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.

Category: Sri Lanka

Puja (blessing ceremony) at the Temple of the Tooth, Kandy, Sri Lanka (courtesy of Damon Green)

TikaWeeks #15/2024: Sri Lanka update

Posted by John on 9th April 2024

Sri Lanka is on track to return to pre-pandemic levels of tourism as visitor numbers this year soar in comparison to the same period in 2023, with UK visitors leading the way from Europe. The massive increase in tourist arrivals has seen related revenues swell to over US$687 million in the first two months of this year, which is very welcome and crucial income for Sri Lanka. The island has also been the spotlight of travel publications across the globe, including highlighting the unique Pekoe Trail through the spectacular tea country and holistic wellness retreats.

Maalu Maalu Resort & Spa, Passikudah, Sri Lanka

TikaWeeks #10/2024: Sri Lanka update

Posted by John on 5th March 2024

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. Our Summertime in Sri Lanka Tika Taster itinerary is ideal for adventurous couples or families seeking an extra-special summer holiday in the resplendent land of Sri Lanka.

Little Green Bee-eaters, Sri Lanka (courtesy of Matt Ward)

TikaWeeks #09/2024: Sri Lanka update

Posted by John on 28th February 2024

Beautiful plumage! Sri Lanka is home to well over 500 species of exotic birds with names to match, like the White-throated Flowerpecker, Blue-faced Malkoha and Sri Lanka Paradise-flycatcher. The joy of bird watching on the island is to see them wherever you travel, although some areas are better than others. You don’t need to be a dedicated ‘twitcher’ to enjoy the bird life across the country as the little peckers seem to come to you! Our new Birdwatching Tika Taster is a guided introduction to the diverse bird life of Sri Lanka.

Lunuganga, Geoffrey Bawa's country estate near Bentota, Sri Lanka

TikaWeeks #07/2024: Sri Lanka update

Posted by John on 15th February 2024

As promised, our dedicated Tika Taster to Geoffrey Bawa is now live. The tour is mostly arranged around visits to or stays in his most iconic buildings as well as visits to the ancient sites of Dambulla, Polonnaruwa and Sigiriya to offer you an historical perspective to his work. The 14-day guided trip includes his own town house and country estate, major masterplan projects, hotels, and villas. Your accommodation includes four Bawa-designed hotels to ensure you have the full experience of his design genius.

Ayubowan, may you have the gift of a long life, is the traditional greeting salutation in Sri Lanka

TikaWeeks #05/2024: Sri Lanka update

Posted by John on 31st January 2024

Apologies for the lack of updates over the past couple of months. Sri Lanka has had a dramatic turnaround in tourism since November and suddenly everyone wants to visit the Resplendent Isle. It has become particularly busy for us since the New Year for immediate holidays as well as ones well into 2025, so the future looks bright. Why not travel in May, June or September when there are great deals on hotels and the island is quieter?

View from the lawn, Summerville Bungalow, Ceylon Tea Trails, Sri Lanka

TikaWeeks #44/2023: Sri Lanka update

Posted by John on 31st October 2023

It has been a very successful year for hotels in Sri Lanka. Ceylon Tea Trails is on the Condé Nast Gold List 2023 and featured on the acclaimed BBC TV series "Amazing Hotels" in September. The pioneering eco-luxury resort Jetwing Vil Uyana has earned a coveted spot on Fodor’s List of the Finest Hotels in the World and rated as one of Condé Nast Traveller’s 15 of the best eco hotels. While Travel & Leisure has ranked Fort Bazaar the Best Overall Hotel in Galle fort to soak in and discover the magic of a 16th-century fortress.

TikaWeeks #43/2023: Sri Lanka update

Posted by John on 26th October 2023

As a follow on from last week’s blog about travel and nature, this update focuses on the progress made by Responsible Travel since its inception in 2001. In its recently published impact report, Tipping the Scales, the trailblazing sustainable travel portal emphasises the three key elements to its fundamental ethos: carbon, nature and people. Ultimately it is a comprehensive overview of how it is working with global partners to minimise tourism’s harmful impact, and maximise the good.

Sir David Attenborough with gorillas in Rwanda (courtesy of the BBC)

TikaWeeks #42/2023: Sri Lanka update

Posted by John on 20th October 2023

Nature, carbon and humanity are inextricably entwined with 50% of man-made CO2 sequestered by nature – but the story doesn’t end there: 75% of food crops are dependent on insect pollination, 80% of registered medicines come from plants and 85% of the world's largest companies have a high dependency on nature across direct operations. Nature is at the heart of everything and considering the planet’s lifeblood while travelling is vital.

Emirates and SriLankan Airlines agree reciprocal interline partnership

TikaWeeks #41/2023: Sri Lanka update

Posted by John on 11th October 2023

Emirates and SriLankan Airlines have established a reciprocal interline partnership to boost connectivity for passengers of both airlines. The partnership will enable access to new points on each other’s networks via Colombo and Dubai, utilising a single ticket and enjoying the convenience of baggage transfers. This week’s update also highlights the issue of elephant-human conflict on the island, whether Yala has had its day, and Sri Lanka’s central and crucial role in the Indian Ocean since antiquity.

Papare - a lively genre of Sri Lankan music - goes hand in hand with cricket (courtesy of Hafsa Adil/Al Jazeera)

TikaWeeks #40/2023: Sri Lanka update

Posted by John on 3rd October 2023

Despite Sri Lanka’s crushing defeat at the hands of arch rivals India in front of a capacity home crowd in last month’s Asia Cup final, there were still plenty of smiling faces, dancing in the aisles and party music resounding around Colombo’s R. Premadasa cricket stadium. Even at the height of the island’s civil war and during the recent political and economic chaos, cricket has been a unifying force, a soothing balm at the time of crisis.

Independent Tailor-made Holidays to Sri Lanka & Maldives