Wreck
down to 15 m
Earl of Shaftesbury
A shallow old wreck at 12-14 m close to the SS Conch, with stingrays, groupers, small snapper schools and lionfish.
- Open Water
- Stingrays
Advanced≤30 m
Chief Dragon (Car Wreck)
Dive site in Sri Lanka West & South (Colombo to Unawatuna), Sri Lanka
A 112 m car carrier sunk in 1983, with coral-covered car chassis on its deck at 24-28 m and trevally and barracuda around it.
- Usual dive
- 28 m
- Deepest point
- 35 m
- Level
- Advanced
- Best months
- Nov–Mar
- Current
- Strong
The story
One of Colombo's best-known wrecks, this 112 m car transport vessel sank in 1983. Coral-encrusted car chassis still lie scattered across its main deck at 24-28 m.
Source: lakpura.com
The dive
A wreck dive. Known for barracuda and trevally.
Who it's for
Advanced≤30 mSource: lakpura.com
Recommended minimum: Advanced (PADI Advanced Open Water, N2).
- DepthThe usual dive goes deeper than lower certifications allow.
- CurrentCurrent can be strong; you need good air management and buoyancy.
- Strong current: dive with a local guide and carry a surface marker buoy.
- The site goes deeper than 30 m: Advanced divers stay above 30 m.
Conditions
- Dive type
- Wreck
- Environment
- Open water
- Water
- Sea water
What you might see
- Barracuda
- Trevally
- Moray eels
Season in Sri Lanka West & South (Colombo to Unawatuna)
- J
- F
- M
- A
- M
- J
- J
- A
- S
- O
- N
- D
- Best
- Good
- Possible
- Closed
- Not documented yet
Best months: Nov–Mar.
Source: divessi.comWhere is Sri Lanka West & South (Colombo to Unawatuna)?
The point shows the Sri Lanka West & South (Colombo to Unawatuna) area, not the exact dive site.
More dives in Sri Lanka West & South (Colombo to Unawatuna)
Wreck
down to 40 m
SS Perseus
A 135 m WWI armed merchantman sunk by a German mine in 1917, home to schooling snapper, Napoleon wrasse and groupers.
- Experienced
- Groupers
Wreck
down to 35 m
SS Rangoon
The famous Rangoon wreck lies at around 30 m off Unawatuna, one of the area's 16 dive sites.
- Experienced
Macro
down to 18 m
Bandiyagala
A small nearshore patch reef covered in whip corals, for spotting pipefish, scorpionfish, octopus, nudibranchs and shrimp gobies.
- Open Water
- Nudibranchs
Wreck
down to 40 m
Black Coral Wreck
A small deep wreck covered in large black coral trees, with schools of snappers, large angelfish and lots of lionfish.
- Experienced
- Stingrays
Wreck
down to 33 m
Cargo Wreck (Pecheur Breton)
An 87 m cargo ship on its side at 18-33 m with open holds to swim through, fusilier schools and hunting tuna and trevally.
- Advanced
- Whale sharks
About this page
Values marked “Estimated” come from our original catalogue and are being checked against published sources one by one. Sourced values link to where they come from. Conditions change with the season, the weather and the tide: confirm with a local dive centre before you dive.