Coral Reefs in Sri Lanka

While coral reefs are found along much of the southern coastline, the reefs around Hikkaduwa are among the most diverse and accessible. Located close to the main road and in generally calm, shallow water, the reefs are an integral part of Hikkaduwa’s identity.

The main reef itself is a typical fringing coral reef with a shallow crest and in a sheltered lagoon with an average depth of less than 2m. The reef begins close to the fishing harbour and extends south around 4km. It plays an important role in protecting the coast from sea erosion.

The reefs around Hikkaduwa are among the most diverse and accessible. Located close to the main road and in generally calm, shallow water, the reefs are an integral part of Hikkaduwa’s identity.

Around 60 species of hard coral have been recorded there along with over 170 species of reef fish. Large stands of cabbage-like Montipora corals and small stands of branching Acropora corals can be found, along with boulder type and encrusting corals. The reef was particularly well known for its colourful branching and table corals until 1998, when a rise in seawater temperature during an El Niño event resulted in a massive die off of corals at Hikkaduwa and throughout the Indian Ocean.

While the reef may have lost some of its former glory it is showing signs of recovery. New coral growth is slowly taking hold and fish populations continue to remain healthy. Colourful reef fish such as angel fish, butterfly fish, parrot fish, snappers, and wrasses can be seen frequently among the corals, while schools of juvenile trevally find shelter from predators in the shallow lagoon. A few large turtles have also become resident there and can be approached by snorkellers.

The ideal time to visit Hikkaduwa is between November and April when calm seas and good visibility prevail

The ideal time to visit Hikkaduwa is between November and April when calm seas and good visibility prevail. During the southwest monsoon from May to October the sea can be rough and underwater visibility is usually low. The easiest and cheapest way to experience the reef is by snorkelling, and the lagoon is a great place for first time snorkellers to experience a coral reef. The clear, calm waters are a great introduction for beginners and the abundance of marine life ensures that snorkellers have close encounters with numerous reef fish.

More adventurous snorkellers can venture out to the seaward side of the reef crest or take a boat out to the deeper coral patches near the rock outcrops. Here are healthy stands of hard coral and interesting reef formations protruding seaward like fingers of a giant hand. Called ‘spur and groove’ formations, these are created by erosion as waves batter the outer reef face during storms. If you are lucky you may even catch a thrilling glimpse of small reef sharks that patrol the edge of the reef.

For scuba divers, there is more to explore in Hikkaduwa. Beyond the shallow reef are numerous deeper reefs and rock formations teeming with marine life. Popular dive sites such as Kiralagala, Godagala and Black Coral Point provide endless opportunities for underwater exploration and photography. Several old shipwrecks are also frequented by divers and over the years have matured into artificial reefs that provide refuge to many species of corals and reef fish.

With its abundance of dive sites and the original influx of tourists, Hikkaduwa was the starting point for the recreational dive industry in Sri Lanka. There are now numerous dive shops catering to divers of all experience levels. If you are not yet a diver it is a great place to start your underwater adventures by undertaking a professionally taught scuba certification course. For those not inclined to get wet, the reef may be viewed using a glass-bottomed boat, although it does not quite compare with experiencing the reef first hand underwater.

Popular dive sites such as Kiralagala, Godagala and Black Coral Point provide endless opportunities for underwater exploration and photography

The Hikkaduwa reef has also been the flag bearer of marine conservation in Sri Lanka. The reef was declared a marine sanctuary in 1979, the first official marine protected area in the country. In 2002, it was upgraded to the status of a Marine National Park, the highest level of protection afforded to a marine eco-system.

The road to conservation has been a rocky one across many obstacles but Hikkaduwa has managed to retain its popularity among both tourists and scientists alike. In recent years there have been attempts to assist reef recovery through coral transplanting projects. While such attempts have had mixed results they have been pivotal in generating interest in coral reef conservation at Hikkaduwa and encouraged important partnerships between marine park managers and reef users.

The accessibility of the reefs have made it a perfect place for research and almost every Sri Lankan marine biologist has conducted research there at some point in their career. One of the best known is Hikkaduwa native Dr Ranjith De Silva, after whom Porites desilveri, a species of coral endemic to Sri Lanka has been named.

However, the popularity of Hikkaduwa has often been its greatest enemy, and irresponsible tourism has resulted in significant damage to the reef. The major causes of reef damage are by visitors walking on the reef, collision of glass bottom boats with the reef, and pollution. If you visit Hikkaduwa it is important that you act responsibly and also encourage others to do so in order to ensure that the fragile eco-system is protected for the benefit of generations to come.

