Customer feedback - Sri Lanka and the Maldives

As we are always striving to improve the quality of our service and delivery of our holidays we appreciate any comments received from our customers. Immediate and appropriate action is taken when holidays drop below our very high standards. Please read what previous customers have to say about us - warts and all! Please be aware that the comments included in Customer Feedback are the personal views and opinions of individual customers and not those of Tikalanka Tours. Explanatory notes and our responses to customer comments are contained in square parentheses.

"Sri Lanka. We had a wonderful holiday thank you. On arrival in Sri Lanka Niroshan [chauffeur guide] was waiting for us and straight away made us feel completely at ease. This continued all through our time in Sri Lanka. He was always there waiting for us, nothing was too much trouble, and he was obviously totally dedicated to giving us the best holiday possible. He made sure we had his mobile number and every evening when he dropped us at our hotel said we could ring him anytime if there was anything at all we required or wanted to discuss. This meant so much being in a strange country and not speaking the language. He made us feel secure. We would recommend the Lake Lodge [Dambulla]. The food was fantastic and they couldn't do enough for us. When we asked what the meal times were they said they would fit in with us. Wow, we loved the Safari [Minneriya National Park], even though it rained. (I think it made it more exciting!) Never seen elephants before in their natural habitat, and that's where we saw our first kingfisher. Beautiful. The view from the Amaya Hills Hotel [Kandy] was emotional. The air was intoxicating. Niroshan has a fantastic knowledge and love of his country and his enthusiasm rubs off. Even on our journeys he was giving us information and asking if we wanted to stop for photographs. When I stated I didn't fancy an early morning start for the Buddhist blessing [Temple of the Tooth, Kandy] Niroshan already knew the later times available and so we reorganised our day. Brilliant. The visit to the herb [spice] gardens [Matale] was a super idea. The guy who showed us round had been a Botanist for over 20 years (Niroshan always made sure we had the top people to show us round anywhere) and I learned so much about natural remedies. We also had a massage using some of their treatments. It was amazing. We had a wonderful New Year's Eve. Niroshan took us back to the hotel early so we could get organised and then picked us up to see the Kandy Dancers. What a good start to New Year's Eve. Then back to the Mahaweli Reach Hotel [Kandy] for our Gala Dinner. The food was amazing and we had a brilliant night staying up until after midnight. Definitely a first class hotel. I mentioned one day that we had missed out on the tea plantations due to floods. No problem. Niroshan knew exactly where to take us and we had a brilliant time. He took us round the plantation, showed us how the tea is picked and organised for us to be taken round the processing area and then drink the tea. We also had wonderful conversations regarding their culture and Buddhism giving us a real insight into the culture and the true meaning of Sri Lankan life. Priceless! Again The Wallawwa [Airport] a good choice of hotel… Very colonial. Amazing food and hospitality and a good wind down before our flight. On our last day in Sri Lanka we realised we needed to buy a new suitcase. No problem, Niroshan took us into Negombo and on finding the one we wanted negotiated us the best price. What a brilliant idea to have our dedicated tour guide. It certainly made our holiday much more informative and gave us such peace of mind. I would definitely recommend Niroshan and Tikalanka. The Maldives. Wow. We didn't realise that our hotel Angsana [Maldives] Ihuru was part of the Banyan Tree Group. What a brilliant choice. We were whisked away from the airport by speedboat and taken to the most romantic holiday resort I have ever been to. A desert island with a first class restaurant and staff who can't do enough for you. They even booked our online check-in for our flight home. We were able to go to the Banyan Tree [Maldives Vabbinfaru] whenever we wanted. We just went one day and saw the stingrays being fed. Stingrays came in every day from the wild. Our hotel had a host of activities so although the desert island feel, there was always plenty to do if required. We had our own bungalow with the beach and sea at our back door. Every night when we came in there was a beautiful flower arrangement on our bed and little presents for treats. A wonderful choice of hotel. Thank you." Jill & Bill, England, December 2010/January 2011 Also, see the ResponsibleTravel.com holiday review.

"What did you like most about Sri Lanka and the Maldives? Everything was great, the cultural and historical sites, the people, food, accommodations and, above all, our guide and driver Upul. What did you like least about Sri Lanka and the Maldives? The Mahoora Camp accommodation. Any other comments? The whole trip was awesome, we had a wonderful time from day 1 to day 19th. Sri Lanka has exceeded our expectations, so rich and beautiful, and Maldives [Medhufushi Island Resort] is just paradise on earth. The trip was perfectly organized, every single detail taken care of, we just needed to sit in the car and enjoy every single moment. We'd like to thank you [John] for that but also Upul. He knows what he's doing, every single change he suggested in order to improve the trip proved his skills, he made our experience unbeatable and unforgettable. This trip wouldn't have been the same without him. All the accommodation was great (we liked especially Ellerton, in Kandy) with the disappointed exception of Mahoora [Safari] Camp [Yala]. Let me say first that we truly understand how difficult it must be to provide comfortable installations in the middle of the jungle, but we just feel cheated. We don't know the exact price we paid for the two nights stay, only that the upgrade to the luxury camp costed GBP250, which is not cheap, and then received a little of their promised services (shown in their web page, http://www.mahoora.lk/mahoora_luxury_camps.html): the carpet floor was wet, mostly around the toilet premises, which where nothing close to comfortable at all, no fruit basket, no clothes rack, no secure place, just a chair, ... And it's not that any of that things was really necessary, we know, is just that we paid for them. The service was good enough, the food was really good, but the guides during the safaris didn't really accomplish, they tried their best but their English knowledge was limited so they weren't able to give us any information besides the names of the animals/birds we saw during them. Our feeling is that the upgrading to the luxury camp is not worth it, we did it just for the ensuite toilet but it turned out that all the tents in the camp had it. And definitely it's not super-luxury, as they claimed in their web page. But that's the only not-so-good experience we had. [Mahoora Safari Camps have been removed from our website until standards and equipment improve] We are for sure coming back to Sri Lanka and we will contact you again to organize our second trip!" Amalia & Miguel, Netherlands, December 2010/January 2011

