Bar Reef, Sri Lanka
No town nearby. No stay checked for this site yet: Kalpitiya, 15 km away, is the nearest town we list. Nearest airport: CMB (CMB), 133 km.
About Bar Reef
A reef dive. It goes down to 8 m. You get in from a boat. It suits Open Water divers and up, as a dive guide states it. The coast faces W: swell from the W reaches it, and wind from the E blows out to sea. No dive centre within 10 km, the nearest 16 km away. The sea is about 28°C in January, its coldest month (3 mm wetsuit), and 30°C in April, its warmest (rash vest or 1 to 2 mm). For Advanced divers the best months are usually January, February, March and April, with about 7 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. No town nearby. No stay checked for this site yet: Kalpitiya, 15 km away, is the nearest town we list. Nearest airport: CMB (CMB), 133 km.
- What it is Reef.
- How deep Down to 8 m.
- Getting in From a boat.
- Who it suits Suits Open Water divers and up, as a dive guide states it.
- Dive centres No dive centre within 10 km, the nearest 16 km away.
Facts: verified.
Dive centres nearby
Ocean Lanka Dive Centre 16 km
The nearest named dive centres and shops within 25 km, in a straight line; training agencies where the map states them. Listings, not a recommendation. Dive centres: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Credits
Water about 29°C: rash vest or 1 to 2 mm. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.
What is under the water (visibility, current, life) no free forecast gives. Ask a dive centre before you book.
Save this trip A link to come back to, or to send to the group.
Book the trip
From Chicago: about 31 h 40 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. ORD to CMB, changing at IST. About 7 flights a week that month.
See flights ORD → CMB · Skyscanner from about £800 returnAdGetting there. 4 h 20 from the airport to Bar Reef.
Accommodation.
No town nearby
No stay checked for this site yet: Kalpitiya, 15 km away, is the nearest town we list. Nearest airport: CMB (CMB), 133 km.
Hire and lessons.
Dives and courses in Bar Reef · GetYourGuideAdDive gear hire in Bar Reef · GetYourGuideAd
Where it is
Bar Reef on Google Maps · Directions
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Forecast
Best on Sun 18: Sea 0.5 m. Wind 10 kn gusting 14.
The score for Advanced divers, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoor
| Day | Score | Sea | Wind | Gusts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 18Oct | 80, good | 0.5 m | 10 kn | 14kn |
| Mon 19Oct | 80, good | 0.4 m | 9 kn | 13kn |
| Tue 20Oct | 80, good | 0.4 m | 6 kn | 10kn |
| Wed 21Oct | 80, good | 0.4 m | 6 kn | 10kn |
| Thu 22Oct | 80, good | 0.4 m | 7 kn | 11kn |
| Fri 23Oct | 80, good | 0.4 m | 7 kn | 14kn |
| Sat 24Oct | 79, good | 0.6 m | 11 kn | 19kn |
| Sun 25Oct | 77, good | 0.6 m | 13 kn | 22kn |
| Mon 26Oct | 78, good | 0.5 m | 11 kn | 19kn |
| Tue 27Oct | 80, good | 0.4 m | 9 kn | 16kn |
| Wed 28Oct | 0, poor | – | – | – |
Day scores are the conditions out of 80, from the two best daylight readings: a morning and an afternoon dive. Sea is the open water's waves near the site, in metres, halved for a sheltered site. Wind and gusts are in knots (10 kn is about 19 km/h); "boats in" marks gusts that keep dive boats in. What is under the water (visibility, current, life) no free forecast gives.
The season
Good diving days in a typical week, each month, for Advanced divers, from 2016 on (ERA5 history scored the same way).
- Jan7of 7
- Feb7of 7
- Mar7of 7
- Apr7of 7
- May7of 7
- Jun7of 7
- Jul7of 7
- Aug7of 7
- Sep7of 7
- Oct7of 7
- Nov7of 7
- Dec7of 7
Typical, not a forecast: the sea and the mean wind of each day, with no gusts or rain in the history.
Rough cost
About £935–£1,905 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing. A guide from typical prices, not a quote. No town nearby, so no stay is in it. Dives are not priced yet: we have no sourced price for a guided dive, so they are not in it.
- Flights £800–£1,660
- To the UK airport £35–£65
- Hire car £30–£55
- Food £70–£125
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