northwest of Mannar. Mannar Island connects with the mainland by 157 m long newly built Mannar Bridge. The drive through this bridge offers an amazing, breathtaking view of the ocean on both sides and the blue skies above. It is almost like a picture postcard. Also, Mannar town connects to the rest of Sri Lanka by the Mannar Railway Line.

Weather of Adam’s Bridge

The rainy season in this area is from December to February. The rest of the year has dry, sunny weather ideal for discovering this area.

Water sports activities

As same as Kalpitiya Lagoon, this is an ideal spot for kite surfing since it has strong and consistent winds. This is a famous spot for beginners, intermediate, and advanced kite surfers. In most areas, the water is just waist-deep up to a kilometer and you can swim around and explore the marine park.

However, Adam’s Bridge is still not developed as a tourist hot spot, thus you may not find great facilities or amenities the same as the other two marine parks. By the way, visiting this legendary place will give you a thrilling overview of the site.

Which species you’ll see

Most importantly, this park is one of the best places in Sri Lanka for bird watching. It lies on the route of migratory birds that visit Sri Lanka. The sand dunes of Adam’s Bridge are the breeding grounds of these birds. Thousands of migratory birds flock to these lands while migrating as it is their crucial nesting area. Vankalai Lagoon in Mannar is one of the most important bird sanctuaries in Sri Lanka. From October to April, large flocks of Greater Flamingos come here to spend their winter season.

The shallow waters of the sand dunes host a variety of fish and aquatic grasses. Dolphins and Turtles live in the sea surrounding the park. The dugong, a vulnerable marine mammal, is the major highlight of the park. Besides, it is an important habitat for the cetaceans including several species of dolphins and porpoises.

To sum up, we have bought details about major highlights of marine national parks in the country. The wonderful marine life of Sri Lanka is one of the many reasons to fall in love with this beautiful island. Visit marine national parks in the country and explore and enjoy the spectacular views, which will give you a lifetime golden memory. Many exciting sceneries are waiting to be explored!

Text by Magnificent Sri Lanka and images from Wikimedia Commons, Facebook, and Twitter. All copyrights are reserved by the original authors.