"First of all, the holiday was all that we hoped for. Sena was a fantastic guide and driver: committed, professional, courteous, full of insights, admirable in his commitment to Buddhism and to his country, able to get on with all in our diverse family group. He is a fantastic asset to you and we'd recommend him to everyone. You pitched our holiday experiences just right but Sena had the good additional idea to swap things around so we took the train to near Nuwara Eliya, saw the tea plantation and arrived in Kandy in one day so that we didn't have to return to Nuwara Eliya and thus had an additional free day in Kandy which was very welcome. We were glad that you made the change you did as it was SO wet that the Abode might just have done us in in its basicness! We paid the extra for the train's observation car which we felt was worth it. If you stand all the way, you can't really see the breathtaking scenery due to the height of the windows. I'd make it clear that it's hard to book for the observation car but if you can transfer on to it, then do but at your own expense (which is not much in the context of the holiday as a whole). White-water rafting [Kitulgala] and place we stayed prior to that [Royal River Resort, Kitulgala] were just fab. Major wow factor on both counts. We really enjoyed our time next to Pathi [Hanthana House, Kandy] and he was very hospitable. Suba's cooking was fabulous and it was lovely to meet Mahesh and Dihini and to feel a part of their family. They were surprised re our expectation that we'd have a cooking lesson, but Helena and I really enjoyed our time down in the kitchen with Suba and Margaret! The house there was of course very grand and we were happy there but it occurred to us that some people might want to be able to wander in Kandy during the evening to increase their experience of the place. Theo planned to get a tuk tuk back late but Pathi was very anxious about this and made us insist on him coming home by 8 pm which Theo did but we felt it was perhaps a bit unnecessary. Maulie's place - the eco-house - was mesmerising and gorgeous. [Galkadawala, Habarana] A real thrill especially as Theo was one of the main people behind the treehouse gallery arts project in Regent's Park 18 months ago. We didn't mind the lack of hot water, but perhaps others would, Sena felt. Her cook is excellent but without her presence we might have presented too much of a challenge we felt. She is a fascinating and welcoming host. It was definitely a high point...our New Year ceremony was very moving, heightened by Sena's prayers and invocations. Sena found the buying of the food very time consuming given the distances we were travelling and in the future I think Maulie is planning to get her own staff to do this which would definitely be helpful. Ending at Alankuda Beach [Puttalam] was also fabulous and we loved being there. We expected the sailing to be less than described because we have seen that happen before and we were right but Sena felt you should know that there was only one functioning dinghy (and that was on its last legs - indeed the sail broke while Dan was sailing it though they got it stitched up within the day), there weren't any windsurfers or kite surfing equipment. We aren't moaning, because we had such a lovely time, but it was Sena who was so insistent that we were honest with you! Also it would be honest to play up the laid backness of the place even more - i.e. very slow service (which seemed to trouble other guests, but not us) and fairly basic cooking (probably the least good of all the places we stayed). We wish you, Pathi and your company the very best for the future. Sri Lanka, now that the war is over, has so much potential for the discerning traveller and we felt you allowed us to capture its many flavours. We are very happy customers." Brown family, England, December 2010/January 2011 Also, see the ResponsibleTravel.com holiday review.

"What did you like most about Sri Lanka? Beautiful, friendly people; stunning scenery. What did you like least about Sri Lanka? The humidity - we thought we'd chosen the 'dry' season! Any other comments? Lake Lodge, Dambulla is not really operating as a hotel: it's a very nice lodge but has no bar, no service, no 'services' to speak of and the food is basic. Very friendly, but the staff have no understanding of hotel service. Royal River Resort [Kitulgala] is similar, though it at least offered some service; both are in good locations, just need some help in providing hotel services. You must tell guests that The Villa Bentota [Bentota] is not licensed; it's infuriating to find out AFTER you've arrived. Food here (and at Ellerton [Kandy], which is absolute perfection) was really excellent. We'd also like to commend our splendid driver [guide], Kapila." Bernice & Chris, England, December 2010/January 2011

"What did you like most about Sri Lanka and the Maldives? Sri Lanka - Scenery/views, wildlife, culture, cuisine, Sigiriya and safari. Maldives - Scenery/views, wildlife. [Banyan Tree Maldives Vabbinfaru] What did you like least about Sri Lanka and the Maldives? [None] Any other comments? Great combination - plenty to do and see in Sri Lanka followed by a lovely relaxing few days in the Maldives. Hotels were exceptional and enjoyed staying in different types of hotel, villa etc. Great driver/guide in Sri Lanka [Ravi] - good knowledge and very friendly. Exceptional service wherever we went. Favourite hotel - The Kandy House [Kandy] (Sri Lanka). Best holiday we've ever had - made for a very special honeymoon which we'll never forget. Thank you!" Beckie & Martin, England, December 2010

"What did you like most about Sri Lanka and the Maldives? Maldives - paradise. [Banyan Tree Maldives Vabbinfaru] Sri Lanka - culture. What did you like least about Sri Lanka and the Maldives? Cannot criticise Maldives. Sri Lanka - could be too hectic at times. Any other comments? Maldives - wonderful! Sri Lanka - was promised packages at time of booking which wasn't fulfilled. Ravi, our driver [guide], was very good but took us to some dirty restaurants - we explained to Ravi we would not want to go somewhere like that again as we were on honeymoon - some places we ate were unpleasant, but overall a fabulous honeymoon and a trip of a lifetime." Claire & Peter, England, December 2010

"What did you like most about Sri Lanka? Varied options, no hassle. What did you like least about Sri Lanka? [None] Any other comments? Superb hotels in general, especially Dambulla [Heritance Kandalama], Yala [Yala Village], Ceylon Tea Trails [Norwood Bungalow, Adam's Peak] and The Wallawwa [Airport]. The Grand Hotel in Nuwara Eliya - disappointing (middling room, off-hand service) - may as well use a cheaper option. Hunas Falls Hotel [Kandy] - hotel good, but reception staff unhelpful, naturalist not available, no maps or guidance re walks. Very varied tour - well tailored to our requirements. Next time would spend some time at Ella, possibly another national park and 3 nights at Tea Trails! Driver [guide] (Kapila) excellent. Thanks." Peter & Anne, England, December 2010

"What did you like most about Sri Lanka? Drive through the hills (Ella, Nuwara Eliya). What did you like least about Sri Lanka? Pollution from large trucks. Any other comments? Although the accommodations were generally nice, staying in isolated hotels meant that there was not much to do upon arrival. The 'free days' in Sigiriya and Kandy and Tangalle became very long days. The Manahara Beach Cottage and Cabanas [Tangalle] was very unpleasant. The sheets were stained, bathroom very dirty and we had to buy our own soap. The staff was very friendly. Again, it was very isolated with nothing to do but walk the beach. On the way to Galle, we saw beautiful beaches with numerous accommodations. They seemed like a much better choice." Robert & Barbara, Hong Kong, December 2010

"What did you like most about Sri Lanka? Friendly people, excellent service, range of things to do, beautiful hotels and scenery, great food. What did you like least about Sri Lanka? Not any things… May be the touts hassling at the beach and at tourist attractions (understand why they're there though!!). Was also quite wet - thought November/December might be better. Any other comments? Thank you John and all at Tikalanka for organising our honeymoon. We had an amazing time - everything we'd hoped. The hotels were just luxury and we were treated like royalty! It's a beautiful country with so much to see. We've been recommending it! What grabbed us first about Tikalanka was your website - it is so easy to plan your perfect trip - brilliant! Definitely the best we saw while researching. It was a trip of a lifetime and we've so many great memories. It was the perfect complement to a wedding! Thank you for helping us to organise it all. You never tired of all our emails back and forth trying to get it just right, thanks for your patience. All the best with Tikalanka - it's an excellent company!" Belinda & Michael, Ireland, November/December 2010

