Nilaveli is a long, uninterrupted stretch of powdery white sand on the northeast coast, facing a calm sea of clarity. The area is best visited between May and September, when the east coast basks in sunshine while the rest of the island experiences its monsoon season. Just a short boat ride offshore lies Pigeon Island National Park, a marine sanctuary of pristine coral reefs teeming with reef fish, sea turtles and blacktip reef sharks.