Tika Traveller

Discover Sri Lanka & Maldives From Those Who Know It Best

Blogs from Tikalanka are designed to enhance your knowledge of Sri Lanka and Maldives and keep you up to date with recent developments. We intend to post regular features on travel, news, lifestyle and accommodation as well as guest articles from current and past customers, which will give you first-hand experience of Tikalanka, Sri Lanka and Maldives.

Buddha in samadhi, Gal Vihara, Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka

TikaWeeks #24/2019: Sri Lanka update

Posted by John on 16th June 2019

The Poson Festival celebrates the arrival of Buddhism to Sri Lanka in the 3rd century BC and it is held over the full moon in June (17 June this year). Poson Poya Day is one of the most important religious events of the year, particularly at pilgrimage sites such as Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and Thanthirimale where devotees flock to offer prayers and alms to the Buddha. I am sure that this year’s Poson will hold more significance and be a more poignant occasion than ever.

TikaWeeks #23-3/2019: Sri Lanka update

Posted by John on 6th June 2019

BREAKING NEWS – The FCO travel advice has just been updated to: “change to advice against travel; the FCO no longer advise against all but essential travel to Sri Lanka”. This means that UK citizens are allowed to travel to Sri Lanka once again. If you haven’t already booked your summer holiday, please contact us as soon as possible for a holiday of a lifetime in Sri Lanka. The country and its people will welcome you with open arms and there are special discounts on offer at many hotels. So, what’s stopping you?

View through Ella Gap in the southern Hill Country, Sri Lanka

TikaWeeks #23-2/2019: Sri Lanka update

Posted by John on 5th June 2019

On World Environment Day,Tikalanka pledges a commitment to tackle tourism’s detrimental effect on climate change and will draw inspiration from Responsible Travel’s newly launched manifesto for change in the tourism industry, The Fork in the Road. Like us, they are concerned about its future and convinced that it can be fixed, but we need to take action now – business, as usual, is not good enough.

TikaWeeks #23-1/2019: Sri Lanka update

Posted by John on 3rd June 2019

The relaxing of travel restrictions to Sri Lanka from European countries continues with the Netherlands. We again hope that the UK won’t be far behind. On another positive note, Sri Lanka has introduced an Environment Commemoration Week this year to celebrate World Environment Day on 05 June with various programmes aimed at addressing the principal environmental issues faced by the island nation.

TikaWeeks #22/2019: Sri Lanka update

Posted by John on 31st May 2019

In a positive move for Sri Lanka, now Italy has joined India, Germany, Switzerland and Sweden in following China’s lead in relaxing the travel ban to Sri Lanka this week. We hope that the UK won’t be far behind. President Maithripala Sirisena recently briefed the international diplomatic community about the progress of security operations and said that the situation is 99% secure now. He also expressed confidence that the state of emergency could lapse within a month.

TikaWeeks #21-2/2019: Sri Lanka update

Posted by John on 25th May 2019

Normalcy has been restored in the daily lives of the locals and highest security measures are currently in place in the country, according to Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, who has requested the ambassadors and high commissioners to Sri Lanka to lift the travel restrictions imposed on Sri Lanka by their respective countries. However, current official UK travel advice remains unchanged – advise against all but essential travel to Sri Lanka.

Ayubowan - may you have the gift of a long life

TikaWeeks #21-1/2019: Sri Lanka update

Posted by John on 20th May 2019

Peace was officially declared on 18 May 2009 following 26 years of internal conflict in Sri Lanka. Ten years on, much has changed on the island: tourism is booming, countrywide infrastructure projects have been completed and there is a positively tangible optimism on the island, which will not be dulled by the recent terrorist atrocities. Religious, cultural and societal integration, equality and tolerance may be the only way forward for the future wellbeing of all peoples of Sri Lanka.

TikaWeeks #20-2/2019: Sri Lanka update

Posted by John on 18th May 2019

With travel insurance companies refusing to cover losses following holiday cancellations due to the current FCO travel advice against all but essential travel to Sri Lanka, it is even more important to consider booking a Sri Lanka holiday with a reputable and established travel company like Tikalanka. We are reimbursing in full imminent holidays or retaining deposits as credit against future holiday bookings. Most of our airlines are offering full refunds for cancelled summer flights as well.

TikaWeeks #20-1/2019: Sri Lanka update

Posted by John on 17th May 2019

Political motivations have apparently contributed to the recent attacks on mosques and Muslim-owned businesses in Sri Lanka following the terrorist atrocities on Easter Sunday, with 'Buddhist extremists' blamed by the government for ransacking mosques and attacking shops across the island. The nationwide overnight curfew has been lifted but social media platforms are still banned in order to quell the unrest. Current official UK travel advice remains unchanged – advise against all but essential travel to Sri Lanka.

TikaWeeks #19-6/2019: Sri Lanka update

Posted by John on 10th May 2019

“Sri Lankan’s are among the most warm and nurturing people on earth, when guests arrive on our shore’s they become family… and when family is hurt the entire community comes together to protect, nurture, mourn and grieve and heal together… this is our way and it has been our way from the beginning of time." Kishu Gomes, Chairman Sri Lanka Tourism.

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