Kalpitiya Diving Center
Kalpitiya Diving Center (KDC) is an identical base location for safe diving and exploring typical Sri Lankan coral reef and reef fishes. Recreational divers can learn scuba diving and make guided dive trips to most scenic reef destinations in Kalpitiya.
We organize short term PADI-DSD courses associated with pool training sessions for beginners and helps them to have guided comfortable diving experience with exploring hundreds of colorful creatures living at the distinct locations of Kalpitiya bar reef and surrounding hotspots
Excellent Reviews in TripAdvisor
Individual Dives
Years of Experience
Dive Locations
Our Story
Samitha Fernando the founder of KDC moved to Kalpitiya with his father and since then, for the past 30 years he has been diving and exploring the underwater world in the region. He has over 15,000 dives under his belt and back in 2002 he established a small recreational diving operation under the name “Kalpitiya Diving Centre”, which was the first to take recreational divers below the surface, even before tourism took root in Kalpitiya. Kalpitiya Diving Center has also been able to receive TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence from 2019-2024 along with 390 excellent reviews.
Samitha is a PADI MSDT and EFR Instructor. He started SCUBA diving in Trincomalee at the early age of 14, under the guidance of his father the legendary Shantha Fernando, who was known as a mentor and a pioneer of diving in Sri Lanka. Shantha introduced Scuba Diving to Kalpitiya back in 1975 and in 1999 he was the first to dive the British Sergeant which sank in Vakarei in 1823. The best dive sites we have in our collection, including a few secret ones were discovered by him many decades ago.
Samitha is also a certified life saver in the “Sri Lanka Life Savers Association” and a “ASCA” Swimming instructor.
Our Team
Ajantha Kumara
Boatman
Sam Fernando
Instructor/Owner
Anura W.
Asst. Instructor
Ranga Suranga
Tour Guide
M.M Fernando
Tour Guide
Our History
Frequently Asked Questions
Kalpitiya Diving Center® is the biggest Dive Resort in Sri Lanka sharing passion from diving and underwater world through PADI courses and activities. With more than 3 000 certified divers on our belt we guarantee your safety and quality services. We are professional divers and PADI Instructors who are waiting to take you underwater and share the best experience of your holiday.
The founders of Kalpitiya Diving Center® (Kalpitiya, Trincomalee Diving Centres) are Hans & Renate from Germany. They opened their first diving centre in Unawatuna in 1999. Since then they are operating in diving and hotel industry. Both living continuously in Sri Lanka for more than 15 years.
Arrival (8:30 | 13:30)
Diving with us starts early, we meet at 8:30 at the dive center. Yo fill out the necessary paperwork and make your payment. We accept both card and cash.
Preparation
Then you are sized up for your equipment, if you aren’t already carrying your own equipment. Once all the equipment is set up, you will have a comprehensive but compact dive and boat briefing with your group.
This consists of important information about the dive sites, important local and special dive procedures, safety procedures, recall procedures, attractions of the dive site, marine life, dive profile, signs & signals, etc. Dive planning is quintessential to good, peaceful and fun dives, and we aim for nothing but perfection.
Departure (9:00 | 14:00)
Once the equipment is loaded on the boats with the help of our staff, we take off to our dives sites, of which most can be reached within 20 minutes.
Diving
A two-tank boat-dive consists of two dives. If there is a significant difference in depth between the two approached dive sites, the deeper dive will be dived first (we dive with PADI and therefore avoid reverse profiling). If a diver hasn’t dived for a minimum of 6 months, it’s recommended to take a Refresher dive first.
Depending on the No-Decompression Limits, a dive is usually a maximum of 45 minutes.
The surface interval (depending on the planning of the Dive Computer and the dive profile) is usually covered by the drive to the next dive site. In the meantime, the equipment is prepared for the next dive. We will NOT go back to the dive centre between dives, unless absolutely necessary.
Hydration is very important, even more when diving, please make sure you drink enough water. We also carry water bottles with us on the boat.
Return (11:00 | 16:00)
Half-day activities usually finish between 11:00 – 12:00h (afternoon dive trips finish around 16:00h), whereas full day courses finish around 17:00h.
After your return to the diving school, every diver washes his used equipment. Then we encourage you to talk about your underwater experience with tea and cookies. Our guides help you to complete your logbook entries and identify different species that you witnessed during your dives.
Diving helps create a bond between people, all coming from different parts of the world, but all sharing the same love for the ocean, and we provide a platform for just that.