"What did you like most about Sri Lanka? National Parks - Yala and Uda Walawe, friendly people, great food (rice and curry), amazing animals and birds. Kapila was a fantastic guide! What did you like least about Sri Lanka? The mosquitoes Any other comments? Kapila was fantastic - so friendly, knowledgeable and professional . He made our holiday the best it could be. Thank you Tikalanka and in particular, Kapila, for the trip of a lifetime. Kapila kept the van very clean and tidy and was a very good driver." Gemma & Liz, England, November/December 2010

"What did you like most about Sri Lanka? Wide variety of scenery and things to do: Sigiriya rock and environs different from safari/tea areas/coast. Politeness and helpfulness of local people most of the time (see below). What did you like least about Sri Lanka? Constant tipping. It appears someone is being kind pointing out a view or moving something for you to take a photo and then a hand comes out for a tip. Any other comments? Massage at Aditya [Galle] was wonderful - pricewise on a par with Hitchin though not London! Anura, our driver [guide], was an absolute delight and a superb driver. Gave us information without overload. Knew when to point things out and when to give us privacy. Highly recommended!!" John & Helen, England, November/December 2010

"We had an absolutely fantastic time in Sri Lanka - found it to be a very diverse country with lovely people, lots to see and do, and how clean it is compared to India. The itinerary was perfect for us, with a great mix of culture, nature, tradition and city life. Our driver/guide, Sena, couldn't have been better - so committed to his job, so proud of his country - we have learnt lots from him and would highly recommend him to anyone. Because of his local knowledge, and taking account of prevailing weather conditions, we accepted Sena's advice to flex the itinerary several times and, lo and behold, never got rained on, which was a minor miracle given the heavy rain - we christened him our "Sun God" as it only seemed to rain while we were in the car, stopping each time we needed to stop and sightsee. He suggested lots of extras for us (but without pressure) so that in addition to our itinerary we enjoyed meals in local places, massages much cheaper than the hotels, visit to a spice garden and so much more. The hotels were all excellent with our favourite being the Galle Face Hotel [Colombo] - apart that is from the room which was classified as "De Luxe Spa" - in reality the spa was unusable (by us that is) as the water was freezing cold and couldn't be heated, and the room windows were frosted, which meant we had absolutely no view - a big disappointment given the startling view that would have been there had the windows been clear. The door to the room was, oddly, not solid wood but mostly frosted glass which meant the corridor lights shone through all night. We didn't request a room change as it was about 4.30pm when we arrived and the hotel was absolutely packed with weddings the whole time we were there - on top of that we absolutely loved the hotel in every other way than the room so decided to just leave it and enjoy everything else. The other star hotel, for us, was Yala Village [Yala] - how wonderful it was to have a family (mum + 8 piglets) of wild boar sleeping under our cabin!! So, thanks John, your company provides a superb service and we'll definitely spread the word about both Tikalanka and Sri Lanka." Sue & Robert, England, November/December 2010

"What did you like most about Sri Lanka? Surprising level of efficiency and sophistication of such a relatively poor country. Beautiful and varied scenery. Depth of culture and history. What did you like least about Sri Lanka? Not much but if we were being picky - high security in Colombo particularly (but that was partly due to visit of Afghan President!) Leeches near Kandy, but a slightly unfortunate circumstance due to the weather! Any other comments? We had a wonderful time, and will certainly visit Sri Lanka again in a few years time (not sooner, only because, we have some other places to visit yet!) and would love to use the services of Tikalanka again. Our guide was Kapila and he really hit the right balance of giving us lots of information v. letting us just do our own thing. He was knowledgeable and we especially appreciated the cultural information he gave us, his fascinating insights into Buddhism and when we requested it, his views on the current political developments in Sri Lanka. I am not a good traveller in the back seat of a car (travel sickness) and at times this made long journeys less pleasant, but we actually enjoyed seeing everything going on on the streets! We were very impressed with the hotels - quality, service and amenities. Stand outs for us of the hotels were - Heritance Kandalama [Dambulla], Ellerton (Kandy), The Fortress [Koggala] and Club Villa (Bentota). We brought all the local spices home with us and thanks to our cookery class are now impressing all our friends with Sri Lankan food. The sort of souvenir to take home that is one of a kind! Thanks John, Kapila and all at Tikalanka for a truly memorable (and repeatable!) holiday." Helen & Philip, England, November 2010

"What did you like most about Sri Lanka? The diversity of the environment. What did you like least about Sri Lanka? Nothing. Any other comments? We had an amazing week in Sri Lanka and looked forward to every day on our well planned itinerary. The climate was comfortable and the diversity of the country is spell bounding. We went from beautiful palm tree fringed beaches to mountains and a jungle safari, whilst seeing much more in-between. Our tour guide, Ravi, was a pleasure to have with us, an excellent driver who answered our questions knowledgeably and added places of interest on route to break up the long journeys. The hotels were of a good standard and we especially enjoyed the Lighthouse Hotel at Galle. I have no hesitation in recommending Tikalanka Tours to anyone looking for a tour company in Sri Lanka." Nicola, James & Jasmine, Singapore, October 2010

"Just back from our outstanding honeymoon, and thought I’d drop you a quick note to say thanks! Sri Lanka is a wonderful country of wonderful people, and Pathi and his wife are lovely hosts... the Banyan Tree [Maldives Vabbinfaru] wasn’t bad either! Pathi took us to his temple to meet his high priest and look at the work the temple is doing for his local community, and since speaking to the priest, the wife and I have been inspired to hatch a plan to start sending over some English language kids books over to augment the small library in the temple (my father in law is a second hand bookseller, so we can use his contacts to find some books, and we’re going to get people we know to donate books if we can, too)." Ross & Rebecca, England, September/October 2010

"What did you like most about Sri Lanka? Cultural sites that we visited. Friendly people. Variety of wildlife. Wonderful food. What did you like least about Sri Lanka? [Nothing] Any other comments? A wonderful honeymoon. There was some noise at The Blue Water [Wadduwa] (we complained one day as they started work in the room next door but one at 8am). [The Blue Water was under refurbishment until October 2010] Our driver/guide Ravi was excellent." Lisa & Neil, England, September/October 2010

"What did you like most about Sri Lanka? Ancient capitals, beach, hotels. What did you like least about Sri Lanka? Tourist trap lunch stops - some were better than others. Any other comments? Disappointed in the level of knowledge/interest of Sena [guide] particularly at non-Buddhist sights and his attention to detail. The hotels were fantastic especially The Lighthouse [Hotel, Galle]. A great holiday! Thank you!" Andrew & Katharine, England, September 2010

