My experience is only in Sri Lanka.
Here too like all places, when the fishing is good it's fantastic, when its bad it sucks.
We catch Barracuda up to 20 pounds, Barramundi up to 30 pounds, GT up to 70 pounds, Queen fish up to 16 pounds which are fantastic on light tackle, Narrow Barred Spanish Mackerel up to 40 pounds (cousin of the Wahoo), etc from the shore and jetties.
Plugging works well both in the day and night, and silver spoons in the mornings just as it dawns. Shore fishing from the harbours and at estuary mouths (river entrances into the sea) are the best places to fish from.
If you search my posts on this website you will find quite a bit of info on plugging and shore fishing in Sri Lanka.
I too dislike boat fishing and all my fishing is done with my feet firmly planted on the shore or a breakwater / pier. The only times I fish off a boat is when fishing for Barramundi or Mangrove Jack in inland lagoons.