Best Things to Do in Sri Lanka

What’s on the dish, as a holiday destination Sri Lanka has so much to offer, whether it’s a tropical sandy beach vacation, wildlife safari tour, a tour of mystical ancient ruin dominated north central plains, an alluring adventure tour, or wedding and Honeymoon tour to an enchanting hotel in Sri Lanka, and is one of the best destinations where one can do all this with a very short tour, a Smörgåsbord of tropical delights in the way of lobster, lagoon crab, and prawn to name a few, all cooked in the fiery Sri Lankan style.

With miles of wide sandy beaches Sri Lanka, it is more than little tough to select where you want to go as many beaches will vie for your attention, is an ideal getaway destination those searching for sun and fun. The South west coast of Sri Lanka, though little crowded, is famous for its beaches, coral reefs in close proximity to the shores and ideal for snorkelling, diving among a long lost wreck now a paradise to a multitude of sea life. And if you are seeking a remote and secluded beach, the ones in the Deep South and East of Sri Lanka are the best. Sri Lanka is one on the best places to see the Big 04, elusive Sri Lankan leopard, elephant, bear & whale, whether in “Willpattu” National park, a habitat similar to the everglades in the north or “Yala” National Park, in the south or one of the many other national parks that lie in between.

Catch a camp safari tour or a jeep safari tour to witness the elephant and Sri Lankan Leopard, or the black bear. Take a boat tour to see thespinner dolphins or a Blue whale pod in Mirissa in the South, Kalpitiya in the North West or Trincomalee in the East coast. Take an alluring cultural tour along the cultural triangle, be awed by what had been achieved nearly two millennia ago by this small island nation, tour around ancient mystical ruins standing stupendous and silent, as they had for two millennia through foreign invasion and jungle growth, to await the day that they once again would revile the magnificence to the world as they do today, walk along the immense earthen bunds across many miles forming reservoirs so large that they make even the modern engineer wonder how all of it was achieved.

Take an adventure tour, kite surfing available at most beach locations in the south west coast or carry your own kite surfing gear, great weather throughout November to April in the western seaboard makes it an ideal stretch for kite surfing from Mt. Lavinia in Colombo to Hambantota in the deep south. An excursion that has caught on fast with locals and tourist alike is hot air ballooning, nothing beats a hot air balloon excursion across the central plains. Hot air ballooning tours available from the north central plains of the island and be carried away under blue skies and over the landscape dotted with many little man-made lakes and ancient monuments, exchange vows and get married in the air, in a hot air balloon! 

Take trekking tour through the tropical jungle filled with fauna and flora endemic to Sri Lanka, take enchanting a walk to a misty water fall, tour Sri Lanka as a wedding or honeymoon getaway, take a tour on a nostalgic steam train, itself a reminder of an era gone by, past scenic landscapes and mosaics of lush green paddy fields, snorkel on a tropical shallow coral reef or take a boat tour and dive looking for old ship wrecks, one of the most famous being the WW II British aircraft carrier HMS Hermes, meet the aboriginal people of Sri Lanka the “Veddhas” and learn their ways of life which hasn’t changed for a millennia, only very few countries in the world can offer this sort of an assortment in such a small land.

Gemstones Found in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka lies at the southern tip of India which is located at latitude of 6° – 10° N and longitude of 80° – 82° E. The major part of Sri Lanka is made up of Precambrian crystalline rocks except for a belt of sedimentary rocks along the north-west coast of the country. The Precambrian rocks which covers nearly 90% of Sri Lanka, have been classified into three major lithological units, which are Highland / Southwestern Complex, Vijayan Complex and Wanni Complex.

Sri Lanka is well known throughout the world for the large quantity and exquisite variety of its gemstones. These gemstones occur mainly in alluvial gravels found in valley bottoms into which flow tributary hillside streams which carry gem minerals released by weathering form the bed rock sources located at hilltops or hillsides. Apart from the sedimentary formation which carry gemstones some rocks too have been shown to contain gemstones particularly varieties of Corundum. There are also gemstones associated with pegmatite which constituted an important source.

During early times Sri Lanka was once quite fittingly referred to as “Rathna-dweepa” which connotes the meaning “The Island of Gemstones”. The name Rathna-dveepa is found in many chronicles. A Merchants Guide “Periplus of the Erythrean Sea” presumed to have been complied during the first century.