"What did you like most about Sri Lanka and the Maldives? Sri Lanka - variety of things we saw. Maldives - snorkelling, beach and colours of the surroundings. What did you like least about Sri Lanka and the Maldives? Sri Lanka - travelling around (quite long time spent in car). Maldives - could have been more day activities offered. Any other comments? Now that we've been back for a few days, we thought we'd get in touch! We have sent the feedback form that was enclosed with our cheque for the wedding list presents, but also wanted to write separately. Firstly thank you very much for all of your help working with us to put together our itinerary in Sri Lanka, and plan which island we would ultimately be staying on in the Maldives, and apart from the weather at times, we had a thoroughly enjoyable time for our honeymoon! Unfortunately we would like to complain about SriLankan Airlines and wanted to ask your advice as to the best course of action to take, the combination of changing the flight time and route so that we had to stop in Male first rather than fly directly to Colombo, the 4 hours delay on the way there and almost 3 hours delay on the way back meant we effectively lost a day. We appreciate that this is not under the control of Tikalanka, however we feel quite strongly about this and would definitely like to raise a complaint, but not sure where this would be most appropriately directed. With regards to the flight from Male to the Maldives resort [Filitheyo Island Resort] by seaplane, there was a surcharge we had to pay on our luggage (US$24) as we were over the 25kg combined luggage and hand luggage limit (but well under the 30kg luggage limit for our flight home to London), unfortunately we were not aware of this restriction prior to making the trip, and rather than unpacking and repacking our stuff (and potentially losing presents we had bought on our trip) we took everything with us. Would it be possible to get a refund for the luggage surcharge from Tikalanka? Finally we would like to leave some specific feedback for Kapila, our tour guide and driver whilst we were in Sri Lanka. Kapila was a very friendly and attentive guide, and very knowledgeable about the areas we were travelling through. He was fully aware of our itinerary, and was flexible enough to allow us to make changes, such as not visiting the Hindu temples in Kandy, and visiting the local market instead, as well as (at short notice) helping us to organise a jeep for our trip to Horton Plains on our day off in the tea country. He was completely impartial when we wanted to go shopping, ensuring that he took us to shops where he was sure the quality of the merchandise was high (Jewellers etc). The vehicle itself was always very clean, and the air conditioning was a godsend! Whilst driving Kapila would regularly point out sights or animals to us, regularly stopping should a good photo opportunity arise. We understood Kapila well at all times, and appreciated the effort he made in telling us about the history of the various places we visited, as it was extremely interesting." Peter & Stephanie, England, September 2010 Also, see the ResponsibleTravel.com holiday review.

"What did you like most about Sri Lanka and the Maldives? Seeing/experiencing the culture and different landscapes. What did you like least about Sri Lanka and the Maldives? Locals asking for tips/money. Any other comments? Fantastic holiday, superb accommodation and food. We also received several accommodation upgrades as you let places know it was our honeymoon which was appreciated. The driver [guide] Anura was excellent, we really enjoyed his company and he kept us entertained throughout. Many thanks." Kevin & Catherine, England, September 2010

"What did you like most about Sri Lanka and the Maldives? Well organised tour in Sri Lanka. Resort in Maldives. What did you like least about Sri Lanka and the Maldives? More detailed explanation from tour guide/driver [Yapa]. Any other comments? Well organised trip. Excellent service and overall experience at Banyan Tree [Maldives Vabbinfaru] resort in Maldives." Shamin & Puja, England, September 2010

"What did you like most about Sri Lanka? Food, climate, people. What did you like least about Sri Lanka? Roads. Any other comments? Highlights: Alankuda Beach [Puttalam], Serendip [Kandy], Wilpattu NP, Temple of the Tooth [Kandy]. Lowlights: Nuwara Eliya - very disappointing (there really is nothing there). Minneriya NP - what should have been a highlight was a disappointment. You can't control the wildlife but this was what I consider a procession of vehicles travelling in convoy to see a 'few' (not hundreds) of elephant. No effort was made to look for anything else. Vast improvements are available to be made to the game parks of Sri Lanka and how they run tourism there. Overall a great trip though enjoyed by both of us." Robert & Louise, England, September 2010 Also, see the ResponsibleTravel.com holiday review.

"What did you like most about Sri Lanka? Friendly people, variety of climates, lovely beaches, amazing wildlife. What did you like least about Sri Lanka? Leeches and mosquitos! Any other comments? Eco Team at Yala NP [Mahoora Luxury Camp] were fantastic - made the honeymoon. Nimal and Swinton at Villa Talangama [Colombo] were the friendliest and best hosts we've ever experienced anywhere in the world. Royal River Resort, Kitulgala was not very clean. Thank you to John!" Lisa & Olly, England, August/September 2010

"Thank you for arranging our tour in Sri Lanka. We had a really good time and the whole trip ran very smoothly. Ravi was a very good guide and driver. He drove very well and we always felt comfortable with him. He cleaned and maintained the vehicle regularly which was appreciated. He pointed out animals and other interesting things as we were driving along. He was really caring and considerate of our elderly relatives. He was always punctual and we really enjoyed having him with us. The hotels were of good standard as described and the itinerary worked well. Ravi arranged an early morning climb to Sigiriya on the last morning for Tim and me and also took us to Dambulla on the way to the airport. We really appreciated these additions as they were both unmissable gems. The whole trip was very good value, in fact I don't know how you did it for the money. Thank you very much for organising it." Sally, Tim, Ken & Betty, England, August 2010

"What did you like most about Sri Lanka? Meeting charming people; experiencing the practical effects of Buddhism e.g. kindness to people and animals; riding an elephant; climbing Sigiriya rock and Adam's Peak; train journey to Ella; being shown round Pathi's vegetable garden; the food! What did you like least about Sri Lanka? Not being able to swim in the sea, even though it was at the end of the garden! (too rough/currents). The leeches on Adam's Peak and Kottawa Rainforest [Galle]! The persistent sales techniques in some more 'touristy' locations. Any other comments? All very well organised with an exceptional guide (Sena). I would put in the itinerary that for camping in Uda Walawe people need to pack an overnight bag - not all baggage goes with you. We had to do this in about 5 minutes when we arrived at the camp organiser's house. Not a big problem, but easier to sort out in advance, particularly if people have children. Also, in advice before you go, we found that telling the bank we were going to Sri Lanka and intended to use ATM machines was not enough to avoid the card being blocked after one attempt. Their computer decides this is 'suspicious activity' and blocks the card. You then have to ring them from Sri Lanka to unblock the card (card user - RBS)." Baart family, England, August 2010

"What did you like most about Sri Lanka? Variety. Good climate for Asia in August. What did you like least about Sri Lanka? Travel times in Sri Lanka. Any other comments? Recommendations on good restaurants, to get away from tourist buffet circuit, would be good. Warwick Gardens, near Nuwara Eliya, really good. Our driver [guide], Yapa, was great." Moss family, England, August 2010

