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What is the weather like in Sri Lanka?
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The southwest monsoon affects the south, southwest and
Hill Country during May/June and again in September/October,
so there is a convenient 'window' in the monsoon during late
July and August, usually! The monsoon, when it comes, does
not normally last for very long and the ground dries very quickly.
Temperatures throughout the island do not vary much during the year,
since altitude is the only variable that directly affects air temperatures.
Generally, the coastal belt, Cultural Triangle area and southeast
dry zone are 27-32°C, Kandy and lower Hill Country are 20-25°C
(slightly cooler at night), and Nuwara Eliya and the upper
Hill Country are 15-20°C (but much cooler at night).
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| When is the best time to visit Sri Lanka?
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In the south/southwest and Hill Country, the best period is from
November to April after the southwest monsoon has finished.
However, the north and east are affected by the northeast
monsoon during this period and are dry but hot from April to
September.
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| What are the flight schedules to Sri Lanka?
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SriLankan Airlines, which is our preferred carrier, flies direct, non-stop
between London Heathrow and Colombo daily. The flight time is approximately 11 hours.
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| My wife and I are 56 and 60 respectively
and are quite fit for our ages. We want to climb Adam's Peak,
but just how hard is it?
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The path from Dalhousie to Adam's Peak contains some 4800 steps
in its 1000-metre or so ascent.
The steps vary from well-kept, shallow treads to rocks and boulders, and in some
places the gradient is very steep. However, if you are fit and take regular exercise
then the climb should take 3-4 hours to complete. There are plenty of teahouses on
the way up for refreshments, and many of the pilgrims are infirm elders who make it
to the top come what may! So, the choice is yours...
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| Tikalanka Tours seems to be concerned about the environment,
discreet travel and intelligent tourism. We like this. How many people maximum would
go on a guided tour?
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Each tour is organised for you, and only you, so you will travel around the island
on your own with a dedicated Sri Lanka Tourist Board-licensed chauffeur guide with a/c
transport. This means that you enjoy the holiday you want to experience without having
to compromise yourself. We specialise in private
tailor-made holidays in Sri Lanka and
believe that travellers should be encouraged to experience the 'real' Sri Lanka, which
means enjoying the island's historic sites, varied and plentiful wildlife, beautiful
scenery, colourful and passionate festivals, and the people's genuine hospitality.
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| Is there any opportunity for snorkelling
if Nilaveli is not available at the present time?
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The Nilaveli area will not be offered
by Tikalanka Tours until further notice since it has sustained considerable
damage following the Asian Tsunami and at the moment there is a travel
advisory from the FCO not to travel to this region.
Other good places for snorkelling in Sri Lanka included Hikkaduwa,
Unawatuna and
Mirissa. However, these beaches were also affected
by the Asian Tsunami and we are monitoring all coastal areas closely to ensure that we only
return when the infrastructure has recovered sufficiently to support foreign tourism.
Also, in 1998, the "global bleaching event" - where coral was affected by
higher-than-average ocean temperatures and regional influences - struck about
one-half of the island's coral reefs, and the affected reefs were just starting to show
signs of recovery before the Asian Tsunami.
So, we do not know of any good opportunities for snorkelling at the present time - sorry.
The Maldives is only a one-hour flight away from
Sri Lanka and this is a much better alternative.
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| Do you organise holidays to the Maldives?
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Holidays to the Maldives with Tikalanka Tours are all included in a two islands tour
that includes Sri Lanka, and all flights to the Maldives are via Colombo. Most of our
customers visit the Maldives at the end of their
Sri Lanka holiday.
In our continuing endeavour to support responsible travel, we have chosen only
a selection of top-tier resorts in the Maldives. These resorts have environmentally
friendly management practices, and many of them have their own established policies
for protecting and preserving the islands' sensitive ecosystems.
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| I am not very adventurous about foreign food.
Is it possible to go for 2-3 weeks on fairly conservative food for most
of the time?
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Sri Lankan food is delicious. However,
for many Western palates it is too spicy,
although the spiciness is toned down automatically for foreigners.
The quality and variety of vegetables and fruit are fantastic, and the fish and
seafood at the coast is fresh, varied and of top quality, too - I only eat
fish and vegetarian food and so I can vouch for that! The meat - chicken, pork and beef,
with a little mutton (goat) - is eaten all over the island and again is generally
of good quality at the places you will stay and eat at.
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| What is typically served at breakfast and dinner?
