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Discover Sri Lanka & Maldives From Those Who Know It Best

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

Category: News

Tikalanka - Independent tailor-made holidays to Sri Lanka and Maldives

TikaWeeks #51/2025: Sri Lanka update

Posted by John on 19th December 2025

Sri Lanka continues to recover well from the effects of Cyclone Ditwah. The Kandy to Nuwara Eliya road has reopened, although it is restricted to a single lane at Ramboda as the major landslide is cleared. There is now road access between Nuwara Eliya and Ella, and the Hill Country railway line from Ambewela near Nuwara Eliya to the southern terminus at Badulla is open again. The main Colombo to Kandy road (A1) is open but there is some traffic near Kadugannawa as only one lane is open. We are keeping a close eye on developments with daily updates from our ground control fleet and accommodation network across the island.

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Tikalanka - Independent tailor-made holidays to Sri Lanka and Maldives

TikaWeeks #50/2025: Sri Lanka update

Posted by John on 13th December 2025

According to local reports, Sri Lanka seems to be recovering well from the effects of Cyclone Ditwah. Ninety-five percent of the national power supply has been successfully restored, fuel supplies are being maintained, main roads are open (with a couple of exceptions), and all sites in the Cultural Triangle are open as are the principal national parks. The majority of the coastline was not affected too severely by the cyclone. Most stages of the Pekoe Trail have been reopened. However, the Hill Country railway line from Ambepussa to Badulla is suspended until further notice.

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Tikalanka - Independent tailor-made holidays to Sri Lanka and Maldives

TikaWeeks #49/2025: Sri Lanka update

Posted by John on 6th December 2025

​Cyclone Ditwah caused extensive flooding and landslides on its passage through Sri Lanka last week. Our thoughts are with all those affected by the tropical cyclone. Thankfully, our team in Sri Lanka is safe and our holidays are continuing on the island. Recent updates from the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) and other local organisations indicate that the island is recovering and most of the country is safe for travel. We are receiving regular updates from our office in Kandy, local colleagues around the island, the SLTDA, and the Sri Lanka Tourism Alliance to keep us informed of the actual situation on the ground.

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Geoffrey Bawa's Lunuganga, Bentota, Sri Lanka

TikaWeeks #45/2025: Sri Lanka update

Posted by John on 7th November 2025

We delve into our travel partners’ treasure trove of articles and features about Sri Lanka this week, with a few of Teardrop Hotels recent blogs on various subjects from preserving Geoffrey Bawa’s unique architectural heritage and top elephant hotspots to Sri Lanka’s culinary delights and a guide to the island’s national parks, rainforests and sanctuaries. There are plenty of other insights on offer including recommendations on the best beaches and train journeys, the art of slow travel, whale watching, and climbing Adam’s Peak.

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Sri Lanka Department of Immigration and Emigration

TikaWeeks #42/2025: Sri Lanka update

Posted by John on 14th October 2025

Sri Lanka no longer issues visas on arrival. You now need to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) online, which is valid for 30 days, before you fly. The ETA is issued through an online system, and no passport copies, documents or photographs are required, and there is no requirement to endorse the ETA in your passport. Upon arrival, simply produce your passport to the immigration officer at the port of entry along with a copy of your ETA approval notice.

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The Pekoe Trail Organization

TikaWeeks #41/2025: Sri Lanka update

Posted by John on 12th October 2025

Tikalanka is now an official Pekoe Trail DMC Partner, which means we have been trained and certified by The Pekoe Trail Organization to design itineraries that incorporate the trail responsibly, respectfully, and sustainably. Whether you’re looking for a day hike through the tea country, a weeklong walking journey, or a tailored experience that blends wellness, nature, and culture – we are the professionals who can make it happen and who bring the trail to life for travellers from around the world.

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Responsible Travel, our holidays are more enjoyable because they do good

TikaWeeks #38/2025: Sri Lanka update

Posted by John on 17th September 2025

Travel not only reduces stress and burn out, but it improves your mood, life satisfaction and sleep as well as increases energy levels and creativity, with this 'boost' typically lasting 2 weeks after your return from holiday. However, travelling responsibly and engaging in meaningful or novel activities increases this boost to up to 6 weeks. Last week's Open House event organised by Responsible Travel in Brighton is an annual get-together of travel companies with responsible and sustainable travel at their heart and Tikalanka was there as usual.

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The best beaches are on Sri Lanka's east coast during the summer

TikaWeeks #32/2025: Sri Lanka update

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.

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John, Pathi, Tracey and Suba at Seven Sisters, East Sussex, UK

TikaWeeks #29/2025: Sri Lanka update

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.

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Elephants in Sri Lanka

TikaWeeks #27/2025: Sri Lanka update

Posted by John on 2nd July 2025

The Galle Literary Festival, in and around Galle from 21 to 25 January 2026, has become one of the most anticipated literary events in south Asia. The latest episode of “Guardians”, a docuseries narrated by Prince William, shines a light on Sri Lankan rangers working to reduce human-elephant conflict. With around half of all visitors going on safari in Sri Lanka, wildlife is central to the island’s attraction, and ‘glamping’ is a great way to experience the call of the wild. In other news, Sigiriya was recently anointed as Sri Lanka’s first sustainable destination, and another upsurge in tourist arrivals last month shows Sri Lanka is still the place to visit!

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