"What did you like most about Sri Lanka? Kulu Safaris in Yala - very friendly and well organised. What did you like least about Sri Lanka? The Closenberg Hotel in Galle. This place is a real shambles, quite dirty and unhelpful staff. Any other comments? One of our planned days was a morning safari in Uda Walawe, then the Elephant Transit Home, then an afternoon safari in Yala. This is not physically possible from a scheduling perspective (because the Elephant Transit Home only accepts visitors at 3 set times in the day). Overall a very lovely honeymoon!" Christy & William, England, August 2010

"What did you like most about Sri Lanka? Wonderful landscape. What did you like least about Sri Lanka? Can't think of anything. Any other comments? We had a wonderful time and know it simply wouldn't have been possible without Tikalanka and our lovely, helpful, knowledgeable and superb guide, Pathi." Rachel & Chris, England, July 2010

"What did you like most about Sri Lanka? The rich culture and lush vegetation, abundance of fresh food, the friendly inhabitants and the cleanliness. What did you like least about Sri Lanka? None. Any other comments? Just to say that we all really enjoyed the holiday, it was fantastic throughout in every aspect. The guide Sena was really good, really knowledgable of the country and a really nice person as well who thought highly of "Dr John". Please convey our respects to him. I would have no hesitation in recommending Sri Lanka and Tikalanka Tours to anyone. Only wish was instead of 2 nights at St. Andrew's [Hotel, Nuwara Eliya] we had one at the Ella Gap Guest House as the view was amazing." Alan, Karen & Julie, England, July 2010 Also, see the ResponsibleTravel.com holiday review.

"What did you like most about Sri Lanka? All of it! Variation of landscapes - from tea planting estates to coastline. Loads to see and learn about - people and culture - vivid memories! Tea factory trip - super. What did you like least about Sri Lanka? Inability to walk freely without being surrounded by well meaning but annoying "locals". Any other comments? All accommodation of a high standard, except for our stay at [Anilana Resorts] Craigbank, Nuwara Eliya - very strange set up there, cold and damp with three (untrained?) men running the house - wouldn't recommend. [Ceylon] Tea Trails [Castlereagh Bungalow, Adam's Peak] - superlative and exceptional. Excellent driver [guide] - Sena - very kind and told us such a lot about his country and religion." Sandy & Elaine, Scotland, June 2010

"Tikalanka provided us with an excellent introduction to Sri Lanka. Our itinerary was close to perfect and we thank you [John] for the suggestions and advice you gave us as it took shape over time. We will recommend Sri Lanka and Tikalanka to friends and colleagues. Hotels ranged from good to superb. Hotel restaurants were excellent. Indeed one of the best meals we've ever eaten was the special giant prawns dinner arranged for us by the wonderful employees of Turtle Bay [Tangalle]. We were the only guests and felt like royalty. Service at all hotels was very good to extraordinary. Our highest praise goes to Arun at Casa Colombo [Colombo]. He acted as our "butler" and was a pure delight. Arun is a young man with lots of energy and intelligence. In addition, he has a fine sense of balance between the privacy needs of guests and their relationship with him. The staff members who cared for us at The Kandy House [Kandy], Turtle Bay and Aditya [Galle] were also special. For example, at Turtle Bay, the manager, Ishara Da Silva, left her office open and computer turned on for our use after 5pm each day. Wow! Our safari experience was truly exciting and on a par with safaris we've done in Kenya and South Africa. (For Paul it was the highpoint of our travel in Sri Lanka.) We were pampered as the only guests of Mahoora [Safari Camp, Uda Walawe]. The men who set up and manage the camp know how to meet guests' needs while maintaining privacy. Special kudos go to our guide Dilan Peiris. He's really smart and socially savvy. We hope that future marketing of Sri Lanka will include safaris as a highlight. On the itinerary in general. The rigors of visiting the archaeological and other sights in the cultural triangle were nicely balanced by the cool beauty of the tea country and the glorious beaches of Tangalla and Galle. (We were thrilled to have a brief encounter with a lovely giant green turtle who had just covered her eggs on the beach at Rekawa.) Again, we appreciate your input into the itinerary, in particular the addition of the tea country and change of hotels in the Tangalla area. Our many, many thanks to you for the room upgrade and spa treatments at Aditya and for arranging for Kapila to take us to Matara for shopping at Jez Look. We think the latter should go on Tikalanka's list of recommendations to tourists. Jezima Mohamed offers warm hospitality and a tour of her batik workshop. The products are stunning. Our journey would have been enhanced if we had had a more knowledgeable and mature guide than Kapila. Our evaluation of him is based on over 30 years of travel with guides and drivers in an array of challenging cultural and political worlds such as Cambodia, Laos, Uzbekistan, and Syria. Kapila is a good driver and a pleasant person, but he is at best a mediocre guide with limited social skills and poor English-speaking skills. We were frustrated by his seeming inability to grasp the larger picture of anticipating essential elements of our tour and being sure that our needs and expectations would be met. For instance, he didn't review our itinerary at the start of our journey. We weren't even sure he had a copy until we set off for the safari and discovered that his itinerary did not match ours! In addition, he never prepared us for the day's challenges as we moved from place to place. For example, at the Golden Temple, Dambulla, we were hustled out of the car and into the crush of Wesak pilgrims making their way to the caves. We had no water and had to carry our packs with valuables. Kapila walked many steps ahead of us and appeared completely unaware of whom we were in the situation. Kapila was irritatingly nosy about how much we were spending at hotels and in shops. He complained periodically about his gastritis, his disdain for Tamil and Moslem Sri Lankans, his dislike of this or that hotel owner. Even at the very end of our journey, Kapila was out of sync with doing his work as a guide. We arranged to meet him at The Beach hotel [Airport] at 8am for our drive to the airport. However, it never occurred to him to arrive 10 or 15 minutes early to make sure we were set to leave Sri Lanka. He arrived shortly after 8am and left us at the curb at the airport. We scurried off and, with some confusion, managed to get through the crowds at security, customs and the like to make our Emirates flight. Though we were less than satisfied with Kapila, we offer these thoughts in a sincere effort to help him improve his tour guiding skills. Again, our Sri Lanka adventure was a success and Tikalanka helped make it so. Thank you for your service and support; may your business prosper and enjoy continuing success." Kay & Paul, USA, May/June 2010