Today around 200 minerals have been classified as gemstones either due to their beauty, durability, rarity or a combination of some of these attribute which should be fulfilled make a mineral worthy of being classified as a gemstone. Of these gemstones, around 75 varieties have been mined or found in Sri Lanka. Although exploitation of Sri Lanka gemstone deposits has been going on for many centuries, its only in reason times that effort has been made to make study of the industry itself, the locations of possible gemstone deposits and most importantly.

Main species of Gemstones found in Sri Lanka are as follows.

Corundum	Beryl
Chrysoberyl	Zircon
Spinel	Quartz
Garnet	Topaz
Tourmaline	Feldspar

Corundum

Corundum as a group is one of the most important gemstone species that has the greatest number of varieties as its members. This oxide of Aluminum probably produces the most important range of valuable gemstones found in Sri Lanka. As water worn pebbles in Alluvial deposits or less frequently in source rocks. The gemstones quality Corundum is highly priced and specific name are given according to the shade of colour such as Ruby for deep red and Padmaraga for pinkish orange or orangish pink. Corundum with colours of lesser importance commercial varieties, being prefixed by the colour name.

Basic scientific details of Corundum family are mentioned below.

• Chemical Composition - Al₂O₃
• Crystal System - Trigonal
• Hardness – 9.0
• Specific Gravity – 3.99
• Refractive Index – 1.762 – 1.770

Blue Sapphire

Sri Lanka sapphires are universally renowned for their magnificent quality and the large sizes in which these sometimes occur. Every possible shade of blue is represented among sapphires of Sri Lanka, the various shades ranging from the palest to the darkest. High quality blue sapphires from Sri Lanka are reputed for having pleasing tone of colour of whatever the shades are of remarkable transparency. In superior quality material the Degree of transparency of very high and its clarity is excellent. The most desired coloured and stones for a shapphire has been describe as an instance corn flower blue with a “Velvety” luster. The combination such features those rare, is the pride of Sri Lanka.

Ruby

Corundum of a red colour are identified as Rubies. Most Sri Lankan varieties are of a pinkish red and display a tint of purple which factor perhaps is sufficient to betray to the experienced person that the stones are of Sri Lankan origin. These purplish tints are attributed to the presence of iron in addition to chromium oxide in the composition. Such stones when subject to instance heat would either lose or diminish the purplish tint thereby highlighting the principle colour, red. This colour is referred to as “Pigeon Blood Red” in gem circles. 

As a rule, Ruby deposits as such have not been specifically localized in Sri Lanka and are found in association with other members of Corundum family. However, as indicated earlier the stones of better quality have been more often than not found within the Embilipitiya – Udawalawe environs.

Padparadscha 

The term Padparadscha is a Sinhalese term applied to a very special colour variety of Corundum, so named after the lotus flower as its colour is sometimes akin to a variety of this flower. The Padparadscha has an exceptional colour combination which is very attractive and rare. The colour combination produces the beautiful colour of a sunset at its best as seen across a tropical sky. The colour of Padparadscha is apparently a combination of pink and orange.

Yellow Sapphire

Among Yellow Sapphires various shades are noted varying from pale yellow to saffron yellow and from yellow slightly tinted red to a deep citron yellow. In local terminology the Yellow Sapphires are identified as “Pushparaga”. Yellow sapphires are widespread and are found in all Corundum producing areas, one of the most reputed areas being places around Aluthnuwara in the Balangoda region.

Asteriated Sapphires (Star Sapphires) 

Asterism is a star like reflection effect caused by certain minerals within the host Corundum. These are microscopic acicular mineral inclusions of special orientation. When these stones cut ‘Cabochon’, displays a special reflection effect in the form of a six, or in rare instances a twelve rayed star on the cabochon surface. Blue, Purple, Pink and Grey coloured Star Sapphires found in Sri Lanka.

Geuda 

On a varietal basis “Geuda” Corundum is one of the more recently appreciated members of the Corundum family. The term Geuda was initially used in Sri Lanka, to describe a property of translucency associated with milky or cloudy appearance seen in some Corundum gemstones. However with heat treatment of Geuda gemstones (a Corundum species) can be converted in to transparent sapphires. The most common Geuda varieties are Diesel Geuda, Milky Geuda, Silky Geuda, Dun Geuda, Ottu and Kowangu Pushparaga. The basic body colour in all these can be pale Blue, Yellow or Pink.

