Nilaveli is a beautiful coastline, a short drive from Trincomalee, offering the most pristine waters on the entire island. The beach is long and uncrowded, flanked by casuarina trees and backed by the calm, glittering waters of the Bay of Bengal. Just offshore lies Pigeon Island National Park, a protected marine sanctuary with spectacular coral reefs, black-tipped reef sharks and a dazzling array of tropical fish. Nilaveli is best visited between May and September, when the east coast experiences its dry season and the sea is at its calmest.