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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: Sightseeing

Sperm whale and diver

TikaWeeks #23/2025: Sri Lanka update

Posted by John on 2nd June 2025

Swimming with whales isn’t just unethical – it’s illegal in Sri Lanka. A recent study found 32 tour operators offering illegal swim-with-whales experiences in key whale-watching areas. Protecting these gentle giants requires collective action – from government and tour agencies, accommodation providers, boat operators, and tourists. For years, Sri Lanka’s tourism model has been framed around distinct “high” and “low” seasons, dictated largely by the island’s monsoonal patterns. This binary view, however, fails to reflect the island’s true potential. The reality? Sri Lanka offers rich, varied experiences throughout the year.

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Kumana Under Canvas, Kumana NP, Sri Lanka

TikaWeeks #22/2025: Sri Lanka update

Posted by John on 29th May 2025

If rafting over cascading rapids, ballooning around an iconic rock fortress at dawn, climbing a sacred mountain for the spectacular sunrise and experiencing a jeep safari to spot a variety of exotic wildlife are high on your wish list, then Sri Lanka is for you! Many visitors only travel to Sri Lanka for the island’s spectacular, sun-soaked and palm-fringed beaches but there is so much more to discover than its sandy shores and exquisite ancient temples. This week’s update highlights some of the less well-known adventures on offer in Sri Lanka.

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Mirissa Beach, Sri Lanka (courtesy of Deborah Robinson & Pablo Hernando)

TikaWeeks #21/2025: Sri Lanka update

Posted by John on 19th May 2025

We believe that tourism can benefit both visitors and locals alike, a positive force for the national economies and local communities of the destination country. However, we also appreciate that overtourism has detrimental impacts and tourist income doesn’t always go into the pockets of the people who provide the services or need it most. Recent feedback from customers has highlighted some of these issues. We are well aware of these concerns and are finding new locations to visit and different places to stay to ensure your experience of Sri Lanka remains enjoyable and authentic.

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Hill Country tea terraces, Sri Lanka (courtesy of Peter Hale)

TikaWeeks #14/2025: Sri Lanka update

Posted by John on 31st March 2025

The Pekoe Trail in Sri Lanka has rightly entered the Pantheon of the world’s greatest hiking trails since its launch in late 2023. Winding its way through the spectacular Hill Country, the 300 km-long, 22-stage hiking trail has won many accolades including TIME magazine’s ‘World’s Greatest Places’ list for 2025. Sri Lanka has also been revealed to be the world’s most family-friendly country in a recent report, and Condé Nast Traveler included Sri Lanka on its latest list of the 40 most beautiful countries in the world. So why not visit?

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Collectors House, Matara, Sri Lanka

TikaWeeks #04/2025: Sri Lanka update

Posted by John on 23rd January 2025

If you are looking for an authentic Sri Lankan beach town experience then seldom-visited Matara may appeal to you and look no further than Collectors House for a place to stay, which is a newly refurbished bijou boutique residence in the heart of the fort district. Also in Matara, 3 Sisters Beach House fronts a spectacular and secluded sandy beach, and it offers an ideal and exclusive villa stay for couples, families or friendship groups.

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View of the Pennines from our house near Penrith, UK

TikaWeeks #02/2025: Sri Lanka update

Posted by John on 8th January 2025

Happy New Year! We hope your festive season was full of fun and joy. Being snowed in up here in The Lakes makes the idea of a tropical holiday to sun-soaked Sri Lanka very appealing and this is the busiest time of year for us for just that reason. Please contact us asap if you are thinking of travelling in the next few months as accommodation is booking up fast. Our first update of 2025 is dedicated to the lives lost and changed forever by the Asian Tsunami Disaster 20 years ago.

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Lion Rock at Sigiriya, Sri Lanka (courtesy of Shutterstock)

TikaWeeks #46/2024: Sri Lanka update

Posted by John on 11th November 2024

Quite an accolade for Sri Lanka – voted the Most Desirable Island (World) by Wanderlust’s 168,000 passionate and globetrotting readers. After more than 3 million votes were cast, the results of the 23rd Annual Wanderlust Reader Travel Awards​ are now in. Destinations, tour operators and travel brands have been recognised across 22 categories, including the Most Desirable Countries, Cities and Islands in Europe and around the world.

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The Mudhouse, Anamaduwa, Sri Lanka

TikaWeeks #31/2024: Sri Lanka update

Posted by John on 1st August 2024

One of our all-time favourite places to stay on the island has reopened following its closure as a result of the pandemic. The Mudhouse​ near Anamaduwa is a real gem. Tom and Kumar created a one-of-a-kind property in the ancient rural heartlands of Sri Lanka many years ago and it is a truly unique experience. The clusters of traditional mud huts constructed from local, natural materials have recently been renovated – Tom tells me that three out of the five original units are fully restored along with the restaurant – and the restoration project will continue this year and into next. Past customers have loved the place so book now to avoid disappointment!

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Visiting family welcomed at a local school near AMBA Estate, Ella, Sri Lanka

TikaWeeks #22/2024: Sri Lanka update

Posted by John on 29th May 2024

Hopefully all of us strive to be sensitive and responsible travellers but there are still incidents of inappropriate behaviour and disregard for local cultures as well as a disconnect with the climate crisis. Yesterday’s Guardian had a much-needed article on how to be a better tourist, from thinking about the experience and impact of your holiday to slowing down and getting off the beaten track. May be consider taking a personal pledge to ‘travel better’, like our Tika Travel Troth, which is a promise to yourself as well as everyone and everything around you to try to improve the world we live in.

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Maalu Maalu Resort & Spa, Passikudah, Sri Lanka

TikaWeeks #10/2024: Sri Lanka update

Posted by John on 5th March 2024

Imagine coconut palms swaying rhythmically in the fragrant breeze, the shallow, clear warm waters of the Indian Ocean lapping gently onto sun-kissed tropical beaches, and ice-cold sundowners and the freshest of seafood to savour – this is summer in Sri Lanka. Our Summertime in Sri Lanka Tika Taster itinerary is ideal for adventurous couples or families seeking an extra-special summer holiday in the resplendent land of Sri Lanka.

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