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Tikalanka is your tailor-made holiday specialist
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All of our holidays to Sri Lanka and Maldives are tailor-made, so you can choose the experience that is best for you.
Sri Lanka has a wide variety of places to stay depending on your mood, budget, location or preference, from family-run guesthouses to exclusive villas, while our resorts in Maldives are specially selected for their character, quality and ambiance. Best of all, you can rest your head in a combination of these places on your holiday to Sri Lanka and Maldives.
Read More Trip Planner“We absolutely LOVED all our accommodation, [we] were so well looked after in all the hotels.”
Sarah & Richard
Make the most of your time in Sri Lanka by experiencing our top 5 favourite homestays or guesthouses.
If rafting over cascading rapids, ballooning around an iconic rock fortress at dawn, climbing a sacred mountain for the spectacular sunrise and experiencing a jeep safari to spot a variety of exotic wildlife are high on your wish list, then Sri Lanka is for you!
Read More Trip Planner“The highlights for us must be the white-water rafting [Kitulgala], which was amazing, and then our first sighting of wild elephants, which is something really quite magical and an experience we will never forget. The whole country is so very diverse and the people are warm and friendly and really did seem to care that we had a good time.”
Clare & Maureen
Make the most of your time in Sri Lanka by experiencing our recommended top 5 adventures.
Whether on the golden sandy coasts of the south and west of the island or the coral-white shores of the east, Sri Lanka has year-round, sun-drenched and palm-fringed tropical beaches for you to enjoy! Maldives has the perfect natural combination for the ideal tropical beach holiday.
Read More Trip Planner“Thank you so much for organising such an excellent holiday. We had a super time and Buckingham Place [Tangalle] was a fabulous final stop!”
Petra & Michael
Make the most of your time in Sri Lanka by relaxing on our recommended top 5 beaches.
A comprehensive guided introduction to the diverse birdlife of Sri Lanka, visiting the most important nesting sites, migratory routes and overwintering grounds in the country. With the help of an expert naturalist, you will spot a great number and variety of birds while on this specialist birding tour.
Read More Trip Planner“We were delighted with our trip to Sri Lanka, especially with the amount of birds and wildlife we were able to see. It was wonderful, too, seeing elephants in their natural habitat, as well as leopards. Niroshan was a perfect guide – knowledgeable, friendly, always on time and always looking smart. An unforgettable trip which has produced some amazing photos.”
Laurence & Elaine
Make the most of your time in Sri Lanka by experiencing our recommended top 5 birding hotspots.
Sacred Buddhist stupas and statues, an iconic pleasure palace atop a rock, atmospheric cave temples, mysterious monastery ruins, extravagant Hindu devales, ancient and innovative irrigation systems, Sri Lanka has it all!
Read More Trip Planner“Sena [chauffeur guide] provided us with a unique experience of a lifetime: an experience which has shaped us and helped us to grow, an experience that we will never forget.”
Ruth & Mark
Make the most of your time in Sri Lanka by exploring our recommended top 5 cultural sites.
Friendly and welcoming, Sri Lanka is the ideal destination for a fun-filled family holiday! Exotic wildlife, sandy beaches, thrilling as well as easy-going adventures and child-friendly accommodation are a formidable combination for an out-of-the-ordinary family experience.
Read More Trip Planner“We all had the most fantastic family holiday. There were so many highlights - elephant safari, Chaaya Village [Habarana], [Kandy Esala] Perahera!!! Thanks so much!”
Sheth family
Make the most of your time in Sri Lanka by enjoying our recommended top 5 family experiences.
Visit a variety of Geoffrey Bawa's iconic buildings, stay in some of his finest hotels, and tour the ancient sites of Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya and Dambulla on this architectural extravaganza of the best of Bawa and Sri Lanka.
Read More Trip Planner“We very much enjoyed the trip and did a lot of Bawa architecture around Bentota and Colombo. Do hope Sri Lanka keeps the tourist invasion under control!!”
Liz & Stephen
Make the most of your time in Sri Lanka by experiencing our recommended top 5 architectural gems.
