Sri Lanka – Exciting & Scenically Diverse
Sri Lanka is shaped like a tropical teardrop, fantastic scenic and cultural variety. It is exotic, with wonderful history and culture, eco-adventures, wildlife viewing, and wide smiles. In recent years the quality of accommodation has improved significantly, with many boutique heritage hotels and wonderfully luxurious resorts. The image of the island has moved more upscale – as have the prices – but we now rate it as one of the most exciting tropical destinations with so many holiday options.
The beaches are good, but for us the real joy of the island is to tour around, staying in the very special boutique hotels and then end in a resort for a few days.
Getting There
The flying time from the UK is 12 hours.
There are direct flights on Sri Lankan Airways as well as good connections via Dubai & Abu Dhabi.
Note – A visa in advance is required, approx. on-line cost £30 per person.
Weatherwise
Sri Lanka is now a year-round destination. The west and south coasts tend to be at their best from December to May. During our summer and early autumn months, you get some beach erosion, higher sea swells and heavier rains. The quieter, much less developed east coast is the reverse, with our spring and summer months the best time, and the months of November to March, in particular, having heavy rain and sea swells.
The interior, being higher and mountainous, can attract rainfall throughout the year, from March to May and September/ October generally the wettest. Temperatures inland can be noticeably cooler than the coast, particularly at night and early misty morning.
Why Sri Lanka?
The astonishing culture, the history and the ancient cities. The fantastic scenic contrasts with a visit to the incredible rock fortress at Sigiriya a must. The varied wildlife options. The warm and hospitable welcome. The uniquely located heritage boutique hotels. The rapidly improving range of international hotels – but see note below. Despite increased prices, Sri Lanka remains one of the best priced tropical destinations.
“I revisited Sri Lanka after several years of absence and was amazed by how much the island had progressed. It has always had the history, culture and scenery but now you have some beautiful heritage boutique resorts as well as some top-grade beach options. A fantastic destination for all the family “
– Marie-Helene at Chic
If We Were To Be Critical…
Whilst there are some motorways linking the main cities, the inland roads are winding and narrow. The shortest distance can in actuality be long. Sri Lanka drivers like speed when road conditions allow, so the occasional stray cow slowing down traffic can come as some relief. Now much more hotel choice, although many of the new arrivals don’t have the best beaches. Pictures can be deceptive!
Note – The Beaches are used by both tourists and locals, private beaches are not permitted. Strong currents do exist, especially on the south and west coasts. Only the most popular beaches tend to have lifeguards or danger flags – but with most, it will be left to your personal judgement.
Hotels & Resorts in Sri Lanka
“There’s no such thing as the best hotel, just the right one…”
Click for Booking Terms, Price Guides & Flight Information
All price guides are Per Person Sharing Double Room (Entry level), based on travel between May and/or June when prices are generally at their lowest and include promotional offers.
Supplements will probably apply at other times, particularly mid-summer in the Med, and for rooms and/or transfers arranged for single travellers.
For example, the Caribbean and Indian Ocean prices for winter can be approximately double the May – June level and about 50% more in Asia.
For the Mediterranean & Canary Islands, Caribbean, Arabia and the Indian Ocean (except Sri Lanka) price guides generally include airfare and transfers.
*For Sri Lanka and Far East we show a per person per night hotel guide, excluding air fare, as arrangements tend to be individually tailored multi-centre itineraries.
Please refer to Travel Advice on our home page or look at www.fco.gov.uk as the Foreign Office may have issued specific destination information on safety and terrorism.
Click for our CHIC Locations Booking Terms & Conditions PDF
