Navy Museum
About this dive site
The Navy Museum isn't a wreck dive in the conventional sense — it's more of an artificial reef built from decades of accumulated maritime history. Old anchors, cannons, chains, propellers, and assorted naval hardware have settled into the sandy bottom and been slowly colonised by coral. It's a strange and atmospheric place.
Depth runs from about 12 to 18 m, which puts it in range for certified Open Water divers. The artificial reef structure creates good shelter for fish — you'll find large schools of glassfish hanging in the shadows of old machinery, with trevally circling above looking for a meal. Moray eels are everywhere, tucked into gaps between metal and rock. If you're patient with your buoyancy, the macro photography here is excellent: nudibranchs on the old iron, pygmy seahorses if you know where to look.
This is one of our go-to second dive spots on a two-dive day — the site reliably delivers and it's easy to navigate. We often pair it with Swami Rock for a morning of contrasting terrain.
What you'll see
- Moray eels
- Schools of glassfish
- Trevally
- Nudibranchs
- Lionfish
- Scorpionfish
- Coral-encrusted naval artefacts
Site highlights
- ✓Old anchors, cannons and naval hardware on the sea floor
- ✓Artificial reef heavily colonised by coral
- ✓Excellent macro photography
- ✓Atmospheric and unusual dive experience
Currents & Visibility
Usually calm. Visibility 10–15 m. Some silt disturbance near bottom — stay off the sand.
Recommended courses for this site
Book a dive here
Tell us which sites you want and we'll sort the rest.
Equipment included · Local guides · Small groups
Photos — Navy Museum
Questions about Navy Museum
“Swami Rock is something else entirely. The statues on the reef, the turtles, the sheer amount of life on the wall — I've dived in Thailand, Indonesia, the Red Sea, and this is right up there. The guides know every inch of these reefs. Highly recommended.”
James T.
United Kingdom · Fun Diving
“Did my Advanced here after getting my Open Water in Koh Tao. The Klathipa deep dive and the wreck dive were both incredible. Small groups, attentive instruction, and the equipment was in excellent condition. I'll be back for the specialty courses.”
Aiko N.
Japan · Advanced Open Water Diver
More dive sites
Swami Rock
Swami Rock is probably the most iconic dive in Trincomalee — and honestly, it's hard to argue with that. The site sits r
Learn moreBeginnerPigeon Island
Pigeon Island National Park is the kind of place that makes people want to become divers. It's a national park, which me
Learn moreBeginnerWhite Rock
White Rock is a shallower dive but don't let that fool you — the marine life density here is genuinely impressive. A lar
Learn moreLet's get you in the water
Call us or send a message — we'll sort the dates, answer questions, and get you booked in.