Snorkeling in Pigeon Island from Nilaveli

Pigeon Island, a paradise for scuba divers and snorkelers, is a national marine park and the second marine sanctuary in Sri Lanka and is situated off Nilaveli beach in the Indian Ocean, approximately two kilometres away from the shore. It is considered to be one of the most iconic and important tourist attractions along the eastern coast of Sri Lanka. It was first declared a sanctuary in 1963 and upgraded to a national marine park under in 2003
The park consists of two islands and is the only national park in the country to harbour a colony of the beautiful blue rock pigeons and contains some of the best remaining coral reefs in the country. There are around 100 types of coral reefs and 178 species of fish on this island. This is where many an observer would find both the juvenile and adult Black Tip Reef Shark as well as a variety of turtles such as the Hawksbill, the Green Turtle and the Olive Ridley.