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Silhouette of two scuba divers sharing a moment underwater in a bright blue ocean scene.
📷 Markos Torpillas · Pexels

sea horse

3.6 — based on 17 community signals
4.2 12 species 26 contributors

Sea Horse is a year-round dive destination in Sri Lanka with 12 documented species observations and active community video content.

⭐ Best for beginners.

updated 4 months ago
Difficulty
Beginner
BleachingRiskPhotoFriendly

At a glance

Activity
dive
Difficulty
beginner
Best months
Year-round
Marine life
Blacktip reef shark

Top operators here

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Map

This spot Operators Airport Nearby spots
sea horse location map © Google · Map data © Google, contributors
Open in Google Maps

Conditions today

Conditions

Open-Meteo
Wind
9.3 kn
Wave
2.02 m
Water
28.6°C
N E S W
Wind direction (7d)
Primary: WSW (52%)
Now: W (278°)
Tide (7 days)
range: 0.55m

Today: High 04:00 (+0.47m), Low 10:00 (+0.27m)

+0.7 m+0.1 m
▲ 04:00 · +0.47m ▼ 10:00 · +0.27m ▲ 15:00 · +0.38m ▼ 21:00 · +0.22m Now +0.3m
Sat 19Sun 20Mon 21Tue 22Wed 23Thu 24Fri 25
UV7.65 · high Air PM2.58 · good 05:58 18:06
Day Wind Wave UV Rain
09-19 12.5 2.52 8 10mm
09-20 12.3 2.56 8 25mm
09-21 12.2 2.46 9 27mm
09-22 11.7 2.24 9 28mm
09-23 10.9 2.16 9 24mm
09-24 10.8 2.04 9 21mm
09-25 9.2 2.06 8 19mm
⚠ Coral bleaching: Watch — favorable conditions
DHW: 3.5°C-weeks · NOAA Coral Reef Watch

About this spot

Sea Horse offers consistent diving opportunities throughout the year in Sri Lankan waters. The site has attracted documented observations of 12 distinct marine species, making it a reliable spot for divers interested in biodiversity. With three community videos available, you can preview conditions and marine life before planning your trip. The reef here supports varied sea life typical of Sri Lanka's dive environment. Year-round access means you're not locked into narrow seasonal windows—planning flexibility is a real advantage for traveling divers. The site sits outside a marine protected area, so standard Sri Lankan diving regulations apply. Coral health is worth monitoring; the reef is flagged for bleaching watch status. This doesn't mean the site is damaged now, but it's smart to check current conditions with local operators before booking. The community video library gives you honest intel from recent divers who've been in the water.

📖 Guide: 10 Best Diving Spots in Sri Lanka

Best months

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Marine life

Blacktip reef shark

Dive types

Reef

Trip essentials

Everything you need before you pack — checklist, sun, logistics.

Trip checklist

  • 🛂 Visa-free or visa-on-arrival
  • 📜 C-card + dive insurance (DAN)
  • 📔 Dive logbook
  • 🧴 Reef-safe sunscreen SPF 50+
  • 🔌 Plug type D/G/M · 230V adapter
  • 💊 Seasickness meds + ear drops
  • 📱 Offline maps + emergency contact

Quick facts

  • 🌓 Moon First quarter · 48%
  • GPS
Sustainability disclosures
🌍 CO2 footprint LHR ↔ 8842km · ~2034kg · €37

FAQ

When is the best time to dive Sea Horse?

Sea Horse is diveable year-round, so you have flexibility in scheduling. Check with local dive operators for current sea conditions and visibility before your trip.

What's the difficulty level and depth at Sea Horse?

Specific depth and difficulty ratings aren't documented for this site. Contact Sri Lankan dive operators who work Sea Horse regularly to get current conditions and skill recommendations.

What marine life will I see?

Twelve species have been documented at Sea Horse. Watch the three available community videos to see what recent divers have encountered in the water.

Do I need permits to dive here?

Sea Horse is outside a marine protected area, so standard Sri Lankan diving rules apply. Your dive operator will handle any required permits and local regulations.

Operators near this spot

Dive centres, kite & surf schools within 10 km, sourced from OpenStreetMap.

sea horse

0 km
Dive centre

Pearl Divers PADI Resort

0.1 km
Dive centre PADI
PADI
Hours: Mo-Su 08:00-18:00

Unawatuna Diving Centre

0.1 km
Dive centre

Angel Diving

0.5 km
Dive centre

Submarine Diving School

0.7 km
Dive centre

Recently spotted by divers

iNaturalist →

Verified marine species observations

9 records · 8 species · sources: OBIS, GBIF

Acromitus flagellatus

Scyphozoa · Catostylidae
GBIF
Last seen:
25 Jan 2026
×1records

Stomopneustes variolaris

Echinoidea · Stomopneustidae
GBIF
Last seen:
19 Jan 2026
×1records

Grapsus tenuicrustatus

Malacostraca · Grapsidae
GBIF
Last seen:
19 Jan 2026
×1records

Holothuria atra

Holothuroidea · Holothuriidae
GBIF
Last seen:
19 Jan 2026
×1records

Acavus phoenix

Gastropoda · Acavidae
GBIF
Last seen:
14 Jan 2026
×2records

Plagusia squamosa

Malacostraca · Plagusiidae
GBIF
Last seen:
14 Jan 2026
×1records

Stenella longirostris

Mammalia · Delphinidae
GBIF
Last seen:
13 Jan 2026
×1records

Pocillopora damicornis

Anthozoa · Pocilloporidae
GBIF
Last seen:
9 Jan 2026
×1records

Data: 187,991 observations from OBIS (Ocean Biodiversity Information System) and GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility). CC-BY 4.0.

See this spot in action

YouTube videos — click to play.

Scuba Diving Experience in Unawatuna Sri Lanka, Beginner's Guide, Seahorse Divers Unawatuna Vlog #02

Seahorse Dive Center Unawatuna

Plongée avec sea horse diving à Unawatuna Sri Lanka

Seahorse Dive Center Unawatuna

Sea Horse Scuba Divers Unawatuna

Seahorse Dive Center Unawatuna

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