Water Sport Destinations
Hikkaduwa
Scuba Diver (for beginners)
This short course is a pre-entry level certificate which will enable you to dive up to 12m when accompanied by a PADI Dive master or instructor. It is ideal for people with a limited amount of time in their holiday. The course is a sub-program of Open Water Diver. You will watch three short DVDs and have theory training with an instructor. You will then go on to three confined water lessons to teach you essential underwater skills before going on to two open water dives at any of our dive sites up to 12m deep. This course takes 2-3 days to complete and can be extended into the Open Water Diver course at any time.
Open Water Diver (for beginners)
The OWD is the most popular dive course. A completed course gives the trainee a license to dive up to 18m. To begin, students are given their manual - ideal beach reading, then get to watch the training DVDs in our air-conditioned classroom. After briefing and fitting of equipment (rental included in course price) it's over to the shallow home reef for the 5 confined water training sessions, where you are taught underwater skills such as mask clearing, ascent and descent techniques and equipment maneuvers. Once you are comfortable with these skills we move on to the open water dives. Accompanied by an instructor you will do 4 open water dives, repeating the basic skills and learning essential emergency procedures. Here we have many shallow water wrecks which you may get a chance to dive in your last two dives. This course takes 4 days.
Advanced Open Water Diver
Are you looking for a new experience, new skills, and lots of diving and thrilling adventures? What you need is this course. Completion of the course enables you to dive up to 30m. The course involves your choice of three of our twelve specialties plus deep and navigation dives.
Master Scuba Diver
Master Scuba Diver is the highest rank you can achieve before turning pro. To complete this you must be over 15 and have completed Open Water Diver, Advanced Open Water Diver, Rescue Diver and five Specialty certificates. You must also have over 50 logged dives. The certificate denotes high skills, top achievement and broad experience.
DISCOVERING
Discover Snorkeling
If you're new to snorkeling and need a hand to gather your skills to explore our home reef let our Dive masters guide you. Our marine sanctuary just yards from the dive centre is an ideal safe environment with minimal currents, high visibility and plenty to see. A PADI professional will teach you the basics of snorkeling and skin diving, giving you the confidence needed, whether you want to stick to snorkeling or progress to Scuba diving.
Discover Scuba
For anyone who's ever wanted to try Scuba diving. Our safe home reef in Hikkaduwa gives you a chance to do this experience program in the sea. First you will watch a short video and be briefed by a trained PADI instructor. You will be fitted with equipment and taught basic assembly, closely monitored by your instructor. Within the pool-like reef you will be taught a few basic skills and get a chance to see some of our amazing marine life up to a depth of 6m.Should this get you hooked on Scuba, and we're sure it will, this can form part of you Open Water Diver certificate.
Discover Scuba Diving
Like Discover Scuba, this experience course is an introduction to diving. This program consists of briefing and 2 try-dives. The first dive is within our home reef where you will be trained in basic underwater skills. On the second dive we take you to Coral Garden Rocks where you can dive up to 12m deep, all with a trained PADI instructor. With this program you can begin on the path to the Open water course.
LIFESAVING COURSES
Emergency First Response
Do you want to be prepared and confident in emergency situations? Emergency First Response course offers tuition by trained instructors in CPR which is recognised in all areas of work and play, not just diving. Anybody from the age of ten up can take part in this course whatever their diving experience and it is an essential part for Rescue Diver and above. As well as CPR we train you in basic first aid procedures for any environment and some special water related topics. The course follows international guidelines for first aid and is a great qualification for all walks of life. Don't want to be useless in an emergency? Do your Emergency First Response course today.
Emergency Oxygen Provider Specialty
This non-diving course covers recognizing diving related illness, setting up and using oxygen giving equipment
Rescue Diver
What would you do if you or your buddy got into difficulty? PADI Rescue Diver course covers anticipation, prevention, preparation for and management of all diving related emergencies. The course includes diver assists and rescues, management of accident situations and first aid treatment. To start the programme you need to be an Advanced Open Water Diver, have Emergency First Response or other (up-to-date) CPR qualification.
During the course you will learn
Self rescue and diver stress.
Diving for Children
Bubble maker (8 yrs)
Give your children a holiday experience they will never forget. This introduction to the Scuba experience will give them new skills, more understanding, greater confidence in water and great memories of their time. Suitable for 8-9 year olds, we will give them a chance to get a feel of diving within a safe controlled environment. Trained instructors with experience with children will give your child a lesson in equipment and underwater skills. We have a wide range of children's dive gear, rental included in course price. We will let you take pictures in their equipment above water and give you the chance for us to take their picture for you below.