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Breakfast served in hotels and guesthouses is usually European style with tea/coffee,
eggs, fruit, toast and fruit juice/cordial. However, as with all meals on the island, a real
Sri Lankan breakfast is a feast of its own. Idiappa (string hoppers -
similar to vermicelli but made with rice flour),
egg hoppers (bowl-shaped pancakes with fried egg), pittu (a rice flour and shredded coconut
mixture similar to a coarser type of cous-cous), kiri bath (coconut rice), roti (stuffed bread) and
the full accompaniments of creamy coconut sauces and sambols (spicy chutneys) are just a few of
the delicacies on offer at breakfast time. Dinner is normally a
choice of rice and curry - the national dish - various noodle dishes,
devilled - which means meat or fish cooked in a rich tomato and onion gravy and
normally spicy but you can ask for it to be toned down - and Chinese food is common
all over the island. Western dishes are also available in the tourist areas.
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| As the tour is for us only, how does it work out with
our chauffeur guide? Does he have meals with us? Does he leave us till
he is needed again?
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In both Sri Lanka and India, unlike other Asian countries,
a very well structured chauffeur guide system has been set up. Although there are many
operators offering this service, we only employ English-speaking, Sri Lanka Tourist Board-licensed
chauffeur guides. This means they have passed a stringent exam after following a
comprehensive 4-month course run by the Sri Lanka Tourist Board. The usual format
is for him to drive and guide you during the days when there are excursions, and to
leave you at peace on leisure days. He also eats separately from you on most
occasions since his meals are provided free by most guesthouses and hotels.
Remember that it is your holiday and so you choose when and where you travel,
and how much interaction you want with your chauffeur guide.
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| We are uneasy about the situation with the chauffeur guide.
I cannot imagine just treating him as a servant (an attitude more appropriate
to the days of Empire) BUT neither do we see clearly how he can be like a third
person on holiday with us. How do people generally deal with this situation?
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Yes, I can imagine it must seem funny to have a dedicated chauffeur guide with
you for your whole trip. I totally agree with you regarding the apparent old-Raj mentality
of having your own
chauffeur guide. However, all of our guides are professional, knowledgeable and friendly,
and they take pride and pleasure in showing you the best of their country. They are all
paid at above industry rates and well looked after by us and the various hotels and guesthouses.
Our philosophy is to enable foreign travellers to get beneath the skin of Sri Lanka by being
shown around by a local on their own private, escorted holiday rather than on a more impersonal,
bus-laden package tour. We feel that this enhances your experiences of the island and allows
you to see the real Sri Lanka.
As far as how you relate to your chauffeur guide on a daily basis, then that is totally dependent
on personalities and individuals. How much time you spend with your chauffeur guide outside of the
actual trips and excursions is purely up to you. Our chauffeur guides
are paid professionals and so are used to adapting to the wishes of the foreign travellers they are
showing around. They are friendly and hospitable and will make you feel relaxed and on holiday!
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| In your experience, do you find that
UK tourists meet travellers easily, if they are travelling
on their own tailor-made holiday?
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Although you will be travelling separately from other travellers
on your own private tour, there is plenty of opportunity to meet up
with other like-minded people at guesthouses and hotels, and during
the day on your various side trips. Everyone is on holiday and so the
mood is relaxed and most people are very amenable to having a chat.
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| Presumably, you offer advice on vaccinations,
general health, insurance, etc?
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All of the information you require is on our website.
Go to Travelling There
for more information. We also have an information sheet for our
travellers which is sent to you once a booking is confirmed.
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| What are the road conditons like in Sri Lanka?
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Although Sri Lanka is
a small island, you must appreciate that the roads are of poor quality,
single-lane each way (at best), and populated with all kinds of 'traffic' -
cows, dogs, bullock carts, bicycles, scooters, paddy tractors, motorcycles,
vans, cars, lorries, buses, pedestrians etc - which slows the average speed to
30-40 km per hour. In the Hill Country, the roads can be tortuous -
very windy, and in some areas they are a series of hair-pin bends going on
for many miles - and so you need to be patient when travelling on the road!
Therefore, we suggest that you gauge the length of your journey by time rather
than distance. To help you estimate journey times between locations, go to
Travel Time
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| How much time will we spend in the vehicle per day?
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Obviously, the choice is yours since you can create your own
tailor-made holiday online using our sophisticated and user-friendly
Holiday Planner. However, we suggest a maximum of 3-4 hours driving
in one day so that you will have more time to enjoy the country out of the vehicle.
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| Do you have advice on travel insurance companies?