"Further to our conversation two weeks ago, I agreed that I would put the issues discussed in writing. Apologies that I have not done this until now. As I said to you [John] at the time, this should not take away from the fact that we had an excellent holiday. The agenda and accommodation provided was excellent. However, chronologically our issues with Pathi as our guide were as follows: Virtually as soon as we were off the plane, he was selling Emma the idea of a massage on the following day. We were jetlagged but nevertheless naïve about this, and she quickly agreed to it. Continued efforts were made to try to sell to me too, though it was clear that I was not interested. He also at the same time sold is an elephant ride, initially to be a 45-minute journey from the hotel, but then at the hotel as he realised we were too jetlagged etc. To be fair, I have no complaints about the elephant ride as we both enjoyed it. We had agreed with Pathi that, given jetlag, we should change the agenda on the first day and fit the additional items into the following day. This was good advice, and we were grateful for it. The following day, after the Sigiriya ascent and the Dambulla caves, which were both excellent and well worth seeing and in particular in the case of Dambulla, well guided, we arrived at the massage premises [Habarana]. Though it was in a pleasant enough country location, it was quickly clear than standards were not high (there were no showers, the quality of the masseur was apparently not good). We should have abandoned it there and then, but I persuaded Emma to go ahead with it as Pathi would otherwise lose face, which was not something I would not have considered later in the holiday. Further final efforts were made by Pathi in conjunction with the parlour owner to sell me a massage. Emma had her massage, and came out visibly upset at being covered in oils yet unable to shower. This was clear to Pathi, who was concerned at her upset. Lunch was then had and we went on to the safari. As a note on the safari, we didn't go to the game park on the agenda on the grounds, he told us, that the elephants were currently in this other park. It didn't matter, as we saw elephants and enjoyed the safari, but after the event we suspected that this park was chosen because it was near to the massage parlour location - we may be wrong about this. [Minneriya and Kaudulla National Parks are both part of an 'elephant corridor' stretching across the region and the choice of national park is made at the time for the best elephant spotting opportunities] The following day, we drove to Kandy. On the way, we went to a spice garden [Matale] that we had agreed to stop at, which we enjoyed - whilst we bought some small things we didn't really need, we didn't begrudge it as the tour had been interesting. We started at the Temple of the Tooth, which was excellent, and Pathi was excellent as a guide here. After the actual seeing of the casket, I would say that he wanted to get away, however. As I said to you, once we had left the compound of the temple, I said that I wanted to see the 4 'deities' [devales - Hindu temples] in the locality that I had read about in our guide book - he said that it was too busy at that time and that we should go back later (we didn't, but to be fair we didn't bring it up later as jetlag was still having effect). He saw us at the time look quizzically at each other, and said then we could do it then, but we followed his guidance. We had been consulting a Lonely Planet guidebook regularly in the car. On the way to the jewellery shop, he gave us a lecture that 'we shouldn't judge him by what was written in the book about touts, hawkers etc because he wasn't like that and he was a trained guide' etc. We of course were at pains to point out that we were reading it to brief us on the sites and not to judge anyone, but this made us realise that all was not right. I wondered if he didn't want is to find anything else to see to distract us from the shopping delights shortly to be had, but this is supposition. Pathi had been saying to Emma whenever 'shopping' was mentioned that we would get plenty of opportunity to shop when we got to Kandy - this turned out to be the case as we arrived at a jewellery shop, had lunch and then went to a tailors. We refused the opportunity to buy anything at the jewellers, which didn't go down well with Pathi - over an uncomfortable lunch, me unhappy with the guiding and him unhappy as above, he suggested to Emma in a roundabout way that I was mean in that I wouldn't buy anything (or at least this is how she interpreted it), obviously this was while I wasn't there. After lunch, Emma mentioned that she wanted to buy a silk scarf - opposite the jewellers, there is a silks shop, so we were of course quickly guided there. We were quickly persuaded, by the shop staff and Pathi, to buy a made to measure suit - I had intended to buy a suit while on the holiday. The tailor, who it being a Sunday I think was not on the premises, duly arrived. I must admit that, while I know nothing of tailoring, I didn't think he looked confident in what he was doing, and sure enough, when the suit arrived 24 hours later in Nuwara Eliya, the suit was much too small. It transpired that the tailor we saw was not the regular tailor, probably an apprentice if a tailor at all. Anyway, after some telephone calls by Pathi and the guy who delivered the suit, and avoidance of offers for a replacement suit/other goods, we secured a refund to my card. Back in Kandy, we then pointed out that the [Peradeniya] botanical gardens was on the agenda, rather than going to the batik shop Pathi was recommending. While he was not particularly happy to go, 'fortunately' the wood factory was on the way back. I bought a fruit bowl, which to be fair I did need, though unbeknown to me at the time Emma was hard sold on the 'simplicity' of having wooden furniture shipped home by our guide. We didn't buy any. On the way back to the Kandy hotel [The Kandy House] (which was fantastic), Pathi asked if he could have the morning/early afternoon off on the following day and arrive at Nuwara Eliya at 6pm - per the agenda, we got the train to Nuwara Eliya from Kandy, which was also excellent. I was in favour of this, though it's a woman's prerogative to want her suitcases on arrival I suppose, so we compromised at 4pm. Given that it caused some 'consternation' between myself and Emma, shall we say, over whether Pathi should have 'time off', it was probably best not suggested, though had it been two blokes I'm sure neither would have minded. The morning of the visit to World's End [Horton Plains] - Pathi didn't join us, he said he was sick, though he was perhaps sorting the suit refund out, we didn't mind as by this stage we didn't want him with us. As we discussed, Pathi was at pains that we did not feed back to you what had happened re the suit, I am somewhat at fault for going back on my word about this but frankly I'm not too concerned. Our World's End driver [guide] was excellent, very knowledgeable and helpful. The rest of the trip passed by relatively without incident (given that his contacts were mostly in Kandy), though by the end we were on limited speaking terms. We did give him a sizeable tip, which as I discussed was really to avoid further acrimony and that I now regret. I think I should also add that I was paying for all the meals, which was fine by me but I believe he was pocketing the receipts with a view to claiming for them. I wouldn't really mind, though you might if it has happened, but I could be wrong to be fair. In summary, if Pathi had stuck to guiding he was very knowledgeable about the religious sites (Dambulla and the Temple of the Tooth) and Sigiriya. He didn't know so much on the wildlife/botanic side or seem that interested to be fair - I'm not sure if the training would have been so rigorous on this aspect. The above looks like a 'witch hunt', and I am not normally in the business of getting people into trouble at their workplace, but quite honestly we didn't get what we expected. We have travelled in Asia before, and of course it is reasonable to expect local people, on lower average incomes than the traveller, to want you to spend money in their country and on their products. Though I feel we were naive with Pathi, because he was working for a tour we had arranged from home, we did not expect such a selling effort. It has to be said that on other tours I have been on, for example day trips organised by hotels, every guide has his sideline, but in this case in Kandy the guiding was sidelined for the shopping opportunities. [John visited Sri Lanka in early June 2010 to discuss these comments with Pathi and the necessary changes have been made to ensure similar situations do not occur in the future. Please note that Tikalanka Tours does not endorse any particular shops and does not accept commissions from vendors.] I should end by reiterating what I said at the beginning, that despite the above we had an excellent holiday, both the accommodation we stayed in and sites on the tour agenda were first class. Emma was also very pleased with your service in the UK, recommending us an excellent agenda and the flexibility required given the 'volcano' situation occurring at that time." Emma & Peter, England, May 2010

