Diving at Pigeon Island Trincomalee - how good is it and what marine life can I expect?

As a certified diving instructor who has worked the Trincomalee coast, here is my insider view of Pigeon Island.

Marine life: Pigeon Island National Park is one of the best sites in South Asia for blacktip reef sharks - it is common to see 10-15 on a single dive. You will also regularly encounter:
- Hawksbill and green turtles (resident population)
- Reef rays and eagle rays
- Large Napoleon wrasse
- Enormous schools of snappers and fusiliers
- Healthy hard coral (some bleaching after 2016 but recovering well)

Visibility: 15-25 metres on good days, genuinely excellent by Indian Ocean standards.

Best sites:
- The Pinnacles - wall dive with shark action, for Advanced divers
- The Aquarium - shallower (8-15m), incredible coral garden, suitable for all levels
- North Rock - larger pelagic species, mild current, exciting drift

Best season: March to October. The Trincomalee coast faces east so it is sheltered when the southwest monsoon hits the west coast. April to June is peak: flat seas, best visibility.

Dive operators: several in Trincomalee town and at Nilaveli Beach (10km north). Look for PADI-certified centres. Ask specifically for operators who brief divers on not touching corals - Pigeon Island's reef depends on it.

Park entry fee: USD 15 (paid at the jetty). Dive trip including two dives and equipment: typically USD 60-80.