It is thought that of all the Corundum mined in Sri Lanka, about 35 to 40 percent could be categorized as treatable Geuda material in which the colours could be induced through heat treatment. The treatable Geuda Sapphires of Sri Lanka are proven to give better results than Geuda from other part of the world. Sri Lanka is blessed with a large supply of Geuda Sapphires suitable for heat treatment. These deposits are widely spread within the Island.

Chrysoberyl

In Sri Lanka gem chrysoberyl is mostly found as water worn pebbles in the alluvial gem gravels. Chrysoberyl occurs only in a few colours and the common colours being yellow, golden yellow, brownish yellow, yellowish green, bluish green and faint olive green. Chrysoberyl occurs in varying degrees of transparency ranging from transparent and clear to cloudy translucent and opaque. The gemstones of this group are known to have wide distribution in and among the main gem producing regions of this country and are mostly lacalized around Rakwana, Bulutota, Deniyaya, Morawaka, Elahera, Avissawella, Pelawatte, Horana, Matugama, Panadura, Rathnapura, Aluthgama, Ambalantota, Agalawaththa, Bulathsinghala, Kalapugama and Mestiya.

Basic scientific details of Chrysoberyl family are mentioned below.

• Chemical Composition - BeO.Al₂O₃
• Crystal System - Orthorhombic
• Hardness – 8.5
• Specific Gravity – 3.72
• Refractive Index – 1.746 – 1.755

Some inclusions make stones cloudy, reduce transparency and produce reflection effects. These if properly oriented would, when cut ‘cabochon’ displays the cat’s eye effect. What is produced is a silvery streak of light which is displayed across the cabochon surface.

Alexandrite 

Alexandrite is a variety of chrysoberyl is perhaps rarest and Sri Lanka is famous for producing larger stones with fair colour change. The primary beauty of this gem is due to its colour change. At best Sri Lankan stones can be grass green in daylight and violet red to raspberry red in incandescent or artificial light. The gem is priced according the percentage of colour change found in the stone. Although most alexandrite can be faceted, occasionally there is unusual colour changing alexandrite cat’s eye too.

Spinel

Spinel is a gemstone found in greater abundance in Sri Lanka than either corundum or chrysoberyl. Its very abundance makes Sri Lanka the second largest producer of this stone next to Myanmar (Burma). Sri Lankan spinel range from ruby red, pink, orange, shades of reddish brown, purple, blue, bluish green, mauve, greenish black, black to colourless. Apart from the common varieties of spinel are also varieties identified as Ceylonite, Gahnite and Ghanospinel. The occurrence of natural blue spinel coloured by cobalt has been found in Sri Lanka. Cobalt spinel has been found around Rathnapura, Okkampitiya and Embilipitiya.

Basic scientific details of spinel family are mentioned below.

• Chemical Composition - MgO.Al₂O₃
• Crystal System - Cubic
• Hardness – 8.0
• Specific Gravity – 3.60 | 3.58 - 4.06 (Gahnospinel)
• Refractive Index – 1.712 – 1.725 | 1.725 – 1.753 (Gahnospinel)

Original colours are quite different to alexandrite, very often being violet in daylight and changing to reddish Asteriatedspinels with either four or six rays are also found in the gravels of Sri Lanka. Colour changing ‘alexandrite-like’ spinel has also been found from time to time in this country.

Garnet

Garnets are a group of minerals; which refer to a fairly complex group with a great amount of isomorphic replacement resulting in intermixtures of chemical compositions giving a distinct range of colours.

Of these varieties andradite and uvarovite have not been found in Sri Lanka. As in other gem minerals garnets too occurs in varying degrees of transparency, the fully transparent ones with good colour being the most beautiful. They could also display asterism in the form of a four rayed star. Even chatoyancy has been noted from among the Sri Lankan material as has been established by somebrownish red cat’s eyes. Different varieties of garnets have different properties and these will be discussed separately.

Types of Garnets

Pyralspite Series	Other Garnet	Ugrandite Series
Almandine – Fe3Al2(SiO4)3	Rhodolite	Grossular – Ca3Al2(SiO4)3	Andradite – Ca3Fe2(SiO4)
Pyrope – Mg3Al2(SiO4)3	Malaya	Hessonite	Demantoid
Spessartite – Mn3Al2(SiO4)3	Mali	Tsavorite	Melanite
Uvarovite – Ca3Cr2(SiO4)3	Colour–changing garnet	Hydrogrossular	Topazolite
	Melanite
	Topazolite
	Rainbow garnet

Red and its diverse shades are the commonest colours in which the varieties, pyrope and almandine occur. The beautiful purplish tinted garnets which are fairly abundant in the Matale-Elahera regions are really an intermediate variety between pyrope and almandine. The term Rhodolite seems to be the more acceptable term probably because of its rhododendron-red colour. This intermediate type of garnet is mostly confined to the Elahera regions. Here the colours are extremely fine, the stones clear and transparent and what is more are found in reasonably large sizes. The superior quality of this variety from this region is so renowned that these are sometimes identified as “Elahera garnets” in order to make the variety more specific.