Seal Team (8 +)
The PADI Seal team is for young divers who are looking for an action-packed, adventurous program filled with exciting Scuba "Aqua missions". They will have an opportunity to dive with flash lights, take pictures under water, or learn skills for navigation, search and recovery or wreck diving. Your child will learn the basics of safe diving and exploration all within a safe controlled environment.
For information on these courses please see the corresponding adult course pages.
Specialty Courses
This is for 15+ with a minimum Adventure diver level. You will get to watch the wreck diver video and read the manual. After a briefing from your instructor there will be four open water dives to some of our many wrecks in the area. This covers planning, organization, techniques and problems with wreck diving. Special use of lights, air supplies and equipment in wreck diving and emergency procedures.
Deep Diver
Going deep to see things others only dream about... To join the deep diving crowd you need to be at least 15 and an adventure diver. You will cover core knowledge in the manual and video including planning and organization, risk factors and decompression tables, safety stops and emergency decompression procedures, specialty equipment and procedures for flying after diving and high altitude dives. The course consists of four dives between 18-30m, with no dive going below 40m
Underwater Photographer
Learn this great skill to have amazing photos to remember your time under water and impress your friends. To do this course you must be 10 years old or older and an Open Water Diver. To start you will get training from your instructor and manual on photography skills and then get two open water dives to practice (camera provided). Our almost current-free diving conditions are ideal for first-time and experienced photographers.
Underwater Navigator
For 10+ Open Water Divers, this course is a three dive program which will familiarize you with skills needed for navigation. Topics covered include planning and organization, distance estimation, natural navigation, underwater patterns, site relocation and compass navigation.
Underwater Naturalist
This is a two dive course for 10+ Open Water Divers. The course includes planning and organization, knowledge of aquatic life groupings and our local marine life, responsible human interaction and wildlife friendly diving techniques.
Search and Recovery
This is suitable for 12+ with Open Water + underwater navigation specialty or advanced open water diver. This course combines academic training with four open water dives, practicing planning and organization, limited visibility diving and navigation, techniques and safety considerations and use of lifting devices.
Peak Performance Buoyancy
Suitable for 10+ OWD this course is two dives covering the skills of buoyancy control including buoyancy check, fine tuning, weight position and distribution, streamlining, visualization and hovering.
Night Diver
One of the most interesting and exciting parts of diving, night diving gives you an opportunity to see fascinating marine life and learn new skills. A three dive course for 12+ OWD. This course covers planning, navigation, communication, lights, emergencies and nocturnal aquatic life.
Enriched Air Diver
Stay down longer and get back in the water sooner. Learn how to dive using Enriched Air Nitrox, PADI’s most popular specialty course.
Fish ID
During this two dive course you will learn to recognize local fish species, learn survey techniques and practice identifying the fish.
Boat Diver
Learn the tricks, tips and techniques for boat diving
Emergency Oxygen Provider
This non-diving course covers recognizing diving related illness, setting up and using oxygen giving equipment.
Shipwrecks
Conch: (Depth 12-21m)
The Conch is a steam-powered oil tanker. One of the first oil tankers in the world, it was built in 1892 in Stockton for Shell. She weighed 3555ton and was on a journey from Novorossiysk to Madras when on 2nd of June 1903 she hit a rock and sank. The wreck is well preserved, with penetration possible into the cabin which is filled with cave-dwellers. Visibility is stable because of the rocky bottom. Good for groupers, napoleons, queen angelfish and all other reef fishes.
Earl of Shaftesbury: (Depth 14m)
One of our oldest wrecks this ship dates from the 1820s, a steel 4 mast sailing ship it sank following a fire on board. It is lying on a sandy bottom, very interesting wreck. You can see some special native sweet lips and stingrays, groups of silver batfish and schools of Fosters barracuda.
Alliance: (Depth 23m)
The Alliance is a British wooden sailboat that sank carrying a cargo of charcoal. Lying on a sandy bottom it is ideal for all kinds of reef fishes.
Rangoon (Depth 30m)
The Rangoon is a steam ship built in 1863 by Samuda Bros, London. It was part of the P & O fleet and did regular trips from Suez to Calcutta. The ship weighed 1776 ton and had 400hp engines, it was captained by GF Henry. One of our most beautiful wrecks, the Rangoon is upright in full sailing position. Teeming with marine life with anything possible to see. Trips are done as part of a day trip to Galle.