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It is a prerequisite of booking with Tikalanka Tours that you take out
travel and medical insurance before travelling to Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
We recommend Endsleigh Insurance, who is a partner company of ours.
Go to Travel Insurance for more information.
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| Any information on tipping, camera permits, clothing needs,
easy availability of bottled water and likely 'safe' options for lunches, snacks, etc
in various places?
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All of this information is available on our website, which has been
designed as an information resource as well as a marketing platform.
If you go to
Travelling There,
you should get all of the information you are looking for. If not,
please contact us and we will be more than
happy to tell you all about it. However, for your information:
- Tipping is part of the culture in Sri Lanka and it is expected,
mostly unjustly, a lot of the time. However, staff are not generally paid
a very good wage and so they supplement their income through tips. It is totally
up to you as to when and how much you tip someone, so the choice
is yours! Read our advice on tipping in
Society and Conduct.
- Camera permits are no longer necessary at most sites, but if they are required, then they
are cheap - 50p at the most. Video permits are still required and are more expensive.
- Clothing advice may be found at
Travel Checklist.
- Bottled water is available everywhere, and so long as the seal is
not broken, it is safe to drink. It is advisable not to drink the tap water.
To be more eco-friendly, it is better to get larger bottles so you are
not producing too much non-biodegradable plastic which needs to be dumped.
- Lunches and snacks will be taken at local places to give you a feel for
the country, its culture and its cuisine. Your guide will ensure that you
visit 'safe', clean and hygienic places at all times.
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| What about the humidity - does it
affect the average British person adversely?
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The humidity only really affects people around the coastline,
where most people are relaxing anyway and so it does not impinge
upon their day-to-day activities too much. The Hill Country is cool
and not humid, and the ancient cities' area (Cultural Triangle)
hot and not generally humid.
Travel will be by air-conditioned vehicle, and air-conditioning is
available at most places to stay in the Heritage accommodation.
Guesthouses do not generally offer air-conditioning, but all rooms
have fans.
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| What is the attitude of locals to foreigners taking photographs of
local markets, children, temples, Buddha statues, etc?
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Sri Lanka is an incredibly photogenic country. Buildings, markets, wildlife and scenery
make for great photos, and like most countries, the locals are generally relaxed about
foreigners taking photos. Photographing temples, statues and Buddhas are also fine so long
as you do not pose in front of them. Photographing people is a very individual thing. I am
especially careful about taking photos of local people and will only do it if they ask to
be photographed or if I think the atmosphere is right. I never take photos of monks, unless
they are friends of mine, and will not take any photos of people without asking their
permission first.
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| Do you have any testimonials or statements from people
who have enjoyed your holidays?
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We have sample testimonials on our website. Go to
Feedback for more details.
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| If we booked soon, would we need to get on fast with inoculations?
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The recommended vaccinations for Sri Lanka
and the Maldives are Hepatitis A, Poliomyelitis,
Tetanus and Typhoid - there are no compulsory immunisations. You can generally get these
done within a month at your local GP, or even quicker at a specialist travel clinic, but
they will cost you more. We recommend that all of our customers seek expert medical advice BEFORE
travelling to Sri Lanka and the Maldives. Malaria exists in both Sri Lanka and the Maldives and so
malarial prophylaxis is strongly advised.
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| Are the ancient sites very busy with tourists?
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The major ancient sites are wonderful places to explore and you are quite safe when walking
around the sites on your own, although you may be pestered by local vendors. Tikalanka Tours
designs the
visits to these sites to get away from crowds, although sometimes it is impossible as you can
imagine. Also, we time the visits so that you experience special ceremonies or get a better
feeling for the atmosphere of the place.
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| Is there a better/worse time of day to visit?
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The major ancient sites are wonderful places to explore and you are quite safe when walking
around the sites on your own, although you may be pestered by local vendors. Tikalanka Tours
designs the
visits to these sites to get away from crowds, although sometimes it is impossible as you can
imagine. Also, we time the visits so that you experience special ceremonies or get a better
feeling for the atmosphere of the place.
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| Would it be fairly safe to wander round the main
sites on our own?
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The major ancient sites are wonderful places to explore and you are quite safe when walking
around the sites on your own, although you may be pestered by local vendors. Tikalanka Tours
designs the
visits to these sites to get away from crowds, although sometimes it is impossible as you can
imagine. Also, we time the visits so that you experience special ceremonies or get a better
feeling for the atmosphere of the place.
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| What form of transport is used on the tours and between hotels?
