GEORGIOS K - Hikkaduwa & South Coast

The Georgios K, just off Hikkaduwa, is one of our favourite easy wreck dives in Sri Lanka. She’s an old carrier vessel, 82.5m long, sitting upright in about 13m of water, scuttled back in ‘94. What we love about her is how accessible she feels; you can swim right along her deck, peering into cargo holds that are now home to schools of snapper and barracuda. The light penetration is fantastic at this depth, illuminating the wreck's structure and the corals that have started to colonise her metal hull. We’d suggest heading out in the morning, before the coastal breeze picks up, for the best visibility. You’ll often find large groupers lurking under overhangs, and we’ve spotted moray eels tucked into crevices more times than we can count. She's a perfect wreck for newer divers looking to get a feel for overhead environments without the complexity or depth, but even experienced wreck heads will appreciate how completely she's been taken over by marine life.

Location: Hikkaduwa & South Coast, Sri Lanka, Indian Ocean & East Africa
Coordinates: 7.025208, 79.836410
Type: wreck
Maximum Depth: 13m

Marine Protected Area: Muthurajawela

Best Time to Dive in Hikkaduwa & South Coast

The warmest water temperatures in Hikkaduwa & South Coast occur in January, averaging 28.4°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 28.4°C.

Monthly Water Temperatures

January: 28.4°C (air: 25.8°C)
February: 28.4°C (air: 26.4°C)
March: 28.4°C (air: 27.1°C)
April: 28.4°C (air: 27.4°C)
May: 28.4°C (air: 27.4°C)
June: 28.4°C (air: 27.2°C)
July: 28.4°C (air: 27.0°C)
August: 28.4°C (air: 26.8°C)
September: 28.4°C (air: 26.6°C)
October: 28.4°C (air: 26.4°C)
November: 28.4°C (air: 25.9°C)
December: 28.4°C (air: 25.9°C)

Nearest Dive Centres to GEORGIOS K

Dive For You - ["PADI"]
Divinguru Unawatuna - ["PADI"]
Island Scuba - ["PADI"]
Lanka Sportreizen - Marina, Bentota - ["PADI"]
Pearl Divers - ["PADI"]
Polhena Diving Center - ["PADI"]

Marine Life in Hikkaduwa & South Coast

Home to 95 recorded species including 65 reef fish, 6 whales & dolphins, 6 hard corals, 5 sea snails & nudibranchs, 3 other, 2 seagrass & algae.

Notable Species

blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) - Whales & Dolphins
Red lionfish (Pterois miles) - Reef Fish
Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus) - Whales & Dolphins
Olive Ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea)
Orange-lined Triggerfish (Balistapus undulatus) - Reef Fish
Species code: Hp (Halodule pinifolia) - Seagrass & Algae
Giant trevally (Caranx ignobilis) - Reef Fish
Barracuda (Acanthocybium solandri) - Reef Fish
Swordfish (Xiphias gladius) - Reef Fish
thalassia (Thalassia hemprichii) - Seagrass & Algae
Black-headed Leatherjacket (Pervagor melanocephalus) - Reef Fish
Narrow-barred Spanish mackerel (Scomberomorus commerson) - Reef Fish
Black-lined Blenny (Istiblennius lineatus) - Reef Fish
Indian Ocean bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops aduncus) - Whales & Dolphins
Honeycomb Filefish (Cantherhines pardalis) - Reef Fish
Sand-dusted Cone (Conus arenatus) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs
marbled spiny eel (Mastacembelus armatus) - Reef Fish
Striped Triplefin (Helcogramma striata) - Reef Fish
Staghorn coral (Acropora hyacinthus) - Hard Corals
Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas)

Recommended Packing List for GEORGIOS K

Based on average water temperature of 28.4°C.

Shorty or Rashguard - warm 28°C water needs minimal exposure protection
Mask - essential for every dive
Fins
BCD - buoyancy compensator
Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories