MANGAL TARA - Trincomalee & East Coast

Alright, let's talk about the Mangal Tara. Forget your deep, technical wrecks; this one’s for the snorkelers, the free divers, and anyone who loves a good story right on the surface. We always recommend this as a perfect warm-up, or even a chilled-out afternoon session if you’ve had enough current for one day. The Mangal Tara, a motor vessel, ran aground back in '89. Now, she lies so shallow, practically kissing the surface, that you can see her entire silhouette from a boat. Snorkelling here, you’re looking straight down onto a 74-meter-long hull. Sunlight just floods the place. We’ve found her to be remarkably intact for her age and depth, especially around the bow and stern. You can actually make out the deck features, the cargo holds, and even parts of the superstructure. What we really love is how the reef has just totally swallowed her up. Schools of small fusiliers swirl around the jagged metal. Lionfish often hang out in the shadowy crevices, and we’ve spotted moray eels peeking out from under plates of steel. It’s an easy, relaxing drift over history, perfect for photographers wanting to play with ambient light and reflection. It’s also one of our favourite spots for spotting juvenile reef fish, incredibly colourful against the rusty backdrop.

Location: Trincomalee & East Coast, Sri Lanka, Indian Ocean & East Africa
Coordinates: 7.000000, 81.870834
Type: wreck
Maximum Depth: 1m

Best Time to Dive in Trincomalee & East Coast

The warmest water temperatures in Trincomalee & East Coast occur in January, averaging 27.4°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 27.4°C.

Monthly Water Temperatures

January: 27.4°C (air: 25.8°C)
February: 27.4°C (air: 26.3°C)
March: 27.4°C (air: 27.3°C)
April: 27.4°C (air: 28.2°C)
May: 27.4°C (air: 28.9°C)
June: 27.4°C (air: 29.6°C)
July: 27.4°C (air: 29.4°C)
August: 27.4°C (air: 28.9°C)
September: 27.4°C (air: 28.7°C)
October: 27.4°C (air: 27.2°C)
November: 27.4°C (air: 26.0°C)
December: 27.4°C (air: 25.9°C)

Nearest Dive Centres to MANGAL TARA

Coco Diving Trincomalee - ["PADI"]
Dive For You - ["PADI"]
Epic Ocean Adventures - ["PADI"]
International Diving School Trincomalee - ["PADI"]
Poseidon Diving Centre - ["PADI"]
Sri Lanka Dive School

Marine Life in Trincomalee & East Coast

Home to 259 recorded species including 205 reef fish, 16 hard corals, 14 sea snails & nudibranchs, 7 sharks & rays, 6 seagrass & algae, 5 whales & dolphins.

Notable Species

Giant trevally (Caranx ignobilis) - Reef Fish
Big-eye trevally (Caranx sexfasciatus) - Reef Fish
Golden trevally (Gnathanodon speciosus) - Reef Fish
cloth-of-gold cone snail (Conus textile) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs
Jack (Selar crumenophthalmus) - Reef Fish
Silver Sillago (Sillago sihama) - Reef Fish
Red lionfish (Pterois miles) - Reef Fish
Species code: Ea (Enhalus acoroides) - Seagrass & Algae
Bicolor Blenny (Ecsenius bicolor) - Reef Fish
Wrasse (Stethojulis interrupta) - Reef Fish
Small-eyed Squirrelfish (Myripristis murdjan) - Reef Fish
Necklace Cone (Conus monile) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs
Manini (Acanthurus triostegus) - Reef Fish
Spangled emperor (Lethrinus nebulosus) - Reef Fish
Blue-lined Surgeonfish (Acanthurus lineatus) - Reef Fish
Redcoat (Sargocentron rubrum) - Reef Fish
Five-lined snapper (Lutjanus quinquelineatus) - Reef Fish
Herring Scad (Alepes vari) - Reef Fish
Dusky Wrasse (Halichoeres marginatus) - Reef Fish
Blue and Gold Fusilier (Caesio caerulaurea) - Reef Fish

Recommended Packing List for MANGAL TARA

Based on average water temperature of 27.4°C.

Shorty or Rashguard - warm 27°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