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We use private cars and 'vans' (minibuses/people carriers) to take you
around the island. All vehicles are fully air-conditioned and driven by
experienced, English-speaking chauffeur guides who are all licensed by the Sri Lanka
Tourist Board.
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| How much flexibility is there in the tours? Can we stop along the
way to look at something in more detail?
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The holiday is yours, so stop as often and for as long as you
like, obviously without affecting your other activities! Our chauffeur
guides are very experienced in taking foreign travellers around Sri Lanka
and enjoy giving you an indepth and enlightened feel for the country.
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| I suffer from a fish allergy (but not all seafood).
Is fish eaten a lot in Sri Lanka? How much choice is there on the menus?
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Fish and seafood are staple foodstuffs at the coast. Having said that,
all coastal and inland hotels and restaurants offer a variety of
different cuisine so you should have no problem staying clear of fish.
However, curry sauces frequently have Maldive Fish added so please ALWAYS
ask the serving staff and chef for advice.
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| Is there any restriction on when the tour can begin/end?
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All tours are tailor made
to your wishes so your holiday will start and end when YOU choose.
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| What are the chances of seeing turtles while on our holiday?
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The commercial turtle hatcheries along the southwest coast around Kosgoda were totally
destroyed by the Asian Tsunami but are now recovering. However, the
Turtle Conservation Project
at Rekawa near
Tangalle on the south coast sustained minimal damage, and Green and Olive Ridley turtles
are back on the beach laying eggs, with the laying season from January to July.
This is a project we support and so a visit here is highly recommended.
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| What activities are there that will keep two active boys content?
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Climbing up to the rock fortress at Sigiriya,
a trek to World's End and swimming in the
Indian Ocean for starters! Also, climbing the hill to the cave temples of
Dambulla,
exploring the medieval capital at Polonnaruwa,
where you can take a leisurely stroll through
the ruined temples and palaces, a jeep safari to see wild animals at one of Sri Lanka's many
national parks, and walking around the ramparts of
the Old Dutch Fort at Galle. If you want
something more adventurous, then an overnight stay in a tented camp on the edge of
Yala West National Park,
and an early morning jeep safari the following day
may be just the ticket. Many other activities are also possible.
Log in to our Holiday Planner and have a look!
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| Do we need to take mosquito nets or does everywhere we are staying provide them?
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All of the accommodation provides mosquito nets, where necessary.
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| Should we be taking walking boots - are any of the walks particularly strenuous?
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I would recommend taking walking boots for places like Adam's Peak,
World's End, Kitulgala Forest Trails
and Sinharaja.
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| Relating to dengue mosquitoes, how prevalent are they - should we be covering up during the day?
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Dengue fever is prevalent in Sri Lanka, particularly after the monsoon season, and it is always recommended
to protect yourselves from insect bites, day and night. Please seek further expert medical advice before you travel.
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| Regarding religious sensitivities, should we be covering up generally or just when we visit temples,
and do the rules apply to children?
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Sri Lankans attach a lot of importance to polite behaviour and proper appearance. Cleanliness and modesty
are appreciated even in informal situations. Children in Sri Lanka are also expected to follow the same
principles. Visitors to Buddhist and Hindu temples are welcome although the shrines of Hindu temples are
normally closed to non-Hindus. Visitors should be dressed decently in long skirts or trousers - shorts,
singlets and swimwear are not suitable. Shoes should be left at the entrance and heads should be uncovered.
For more information, please go to Society and conduct.
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| At the end of the tour, what size of tip should we be giving
our chauffeur guide? (just so we don't embarrass ourselves or him!)
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We send an information sheet on travelling around the island, which includes tipping, with your departure
information. We recommend about GB£5 per day as a tip for our chauffeur guides, but of course please give
more if you have especially enjoyed your time with him!
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| How should we take our money - US$ or UK£ travellers cheques?
Which currency is more readily accepted?
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Pounds Sterling (GB£) is the best currency to take. I use Sterling cash and ATMs
(cashpoints) while I am in Sri Lanka; I don't use travellers' cheques any longer
as they are more cumbersome to use and don't give you such a good exchange rate.
All of the major places you will be staying at have banks with ATMs so I would
recommend taking Sterling cash and your cashpoint cards, but please ensure that
they will be accepted in Sri Lanka by contacting your bank before you go.
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| It would be useful if we could see
what the accommodation looks like - do you have some examples?
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Please log on to our tailor-made Holiday Planner and then go to the particular location
you are interested in to see photos and descriptions of all of the accommodation we offer.
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