Rhodolite garnet 

Tourmaline

Tourmaline naturally results in a wide range of colours and even colour variations in the same gem in concentric or horizontal bands. The noteworthy colours found in Sri Lanka are yellowish green, dull green, honey yellow brown and rarely blue and bright green. The yellowish brown tourmalines are more abundant in Sri Lanka compared to other colour varieties. Attractive pink, bi-colour and Paraiba tourmalines are not found in Sri Lanka. The different colours could be seen along the length of the crystal and here the colours are at the two ends where the colour demarcations are very sharp.

Basic scientific details of tourmaline family are mentioned below.

• Chemical Composition - Complex borosilicate of Aluminium, Magnesium and Iron
• Crystal System - Trigonal
• Hardness – 7.0 - 7.5
• Specific Gravity – 3.01 – 3.11 (black 3.15 - 3.26)
• Refractive Index – 1.62 – 1.66

The red and reddish varieties are identified as rubellite and in instances where the shade of red carries a purplish tint, these are identified as siberite. These varieties are not known to occur in Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan green products have always been of a dull green. These are more yellowish green in appearance. Most of the brown and yellowish brown varieties are located mainly around Uva, Rathnapura and Tissamaharama regions. The brown, brownish yellow and the honey yellow colour varieties are broadly identified as uvaite and dravite respectively. Uvaite has been named after the province of Uva where these varieties are most abundant and widespread. The other areas in which tourmalines are found widespread and in fair abundance are the Lunugala, Bibile, Passara, Nilgala region, Horana, Matugama, Pelawatte, Morawaka, Deniyaya, Rakwana areas, around Rathnapura, Avissawella, Haputale and also around Ambalantota in the south.

Beryl 

When beryl absolutely pure in composition beryl should be colourless, but a very close scrutiny of such colourless material will reveal that these are more often than not very faintly tinged with blue, green, pink or yellow. Beryl occurs in different colours, such as grass green, blue-green, yellowish green, yellow, pink and pinkish red. Accordingly different varieties are identified. These are emerald, aquamarine, golden beryl (heliodor), morganite and goshenite. Goshenite is the term applied to the colourless variety.

Basic scientific details of beryl family are mentioned below.

• Chemical Composition - Be₃Al₂(SiO₃)₆
• Crystal System - Hexagonal
• Hardness – 7.5 - 8.0
• Specific Gravity – 2.70 – 2.80
• Refractive Index – 1.56 – 1.59

Green variety of this family is named as emerald. Emerald is the most important member of this family, but this variety is not indigenous to Sri Lanka. Morganite is a pinkish red or pink coloured variety of beryl and this variety is also not found among Sri Lankan gem gravel. The term aquamarine is applied to the pale blue and greenish blue coloured beryl. The general colour of aquamarine has been often compared to the colour of sea water giving rise to the term aquamarine. The colours are mostly pale or light, the dark shades being less abundant. Auamarine of a flawless deep blue or greenish blue colour is undoubtedly a stone of beauty. The depth of colour is most intense in large stones. The colour in smaller stones is comparatively lighter. Generally the colours in aquamarine are very well distributed and large flawless stones are by no means rare. Stones of good quality should be of deep colour and perfect transparency. In Sri Lanka aquamarine has been found in Rathnapura, Rakwana, Morawaka, Hatton, Nawalapitiya, Galle, Matara, Tissamaharama and Lunugamwhera. 

Asteriated beryl has also been found in Sri Lanka on rare occasions.

Quartz

Crystalline	Polycrystalline
Rock crystal	Chalcedony	Jasper	Quartzite	Quartz & silica replacements
Amethyst	Carnelian		Aventurine quartz	Tiger’s-eye
Citrine	Sard			Silicified
Smoky quartz	Prase
Prasolite	Chrysoprase
Rose quartz	Agate
	Moss agate
	Onyx
	Bloodstone

 

Rose sapphire- Quartz