Arcturus (Depth 18m)
The Arcturus is a British steam ship wreck built in 1870. Lying on a large rocky bottom area called Mada Gala, the wreck has some beautiful marine life and lots of soft corals.
Crispigi Cross (16m)
This is a boat from Panama carrying rice and paint that sank in the 19 80's in front of Galle hospital. Penetration is possible into the stern. The massive engine is still in place and there are lots of fish to be seen.
Orestes (Depth 16m)
British steam ship that sank carrying a cargo of bricks. Lying on a sandy bottom near Galle harbour. It is possible to find wine and soda bottles around the site.
No name II (Depth 24m)
We have not been able to find any information on this ship, other than that it belonged to the Ocean steam ship Company in Liverpool and built in 1866. It is lying on a sandy bottom in front of Galle harbour. Lots of reef fishes and possible to see eagle rays.
Lord Nelson (Depth 18m)
Modern boat that sank in a storm in 2000. Was carrying a cargo of cement. Penetration is possible in most of the wreck and lots of reef fishes.
Norsa (Depth 15m)
Steam ship from 1889 lying on Passi Gala, near Conch and Earl of Shaftesbury.
Wallduwa (Coral Garden Rocks) (Depth: 3-10m)
Ideal for beginners and SCUBA reviews. A nearby spot just in front of Coral Garden Hotel, good for small reef fishes and turtles.Cave (Depth 8-16m)
A small but beautiful cave, near Wallduwa, again great for turtles and nudi branches. Next to a reef with lots of soft corals
Hikkaduwa Gala (Depth 5-18m)
Beautiful rock formation with many reef fishes, ideal for beginners and experienced alike
Sunil Gala (Depth 6-18m)
Dive starts with a large rock near the surface, following this down to the rocky bottom where you can see reef fishes, groupers and moray.
Kadavara Gala (Depth 5-18m)
A pretty rock formation similar to Sunil Gala.
Goda Gala (Depth 8-26m)
Stunning large rocky area with lots of friendly moray to be found. Also good for big groupers, rigger fish and schools of small fish.
Teli Gala (Barracuda Point) (Depth 12-28m)
Large rocky area good for sting ray, barracuda and groups of small fishes.
Napoleon Point (Depth 24m)
A combination of rock and reef, well known for finding big Napoleons, groupers and also for colorful reef fishes.
Black Coral Point (Depth 16-30m)
Deep dive for experienced divers where you can see lots of beautiful black coral as well as many reef fish and soft corals.
Kirala Gala (Depth 21-38m)
Amazing deep dive. Dive starts at bottom of large conical rock formation and spirals around to the top. For advanced divers there are plenty of reef fishes, soft corals, groups of trigger fish, barracudas, travellys and groups of batfish to be found.
Pathapara (Depth 32-36m)
Near the Conch, this site is a very long reef with big rocks, good for big barracuda, seer fish, groupers and can see spotted eagle rays.Silva Point (Depth12-30m)
Dive site for advanced divers with lots of large rocks, shoals of Fusiliers, Sweet lips and other reef fishes
Banda Point (Depth 22-36m)
Large rock formation for advanced divers with shoals of small reef fishes and groupers.
Tunaththa Rocks (Depth 6-15m)
Soft and hard corals, shoals of silver batfish and fusiliers
Facilities
Dive Equipment:
We have 40 sets of Aqualung and Scuba Pro equipment for rental and students. We use 12L aluminum INT tanks, can provide 15L and 10L on request.
Wetsuits are 3mm shorties.
All are serviced by UK trained Aqualung and Scuba Pro equipment technician.
Class room
In the centre we have a fully air-conditioned classroom for all the courses and a diving equipment sales centre for Aqualung and Beaver products.
Diving boats:
The first two are larger boats. These are mostly used for taking divers out to the many and varied dive sites in the area. Our largest boat has a small cabin and onboard toilet facilities. The third boat is smaller and used mostly to take learner divers out. The fourth boat is our newest and largest boat. With a catamaran hull it is stable in the water and carries divers in comfort. It has seating and shade. We are in the process of building another catamaran. All the boats carry first aid and oxygen
Compressor:
We use Bauer K15 and Mariner 320 compressors for air fills. Both are fully maintained and serviced with quarterly air tests. We have Nitrox and provide training in enriched air diving. We don’t routinely use Nitrox but it is available on request.
NOTE: We arrange the above mentioned tours for individuals, families and groups according to your requests. If you don´t find the tour you are looking for, please Contact Us