Romance abounds in Sri Lanka, from the dreamy and enigmatic landscapes of the Hill Country to the warm tropical breezes and glowing sunsets over the Indian Ocean beaches. Luxury villas, pampering spas, private dining and complimentary extras are some of the enticements on offer to honeymooners in Maldives.
Read More Trip Planner“We would like to say thanks for helping us organise a fantastic honeymoon which we will never forget.”
David & Lauren
Make the most of your time in Sri Lanka and Maldives by staying in our recommended top 5 honeymoon havens.
Sri Lanka and Maldives are blessed with some of the best appointed and ideally situated hotels and villas anywhere in the world, making them the ideal destination for a luxury tropical holiday or extra-special honeymoon.
Read More Trip Planner“Our trip was a delight from the wondrous Heritance Kandalama hotel [Dambulla], historic Polonnaruwa and Sigiriya sights, to the luxury of The Kandy House [Kandy], sheer indulgence of the Ceylon Tea Trails [Adam's Peak] and ocean-side luxury of Aditya [Galle].”
David & Carolyn
Make the most of your time in Sri Lanka and Maldives by enjoying our recommended top 5 luxury experiences.
Experience a very different Sri Lanka with its vast lagoons full of migrant waders, donkeys and baobabs, Tamil script and Hindi songstresses, bicycles and Brahman cows. Since the declaration of peace on the island in 2009, the north and east of the country have opened up and developed, but not too much – yet.
Read More Trip Planner“In general, we have never had bad accommodation in Sri Lanka other than a 3* concrete box near Bentota (booked through Kuoni on our first visit to Sri Lanka). All other accommodation has been good to excellent and including heritage, modern, boutique and tented properties [all booked through Tikalanka]. On this trip, Ceylon Tea Trails was superb in all respects (except the price!!!!), although the location means that it is best suited to local activities (eg relaxation or trail walking) rather than being a base for sightseeing. Our other hotel, Kumu Beach (4*), south of Bentota [Balapitiya], inevitably suffered by comparison with Tea Trails, particularly with food (which is more a reflection of the standards at Tea Trails than a criticism of Kumu Beach). However the hotel makes excellent use of its space and the accommodation is spacious and comfortable.”
Geoff & Eileen
Make the most of your time in the north and east of Sri Lanka by experiencing our recommended top 5 places to visit
Spectacular panoramic vistas in the Hill Country and Knuckles Mountain Range, infinite horizons over the Indian Ocean, a kaleidoscope of exotic flowers and shrubs, and the surreal and otherworldly landscapes of the Jaffna peninsula, Sri Lanka is a photographer’s dream island!
Read More Trip Planner“A beautiful place, lovely smiley people and AMAZING food (waistline has the evidence!).”
Cara & Chris
Make the most of your time in Sri Lanka by enjoying our recommended top 5 scenic experiences.
Imagine coconut palms swaying rhythmically in the fragrant breeze, the shallow, clear warm waters of the Indian Ocean lapping gently onto sun-kissed tropical beaches, and ice-cold sundowners and the freshest of seafood to savour – this is summer in Sri Lanka.
Read More Trip Planner“We had a terrific family adventure holiday to Sri Lanka. Thank you for listening to our brief and helping us execute it. We wanted special places to stay, interesting places to visit, fun activities for the kids (and us), and with sustainable travel at the heart. The trip to the school was a highlight for me and a unique cultural exchange for our children.”
Zander/Robinson family
Make the most of your time in Sri Lanka with our recommended top 5 summer experiences.
For a small island, Sri Lanka has so much wildlife on offer, including its own 'Big Four' - elephant, leopard, sloth bear and blue whale. Our wildlife holidays bring you the very best of this environmentally diverse country, from its high flying exotic birds to its deep diving majestic whales.
Read More Trip Planner“The safaris were great. Loved them. I saw about 150 species of birds, which is not bad at all as out of season and we were lucky to see Leopard and Sloth Bear at Yala. We particularly enjoyed the jeep safaris.”
