Fees · Destination Guide
Small-boat Nilwella reefs and an underwater gallery, backed by Tangalle beaches, culture and turtle conservation.
Key fee: Sri Lanka tourist ETA
Free for officially specified eligible nationalities; otherwise official nationality-specific fee
Confirm these fees before you book so your operator plan and day budget match what you will pay onsite.
Pay for a confirmed local service rather than assuming a national dive ticket grants permission at Nilwella. Hiri Divers posts Euro-denominated fun-dive and snorkel prices and Ruhunu posts some US-dollar course prices; both are indicative first-party web listings, not a live booking quote. Rekawa Turtle Watch publishes a local program entry tariff. ETA fees depend on passport nationality and the official May 2026 waiver list. No separate Dickwella/Nilwella marine-park tag, mandatory recreational diving permit, coastal tourism levy or beach-entry tax was verified from the reviewed primary sources; this is an evidence gap, not proof that no site fee or permission can apply. Confirm entrance, conservation and boat charges before paying. No currency conversions have been invented.
| Fee | Amount | Applies to | Where to pay | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sri Lanka tourist ETA | Free for officially specified eligible nationalities; otherwise official nationality-specific fee Eligible free tourist ETA is listed for an initial 30-day, double-entry stay; other categories vary | general; scuba; freedive; snorkel; topside | Where to pay | Apply before travel through the government system; eligibility and fee depend on passport and purpose of visit. Check updated policy and approval details rather than assuming all tourists enter free. Official ETA page. |
| Hiri Divers single certified fun dive | EUR 35 advertised Per listed dive; package terms require confirmation | scuba | Where to pay | EUR35 is the operator single fun-dive price, not the first-time introductory package. The current DSD listing is EUR70 for training plus one ocean dive; EUR35 is also listed for an additional dive after DSD. Confirm eligibility, equipment, site, transport and weather cancellation. Operator price list. |
| Hiri Divers two-dive day | EUR 65 advertised Two listed dives; confirm whether same-day trip, inclusions and return conditions | scuba | Where to pay | Not a live reservation or evidence of specific Nilwella sites on every date. Check equipment, tank and boat pricing with the provider. Source. |
| Hiri Divers guided boat snorkeling | EUR 30 advertised Per published guided boat outing, subject to availability and weather | snorkel | Where to pay | |
| Hiri Divers Open Water course | EUR 350 advertised Operator program; duration, prerequisites and certification inclusions require confirmation | scuba | Where to pay | Treat as a source-backed published course price rather than a guaranteed full-inclusion package. Course listing. |
| Ruhunu PADI Open Water course | USD 440 advertised Operator training course; dates and costs can change | scuba | Where to pay | Tangalle operator course menu; check transfer, beach-boat schedule, training requirements and equipment. Ruhunu course page. |
| Rekawa Turtle Watch entry, foreign adult | LKR 2,000 advertised Single evening program; wild nesting sighting not guaranteed | topside | Official Rekawa Turtle Watch visitor check-in; consult https://www.turtlewatchrekawa.org/read-before-visit-us | Project-set tariff as displayed in late October 2026, with different categories for children and local visitors. Confirm amount, eligibility and operating arrangements at the project rather than through an unsolicited turtle-release tour. Official tariff. |
| Rekawa Turtle Watch entry, foreign child | LKR 1,000 advertised Single evening program; age eligibility is determined by the project | topside | Official Rekawa Turtle Watch visitor check-in | Child tariff from project visitor information, subject to current confirmation and program conduct rules. Official listing. |
| Salt House drop-in yoga | From LKR 3,800 advertised Per class, with actual schedule and instructor confirmation required | topside | Where to pay | A local venue starting price, not a region-wide studio tariff. Ask for the applicable class and current fee. Venue page. |
| Nilwella marine access or conservation fee | No separate site-specific fee verified Unknown; confirm for the exact supervised site and date | scuba; snorkel; freedive | Ask the licensed local provider and relevant local authority before entry | The Navy gallery and nearby reef sites may require local operating permissions or payments, but the reviewed government and operator material did not support publishing a fixed marine-park tag amount. Do not assume public unrestricted shore access or invent a fee. Official gallery record. |
Fee
Eligible free tourist ETA is listed for an initial 30-day, double-entry stay; other categories vary
Apply before travel through the government system; eligibility and fee depend on passport and purpose of visit. Check updated policy and approval details rather than assuming all tourists enter free. Official ETA page.
Per listed dive; package terms require confirmation
EUR35 is the operator single fun-dive price, not the first-time introductory package. The current DSD listing is EUR70 for training plus one ocean dive; EUR35 is also listed for an additional dive after DSD. Confirm eligibility, equipment, site, transport and weather cancellation. Operator price list.
Two listed dives; confirm whether same-day trip, inclusions and return conditions
Not a live reservation or evidence of specific Nilwella sites on every date. Check equipment, tank and boat pricing with the provider. Source.
Per published guided boat outing, subject to availability and weather
Operator program; duration, prerequisites and certification inclusions require confirmation
Treat as a source-backed published course price rather than a guaranteed full-inclusion package. Course listing.
Operator training course; dates and costs can change
Tangalle operator course menu; check transfer, beach-boat schedule, training requirements and equipment. Ruhunu course page.
Single evening program; wild nesting sighting not guaranteed
Project-set tariff as displayed in late October 2026, with different categories for children and local visitors. Confirm amount, eligibility and operating arrangements at the project rather than through an unsolicited turtle-release tour. Official tariff.
Single evening program; age eligibility is determined by the project
Child tariff from project visitor information, subject to current confirmation and program conduct rules. Official listing.
Per class, with actual schedule and instructor confirmation required
A local venue starting price, not a region-wide studio tariff. Ask for the applicable class and current fee. Venue page.
Unknown; confirm for the exact supervised site and date
The Navy gallery and nearby reef sites may require local operating permissions or payments, but the reviewed government and operator material did not support publishing a fixed marine-park tag amount. Do not assume public unrestricted shore access or invent a fee. Official gallery record.