Divinguru Unawatuna

Hikkaduwa & South Coast, Sri Lanka

The team at Divinguru Unawatuna are the kind of people you want guiding your dives. We’ve found them to be reliably professional, but also genuinely warm, the sort who remember your name and your last dive. As a PADI 5 Star IDC Resort, they’re set up for serious training, from entry-level courses right through to instructor development. It’s a busy spot during peak season, so expect a lively atmosphere, but the organisation always feels smooth, never chaotic. We'd suggest them if you’re looking to get certified or advance your skills, knowing you’ll be in experienced hands. They run daily trips out to the local wrecks, which we rate as some of the most interesting along this stretch of coast. There’s a satisfying crunch of sand underfoot as you head to their boat, and we particularly love their afternoon dives when the light shifts to a softer, golden hue underwater, bringing out the colours of the resident lionfish on the rock formations. Ask them about the best time to catch the schools of snappers – they’ve got it dialled.