Trincomalee & Kalpitiya · Sri Lanka · Pinnacle · Wall · Sand slope
Swami Rock
Temple statues on the bottom under the Koneswaram cliff
Area photo: Kondephy · CC BY-SA 4.0
The headland below the Koneswaram temple continues underwater as rock: the site is described as pinnacle, wall and sandy bottom, working between 5 and 24 m. Hindu statues from the temple the Portuguese demolished in 1622 lie among the rock formations, including Shiva, Ganesh and Saraswati. Entry is by boat.
Also known as Swami Malai, Kona-ma-malai.
Where it is and how deep
8.5831° N, 81.2461° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
Entry is by boat, and the dive works a depth range of 5 to 24 m. The site is described as a mix of pinnacle, wall and sandy bottom, so how deep you go is set by your certification and your gas rather than by any single reef line: the shallow rock sits under the cliff that once carried the temple, and the ground falls away from there to sand at 24 m.
What puts the site on itineraries is what lies among the rock. Hindu statues from the shrine that stood on the cliff above went into the water when the Portuguese demolished it in 1622, and Shiva, Ganesh and Saraswati have all been identified underwater. Around them the everyday reef life works the stone: parrotfish and Moorish idols over the rock, moray eels in the cracks. Turtles are regular, and sharks, whales and dolphins are all on the sightings list for the site.
Background
The Koneswaram temple stood on top of Swami Rock until Portuguese forces demolished it in 1622, tipping statues and other artefacts from the 10th-century CE shrine off the cliff into the water below. The underwater ruins were found by the writer Arthur C. Clarke, diving with photographer Mike Wilson, and described in his book Reefs of Taprobane. Statues of Ganesh are among the pieces recorded on the bottom.
Marine life and season
- Sea turtles
- Whales
- Dolphins
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Good | Good |
Season follows Trincomalee & Kalpitiya: Trincomalee dives Apr–Sep; Kalpitiya's whale season runs Nov–Apr on the opposite monsoon, so one coast is always workable.
Questions divers ask
How deep is Swami Rock?+
The site runs from 5 m down to a maximum of 24 m, or 78 feet, across pinnacle, wall and sandy bottom. Boat entry is required. The shallower granite is well inside recreational limits, so the depth you dive is a matter of certification rather than of the site.
Sources
- Swami Rock dive site — PADI
- Trincomalee — Wikipedia
In The Logbook
- Where can you legally swim with whales?Big animals · 14 min read
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