Pigeon Island National Park Trincomalee Sri Lanka

"After spending some time and meering with ppl in Tricomalee it will be clear and they dont lie about it: lots of dead and bleached coral. Especially on the beach side. Yes you can and probably you will see turtles and sharks (we did see them eventhough super windy weather) but also pay a lot for entry fee and thwre are many free options to see same, deeper waters so you wont hurt the corals at least.
We did a tour where they take you to the island with a boat. You snorkel a half circle where the turtles and sharks are. You will probably see them also some fish. Then break and then free snorkeling on the other side. No shark no turtle, but many beautiful fish and if you go far enough many corals as well."

Tóth Viktor

"There is some excellent snorkelling here, we have dived and snorkelled all over the world and weren't expecting much. However we saw 15+ black tip reef sharks from babies to large adults. Also lots of turtles and many tropical fish. All of the sea life comes very close to you.
The coral suffered during the Asian tsunami but is recovering slowly and there are some areas of good coral.
We went around Easter holiday time so it was super busy with domestic tourists. However there were roped areas, snorkel guides and police lifeguards were shouting at anyone who stood on the corals. It was reasonably well managed and all of the informal, local snorkel guides were quite on the ball with ensuring the correct behaviour (with regards the coral reef).
The cheapest way to do it is to tuk tuk to the beach, buy your own park ticket and negotiate with a boat man for drop off and pick up - they have snorkel gear too. We booked it all through Pigeon Island Tours, they were pretty efficient, but if you're on a budget I'm sure it's cheaper to organise each component individually."

Fiona Hanks

"The visit to the picture perfect Pigeon Island Marine National Park, a canvas of light blue sky, crystal clear waters of different shades of blue, the greenery of the vegetation set amongst the varying hues of rock and boulders and the shores of golden sands, is a unique and one of a kind experience for all.
The island, which is nearly 500 ha in extent, is thus named as it the habitat for rock pigeons. A 15-minute boat ride from Nilaweli Beach in Trincomalee will get you there.
Once you get yourself geared up with your life jacket and a pair of special goggles for snorkelling, you can experience firsthand some of the most awe-inspiring secrets of the marine ecosystem. There are many different varieties of fish, including baby sharks, swimming amongst what is perhaps the best preserved corals in the country. You can also encounter a few different breeds of turtle.
The beauty was something that could only be experienced and treasured as we were not equipped with underwater cameras and were definitely reluctant to risk our phones even though wrapped in plastic. We did manage to get a few pictures, though, as the water is crystal clear.
However experienced you may be as a swimmer it's always advisable to get the services of a lifeguard who are well trained and experienced, when you are venturing out to the sea. The entire island is spotlessly maintained thanks to the efforts of the personnel on duty.
It is also worthwhile to go around the island by boat on your return trip to Nilaweli. You can negotiate with the boatman for between රු 2 to 3,000.
The memories will be etched in our minds for a very long time."

Adrian Corera