“We loved it all! Particularly the beautiful scenery, fascinating culture, friendly people, delicious food (lots of rice and curry!), and the amazing wildlife.”
Natasha & Ross, travelled to Sri Lanka, March 2023
Sri Lanka is a lush, tropical island paradise, known to Arab traders as Serendib - hence "serendipity", meaning discovery by happy accident - and famously described by Marco Polo as "undoubtedly the finest island of its size in the world".
Culturally rich and environmentally diverse, Sri Lanka boasts eight World Heritage Sites (the oldest dating back to the 3rd Century BCE), 86 species of mammals (including elephants and leopards), more than 500 bird species (including 33 endemics), a colourful array of flowering plants and trees, a Hill Country famous for tea and trekking, 14 National Parks out of 100 areas protected by the government, and 1600 km of Indian Ocean coastline offering palm-fringed and sun-drenched tropical beaches.
Trip PlannerEach region of Sri Lanka has something unique to offer. Get a better understanding of this beautiful island paradise by exploring each region, and the major sites and cities within them.
Find out which activities each region has on offer, whether it's exploring ancient temples, spotting exotic wildlife or simply relaxing on a palm-fringed tropical beach.
Explore Sri LankaSigiriya
Renovated and expanded former government rest house with a prime position overlooking Lion Rock at Sigiriya. Deep verandas with overhanging roofs borrow from the local vernacular of traditional walauwas (manor houses) and reinstate the colonial architecture of times past.
More AccommodationThere is so much to do during your visit to Sri Lanka that it may be hard to know where to start. We have put together some taster itineraries for you to see the range of accommodation and activities available on the island. You may like to use them as a starting point to plan your very own trip, or we can do it all for you if you prefer - the choice is yours!
Posted by John on 4th August 2025
Sri Lanka has just expanded its visa-fee waiver to 40 countries, including the UK, in a bid to boost tourist arrivals, hoping to top the impressive 145,188 visitors recorded in the first 23 days of July this year. Global travel website Big 7 Travel named Sri Lanka ‘The Most Beautiful Island in the World’ for 2025, an incredible accolade indeed, and the latest booking data of Emirates, the world’s largest international airline, show that Sri Lanka is among the top three summer destinations for travel.
Read more »Posted by John on 31st July 2025
If you want to learn about the Herpetofauna (reptiles and amphibians) of Sri Lanka, then loyal customers Dave and Chris Arnold will guide you through likely sightings from their hands-on experience of two trips with us in the past couple of years. In an engaging and enlightening account of their travels recently published in an international journal, Dave highlights the numerous and varied species to spot on the island, even donning a pair of ‘sexy’ leech socks in order to navigate Sinharaja Forest Reserve with impunity!
Read more »Posted by John on 15th July 2025
“We’re 21 today, 21 today, we offer Sri Lanka holidays galore, never been 21 before”! Pathi and I launched Tikalanka on 15 July 2004 and here we are still going strong 21 years later. What a journey we have had, keeping going despite a civil war raging during our first 5 years in business (peace has reigned on the island since the end of 2009), recurrent political and economic crises, past terrorist attacks, and Covid. With this experience, we can handle almost all eventualities and provide a unique perspective of Sri Lanka. So, please come and join the Tikalanka family and book a holiday with the independent travel specialist to Sri Lanka and Maldives.
Read more »“We loved it all! Particularly the beautiful scenery, fascinating culture, friendly people, delicious food (lots of rice and curry!), and the amazing wildlife.”
Natasha & Ross, travelled to Sri Lanka, March 2023
“We are back and a million thanks for organising such a fabulous time for us. We had a wonderful holiday. Everything was well planned with plenty of time allowed to do all the things we had chosen to do.”
Harriet & Michael, travelled to Sri Lanka, February 2023
“This was a truly memorable holiday. We loved Sri Lanka. The Itinerary was fantastic and allowed us to get a real feel for the history and culture of Sri Lanka.”
Chris & Karen, travelled to Sri Lanka, January/February 2023
“This really was the holiday of a lifetime and we couldn't have asked for more from our honeymoon. John and the team at Tikalanka were amazing throughout.”
James & Mirella, travelled to Sri Lanka & Maldives, February 2023
“Thank you so much John, we had such a wonderful time and have you, Pathi and Nihal to thank for that. We will definitely return in the future and we keep recommending you to everyone.”
Kate & Zak, travelled to Sri Lanka, May 2023
“We had a wonderful holiday together as a family. Something for everyone and lots of things we enjoy doing together. Such a lovely country full of smiles and greenery.”
Strachan family, travelled to Sri Lanka, February 2023
“We chose Tikalanka as John really took on board our choices and ideas when we first discussed our visit - and had put together a perfect mix of culture, wildlife and beaches. We would happily recommend Tikalanka to friends!”
Hilary & Sean, travelled to Sri Lanka, May 2024
“Our itinerary was perfect for us. We enjoyed all of our stays. The service was outstanding in all the places we stayed. Ravi was exceptional. He went above and beyond to make our journeys interesting.”
Jane & Jerry, travelled to Sri Lanka, January/February 2025
“This holiday was up there with the best ever had by us and we heartily thank you, John and Pathi, for such a superb time.”
Sue & Graeme, travelled to Sri Lanka, February 2025
“We were delighted with our trip to Sri Lanka, especially with the amount of birds and wildlife we were able to see. An unforgettable trip which has produced some amazing photos.”
Laurence & Elaine, travelled to Sri Lanka & Maldives, February/March 2020
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