Tika Traveller

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: Travel tips

Prince Harry launching Travalyst (courtesy of The Guardian/Gareth Fuller/PA)

TikaWeeks #37/2019: Sri Lanka update

Posted by John on 14th September 2019

With Prince Harry launching the sustainable travel initiative, Travalyst, earlier this month, some of the big players in the travel industry are finally taking the climate emergency seriously, which is definitely a ‘good thing’. However, more needs to be done – and fast. Reducing our reliance on carbon-emitting flights and plastic is a necessity along with everyday lifestyle changes for the sake of the health of the entire planet.

TikaWeeks #35-2/2019: Sri Lanka update

Posted by John on 27th August 2019

More good news from Sri Lanka: the government has officially lifted the state of emergency imposed after a series of suicide attacks on Easter Sunday. The end of emergency rule hopefully signals that the situation in the country is back to normal. The US$4.4bn tourism industry has suffered significantly since April, with tourist arrivals slumping by 70% in May and 57% in June, compared with the previous year.

Family group of elephants, Sri Lanka (courtesy of Phil & Dee Hughes)

TikaWeeks #35-1/2019: Sri Lanka update

Posted by John on 27th August 2019

The Wildlife Conservation Department has announced that all National Parks in Sri Lanka will be closed from 13 to 15 September 2019 for a scheduled island-wide elephant survey. All of the visitors’ bungalows operated by the Department within the National Parks will also be closed from 12 to 15 September 2019. The wild elephant census has been planned for 13 and 14 September 2019 at 250 jungle locations across the island close to water holes.

Caparisoned elephants at the Navam Maha Perahera 2019, Colombo, Sri Lanka (courtesy of dailymirror.lk)

TikaWeeks #34-2/2019: Sri Lanka update

Posted by John on 22nd August 2019

Since 1979, the Navam Maha Perahera in Colombo, held around the Navam full moon poya day in February, has enchanted large crowds of locals and visitors alike. The procession, steeped in age-old traditions, involves much pageantry and includes masked dancers and acrobats, regional drummers, up to 50 caparisoned elephants, fire-eaters and jugglers, and marching bands. In 2020, it takes place on 07 and 08 February. Please contact us for more details.

Leopard in a tree, Yala National Park, Sri Lanka (courtesy of Phil & Dee Hughes)

TikaWeeks #34-1/2019: Sri Lanka update

Posted by John on 19th August 2019

The annual closure of Blocks 1 & 2 of Yala National Park has just been announced from 01 September to 31 October 2019. This allows the normalisation of the wild animals’ natural behavioural patterns and habitats, and to improve the park’s infrastructure. Blocks 3, 4 & 5 are still open to the public during this period, via the Galge entrance, which is north of Kataragama bordering Lunugamvehera National Park.

TikaWeeks #31/2019: Sri Lanka update

Posted by John on 31st July 2019

Today was the official launch of the Visa Fee Exemption programme to Sri Lanka for 48 countries, including the UK, most of Europe, Australia, Canada and the USA. As from tomorrow, the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) fee will be waived for six months as another incentive to visit Sri Lanka. Please apply for an ETA in the usual way through the official ETA portal and you will not be charged for a visa if your return date is on or before 31 January 2020.

A plethora of Sri Lanka's wonderful fruit and vegetables in Kandy market

TikaWeeks #26/2019: Sri Lanka update

Posted by John on 30th June 2019

Until there are zero emissions aircraft we will need to find other strategies to compensate for travelling long-haul… and there are many approaches on offer. Lifestyle adjustments are the obvious and definitive way of reducing your carbon footprint, and to encourage family and friends to follow suit, as well as lobbying parliament and challenging the tourist industry for change. Let’s all make this our mission in life for the sake of our planet!

Sunset over Ella, Hill Country, Sri Lanka

TikaWeeks #25-2/2019: Sri Lanka update

Posted by John on 21st June 2019

A present day conundrum is how to travel to far-flung places yet endeavour to be sustainable. With air travel emitting 80% of tourism’s greenhouse gasses, is it responsible to visit long-haul destinations like Sri Lanka and Maldives? What would happen to Sri Lanka if foreign tourism was reduced dramatically when tourism generates over 25% of foreign income? This week’s feature discusses possible ways of ameliorating your carbon footprint when travelling to Sri Lanka and Maldives.

Love Sri Lanka is the brainchild of the Sri Lanka Tourism Alliance

TikaWeeks #25-1/2019: Sri Lanka update

Posted by John on 19th June 2019

We are pleased to announce that we have joined the Sri Lanka Tourism Alliance and feature on its website, Love Sri Lanka. The Alliance consists of a like-minded group of professionals from Sri Lanka’s private tourism sector. The aim is to provide tourists and friends overseas with consolidated information, status reports and advice from credible sources on the ground. We hope that all visitors will benefit from a one-stop shop for up to date information and local advice on travelling in Sri Lanka.

Buddha in samadhi, Gal Vihara, Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka

TikaWeeks #24/2019: Sri Lanka update

Posted by John on 16th June 2019

The Poson Festival celebrates the arrival of Buddhism to Sri Lanka in the 3rd century BC and it is held over the full moon in June (17 June this year). Poson Poya Day is one of the most important religious events of the year, particularly at pilgrimage sites such as Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and Thanthirimale where devotees flock to offer prayers and alms to the Buddha. I am sure that this year’s Poson will hold more significance and be a more poignant occasion than ever.

Independent Tailor-made Holidays to Sri Lanka & Maldives