Blow family
Make the most of your time in Sri Lanka by enjoying our recommended top 5 wildlife experiences.
Posted by John on 6th October 2026
Last Friday, tears of joy accompanied the reopening of the train line from Colombo to Kandy as the train service resumed following the devastation wrought by Cyclone Ditwah, and trains have also restarted between Nanuoya (Nuwara Eliya) and Badulla in the Hill Country. Sri Lanka was hailed as the No. 1 island destination in 2026 as well as named among the world’s top 50 food destinations. In other news, a documentary on the island triumphed in top global TV awards, Qatar Airways and Emirates are increasing their number of flights, and Aitken Spence achieves GSTC certification.
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Posted by John on 3rd October 2026
It has been a while since I last posted and apologies for that, but now I am back! Lots to report across a wide range of subjects including AI-inspired or -planned itineraries, the Middle East conflict’s continuing effect on travel, a Sri Lanka hotels’ update, feedback from recent travel events, future holidays and the climate crisis, and the new EU directive on ‘greenwashing’. We are looking forward to our winter peak season with added vigour now that we have Mahesh in our local office, new licensed guides recruited, and Dihini waiting in the wings having just passed her travel management degree in Canada.
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Posted by John on 27th May 2026
From 25 May 2026, UK citizens will be issued with a free 30-day visa as we suggested a couple of weeks ago. Travellers from 40 countries are eligible for the free visa including Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and USA. However, you will still need to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) before travelling to Sri Lanka as before. Congratulations to Kulu Safaris for being included in The Travel Green List™ 2026, Wanderlust Magazine's annual showcase of impactful and responsible travel initiatives.
Read more »Our priority is to show you the real Sri Lanka and Maldives through a tailor-made holiday of a lifetime with our expert advice.
Call Us:
020 313 76 763
We encourage responsible and experiential travel and contribute towards community projects in Sri Lanka.
“We loved it all! Particularly the beautiful scenery, fascinating culture, friendly people, delicious food (lots of rice and curry!), and the amazing wildlife.”
Natasha & Ross, travelled to Sri Lanka, March 2023
“We are back and a million thanks for organising such a fabulous time for us. We had a wonderful holiday. Everything was well planned with plenty of time allowed to do all the things we had chosen to do.”
Harriet & Michael, travelled to Sri Lanka, February 2023
“This was a truly memorable holiday. We loved Sri Lanka. The Itinerary was fantastic and allowed us to get a real feel for the history and culture of Sri Lanka.”
Chris & Karen, travelled to Sri Lanka, January/February 2023
“This really was the holiday of a lifetime and we couldn't have asked for more from our honeymoon. John and the team at Tikalanka were amazing throughout.”
James & Mirella, travelled to Sri Lanka & Maldives, February 2023
“Thank you so much John, we had such a wonderful time and have you, Pathi and Nihal to thank for that. We will definitely return in the future and we keep recommending you to everyone.”
Kate & Zak, travelled to Sri Lanka, May 2023
“We had a wonderful holiday together as a family. Something for everyone and lots of things we enjoy doing together. Such a lovely country full of smiles and greenery.”
Strachan family, travelled to Sri Lanka, February 2023
“We chose Tikalanka as John really took on board our choices and ideas when we first discussed our visit - and had put together a perfect mix of culture, wildlife and beaches. We would happily recommend Tikalanka to friends!”
Hilary & Sean, travelled to Sri Lanka, May 2024
“Our itinerary was perfect for us. We enjoyed all of our stays. The service was outstanding in all the places we stayed. Ravi was exceptional. He went above and beyond to make our journeys interesting.”
Jane & Jerry, travelled to Sri Lanka, January/February 2025
“This holiday was up there with the best ever had by us and we heartily thank you, John and Pathi, for such a superb time.”
Sue & Graeme, travelled to Sri Lanka, February 2025
“We were delighted with our trip to Sri Lanka, especially with the amount of birds and wildlife we were able to see. An unforgettable trip which has produced some amazing photos.”
Laurence & Elaine, travelled to Sri Lanka & Maldives, February/March 2020