"What did you like most about Sri Lanka? People. What did you like least about Sri Lanka? Nothing. Any other comments? Well run enjoyable trip. Helpful friendly driver [guide] (Pathi) flexible times for trips, prompt at sorting out any problems we had without any fuss. All hotels were of a high standard, clean and friendly as recommended on the website. Wedding Gift List very well set up. Easy to use [tailor-made] website, good information and photos." Kevin & Helen, Scotland/England, April 2010

"What did you like most about Sri Lanka? So diffult to say! Polonnaruwa. Ceylon Tea Trails. Scenery. Food. People. Perhaps best combined at Ceylon Tea Trails [Norwood & Tientsin Bungalows, Adam's Peak] What did you like least about Sri Lanka? The temperature while sightseeing at Polonnaruwa. Being taken to a gemstone factory and showroom in Kandy. Any other comments? Overall the holiday was brilliant. We will return one day and will almost certainly book through Tikalanka Tours. The service throughout was excellent." Malcolm & Jacqui, England, March/April 2010

"What did you like most about Sri Lanka? Landscape, nature, climate, atmospheric ruins in the jungle. What did you like least about Sri Lanka? Scary traffic, mosquitoes. Any other comments? We had a truly fantastic holiday - thank you very much for arranging it." Monika & Richard, England, February 2010

"What did you like most about Sri Lanka and the Maldives? The natural history and culture. What did you like least about Sri Lanka and the Maldives? Maldives - Not quite value for money. [Angsana Maldives Velavaru] Sri Lanka - Uncomfortable vehicle and no 3-point seatbelts. Any other comments? The Wallawwa [Airport] - great all respects. Vil Uyana [Sigiriya] - great location, starting to fray (tough in tropics). The Kandy House [Kandy] - great in all respects - best pool in the world. Castlereagh Bungalow [Adam's Peak] - exceptional service. The Beach [Airport] - doesn't match any of the above - bit tatty, poor service, poor food." Sue & Malcolm, Scotland, February 2010

"What did you like most about Sri Lanka and the Maldives? Diversity of location; organisation of tour of Sri Lanka; flexibility of tour guide. What did you like least about Sri Lanka and the Maldives? Unadvertised delays at Malé [Maldives] for connections to Hanimadoo - wasted day of holiday; lack of clarity re arrangements at Malé. Any other comments? We were disappointed/upset at lengthy unadvertised delays in connections to/from Hanimadoo [in the Maldives] - you could have been more explicit re this - we would then have looked for a resort without plane connections. [All transfers between Malé international airport and the resorts in the Maldives are organised solely by the resorts and no information on timings of connections is given prior to arrival.] However resort [Cinnamon Island Alidhoo] was fantastic and glad we upgraded to [standard] all inclusive. We enjoyed Sri Lanka in every aspect. Pathi [chauffeur guide] was exceptional - sensitive to our needs, flexible, responsive to our preferences. Kandy: we enjoyed Serendip, but can see why [it] doesn't appeal to everyone. Felt you should offer alternative more central hotel. [Our online tailor-made holiday planner has a selection of hotels in Kandy, with detailed descriptions, and customers are free to choose alternative accommodation.] Warwick Gardens [Nuwara Eliya]: appalled by management attitude to Pathi and drivers in general re quality of accommodation [provided for them]. Hotel and setting was beautiful; gave feedback to manager that attempt to do English food was poor and unnecessary - dinner was worst meal in Sri Lanka. Manager was snobby and racist." Kath & Keith, England, February 2010

"What did you like most about Sri Lanka? Scenery - variety and beauty. Pace of life. What did you like least about Sri Lanka? Heat/humidity. Pushy street sellers. Driving/roads." Steve & Angela, England, February 2010

"What did you like most about Sri Lanka? The sincerity and helpfulness of the people, food, variety of things to do and see, ever changing countryside and climate. Lovely beaches. Yapa [chauffeur guide]. What did you like least about Sri Lanka? The shocking suffering of the mangy stray dogs. Temple of the Tooth. Any other comments? Had a fantastic time, the highlight was seeing a [sloth] bear in Yala NP! The Last House and beach in Tangalle was also great. Ella and Sinharaja were really good fun. The enthusiasm and knowledge of all guides was infectious and made visiting the national parks interesting and fun. A superb service at beautiful hotels. Did not care for the conditions of Ella Adventure Park [Ella] cabins - in need of rapid refurbishment. Yapa was good company, helpful, punctual, very kind, considerate and amusing - couldn't have been better." Margaret, Jonathan & Amanda, England, January/February 2010

"What did you like most about Sri Lanka? Variety, friendly helpful people, cleaner and more hygienic than expected, no malaria concerns where we went. The boutique hotels were very good. What did you like least about Sri Lanka? The roads! System where guides/drivers get food/accommodation although good can lead to 'venue bias'. Any other comments? Overall the holiday was excellent and exceeded our expectations. We were very impressed by our driver [guide] Sena. He was very organised and always on time. Had good standards. Very knowledgeable and interesting. Had a good sense of humour and coped well with us! He resolved the train ticket problem, too. We found him very genuine and spiritual and fun to be with every day. Thank you. " Shirley, Tessa, John & Peter, England, January/February 2010

