On the southeast coast, approximately 10km south of Tissa, lies the pretty village of kirinda. The village itself boasts a superb beach and an interesting Buddhist shrine on the rocks. However, it is best known as a base from which to experience some excellent diving at the famous 'Great Basses' wreck and the Great and Little Basses reefs (southeast of Kirinda). The famous Arthur C Clarke also put Kirinda on the map when he used it as his base for his diving exploration in order to write his book ‘The Treasure of the Reef'. A particularly unique feature of the Great Basses is the light-house that was actually constructed on the reef in 1860.