Just came back to Europe after a 2-week vacation ...
Just came back to Europe after a 2-week vacation in Sri Lanka. Everybody had told me I need not take my diving equipment with me because diving in Sri Lanka would not be nice - I should rather go to the Maledives instead. --- I nevertheless did take my stuff with me and must say I am very glad I did. (Although I can say that I would as easily have been able to borrow equipment from the International Diving School; it is rather my preference for diving with my own regulator, suit and jacket, the stuff supplied by the school seemed perfect.)
The office of the International Diving School in Hikkaduwa is located right on the beach, underneath the pretty Coral Sands Hotel. Other nice hotels nearby include, e.g., the just re-opened Hikkaduwa Beach Hotel with a flair of its own.
The staff of the International Diving School is perfectly friendly professional and good fun to dive with; they know their dive spots, can tell who is able to do which dive and are always willing to do just a little extra for their customers. --- One feels comfortable there easily. (Which is much more than I have experienced in many other places, such as e.g., Cuba, Egypt, Croatia, Costa Rica, ....)
Diving is not always as spectacular as in other locations; the Conch (wreck) is for example not the Thistlegorm in the Red Sea, Egypt. Nonetheless, I found it very nice and interesting. There are many rocky spots where one can dive trough fallen rocks, interesting fish life, turtles, and sting rays; depending on the time of the year there are presumably also whale sharks .... --- reason enough for me to (hopefully) go back at some stage
))
The office of the International Diving School in Hikkaduwa is located right on the beach, underneath the pretty Coral Sands Hotel. Other nice hotels nearby include, e.g., the just re-opened Hikkaduwa Beach Hotel with a flair of its own.
The staff of the International Diving School is perfectly friendly professional and good fun to dive with; they know their dive spots, can tell who is able to do which dive and are always willing to do just a little extra for their customers. --- One feels comfortable there easily. (Which is much more than I have experienced in many other places, such as e.g., Cuba, Egypt, Croatia, Costa Rica, ....)
Diving is not always as spectacular as in other locations; the Conch (wreck) is for example not the Thistlegorm in the Red Sea, Egypt. Nonetheless, I found it very nice and interesting. There are many rocky spots where one can dive trough fallen rocks, interesting fish life, turtles, and sting rays; depending on the time of the year there are presumably also whale sharks .... --- reason enough for me to (hopefully) go back at some stage
))