"What did you like most about Sri Lanka and the Maldives? Sri Lanka - everything - scenery, wildlife and people especially. Maldives - snorkelling. What did you like least about Sri Lanka and the Maldives? Sri Lanka - nothing - loved everything. Maldives - Did not meet our expectations, however did provide a good place to relax after Sri Lanka and the snorkelling was good. We saw a turtle and reef shark as our highlights. The Maldives was probably let down by the resort [Filitheyo Island Resort] atmosphere and the less friendly staff - some of whom just seemed miserable. In Sri Lanka we were made to feel very special everywhere we went. In the Maldives we just felt like a number. Obviously Sri Lanka and the Maldives are two very different places and we learned that the Maldives is not the kind of holiday for us. Whilst we did enjoy it and it was definitely needed after Sri Lanka (i.e. time to relax) it is not somewhere we'd return to. Next time we would stay some place on Sri Lanka's coast and forfeit the snorkelling. Any other comments? In total we spent 12 days in Sri Lanka. Our journey began at Kitulgala where we spent 2 nights in the Royal River Resort. We then moved on to Nuwara Eliya, and the Warwick Gardens for a further 2 nights. Our third resort was the Serendip near Kandy. After this we travelled to the Heritance Kandalama in the Dambulla region - this hotel is where we got married. Finally, on out last night we stayed at The Wallawwa, which was close to the airport. The choice of hotels was fantastic and we could tell that a lot of time and thought had gone into finding these unique locations. Each time we arrived at a new hotel we were suitably impressed and awed! The resorts managed to combine a sense of adventure with a definite feeling of indulgence and luxury. The scenery and wildlife was always fantastic and we felt like we had discovered the real Sri Lanka. The staff in all of the hotels were simply excellent. Without exception they were warm, friendly and eager to assist. We were especially impressed with the staff at Kandalama who treated us like royalty throughout our stay. Nothing was too much trouble for these lovely people and everything was always done with enthusiasm and a smile. We especially enjoyed our dinner at the hotel's organic farm, talking to the staff we met here. We sincerely hope that we can return to the Kandalama one day and see how our tree is growing. Finally, we would like to praise the man who ultimately made this trip what it was. On arrival at the airport in Colombo, feeling tired and uncertain of what was ahead, we were warmly greeted by Pathi - our guide and chauffeur for the holiday. We were instantly pleased to meet Pathi, who's smiling face was a shining beacon in the otherwise rather sombre looking crowd. The flowers he welcomed me with were a lovely touch too. Pathi ultimately proved to be the perfect host throughout. He ensured everything went smoothly and that we got the very best out of our trip. Pathi was friendly and considerate; whilst also being assertive enough to make suggestions and coax the best deals out of the attractions and resorts we visited. He was equally extremely knowledgeable and proud and was able to transfer this enthusiasm to us. Pathi was always able to answer all our questions and we learned a huge amount about Sri Lanka on our journey. We also had fun trying to learn a few words and put them to use on the unwitting locals! To summarise, it was truly a pleasure to have Pathi accompany us and we are so glad that we were lucky enough to have him as our guide. We feel that we have made a lifelong friend - something that we really were not expecting when we booked our trip with Tikalanka! To conclude, the Tikalanka experience was everything and more than we expected from our holiday. Sri Lanka has so much to offer and we loved the culture and history, the wildlife, the scenery, the sites and the people. Each activity or visit surpassed our expectations and provided a feeling of constant wonderment. This was definitely a holiday of a lifetime and has to be the only way to see Sri Lanka. We will be recommending you to all our friends. We are just incredibly pleased that we chose Sri Lanka and Tikalanka for our wedding holiday. THANK YOU TIKALANKA - keep doing what you do - it is superb." Gemma & Stephen, England, January/February 2010

"What did you like most about Sri Lanka? Friendly people, clean, good food, wildlife. What did you like least about Sri Lanka? 12 hours on SriLankan Airlines. Any other comments? Excellent itinerary which included a good variety of hotels. Heritance Kandalama [Dambulla], The Kandy House [Kandy], Heritance Tea Factory [Nuwara Eliya], Apa Villa Thalpe [Unawatuna] were excellent. Hotel at Negombo [Villa Araliya, Airport] was average. The Grand Hotel at Nuwara Eliya was disappointingly run." Norman & Christine, England, January 2010

"All the arrangements went smoothly: Anura [chauffeur guide] was there to meet us; the hotels were all as described, and offered us twin rooms (just a slight hiccough with Apa Villa [Thalpe, Unawatuna] - but they were able to switch us before we had even finished our lunch); SriLankan Airlines were on time; and the itinerary worked perfectly. The very high spots were: the Ceylon Tea Trails hotel [Castlereagh Bungalow, Adam's Peak] - I think the best place we have ever stayed; the wonderful beach below the villa [Claughton House] near Tangalle - nearly empty just as we had hoped - and with the bonus of kingfishers; and the boat safari on the Mahamodara River [Galle], where we were the only tourists in sight. But The Kandy House [Kandy], Claughton House and The Wallawwa [Airport] were all superb, and if we are marginally less warm about Apa Villa, it is because it was good as opposed to excellent! When we first met Anura, we wondered about communication; but he made up for any lack of fluency in English 10 times over in his efforts to make sure we had a good time. So if we did not get the finer points of Buddhism (he had a good try at answering our many questions), he took us to extra temples not on the itinerary, showed us drongos and bee-eaters, and so much more, and thrashed Jean at carom! Never once when finalising details did he put his interests before ours; and he was always ready well before the time we agreed for departure, was brilliant at avoiding tuk-tuks and wayward cows on the road, infinitely patient about stopping for photos and anything of interest we passed, and just really good company. The only item that didn't work - and this is not a complaint, only feedback for you to bear in mind for others - was the walk in the rainforest at Kottawa [Galle], where we were attacked by an army of leeches which even the best efforts of Anura acting as leech policeman, and some salt spray we had brought with us could not keep at bay. I confess we cut the walk very short - so only for your more intrepid clients! Very very many thanks. We could not possibly have constructed such a delightful trip without your expertise, and your thoughtful tailoring of the itinerary to meet what we said we were looking for. Back at Colombo airport listening to other reports, we realised how privileged we had been in avoiding anything that smacked of mass tourism - and how you managed so often to get us the best rooms in the best hotels and the best seats in the plane we shall never know! Moreover, we are still surprised that after this very special holiday, where everything was of such top quality, we still have some money left in our pockets! Next year is our 40th wedding anniversary, and we're already thinking that another different trip to Sri Lanka might be the way to celebrate it. But, we are asking, could you possibly pull it off twice? We will be sorting out all our photos and happy memories over the next few weeks - and will be in touch with you again to see what you think! In the meantime, we are really grateful for all of your help for his fantastic holiday, and we shall certainly be recommending Tikalanka Tours to anyone who wants to know!" Ruth & Jean, England, January 2010 Also, see the ResponsibleTravel.com holiday review.

"What did you like most about Sri Lanka and the Maldives? Sri Lanka - incredible history/heritage. Maldives - idyllic and peaceful/relaxing. What did you like least about Sri Lanka and the Maldives? Sri Lanka - mosquitoes! But can't be helped! Any other comments? We had a wonderful honeymoon and it would be very difficult to fault our trip. The highlight for us in Sri Lanka was Adam's Peak, which was an incredible and unique experience. The accommodation was impeccable throughout, particularly The Kandy House [Kandy], Heritance Kandalama [Dambulla] and the Ceylon Tea Trails [Castlereagh Bungalow, Adam's Peak] - the food was excellent too. Maldives - all we can say is that it was PERFECT. No negative feedback at all, we loved every minute. [Banyan Tree Maldives Vabbinfaru] It was great to have a mixture of culture and sightseeing in Sri Lanka and total relaxation in the Maldives. Pathi was an excellent, warm and fun guide and we thoroughly enjoyed the 10 days with him. A big thumbs up all round!" Patrick & Katie, England, January 2010 Also, see the ResponsibleTravel.com holiday review.

For more customer comments from previous years, please click on the links below:

• 2009
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• 2007
• 2006
• 2005