Luxury holidays in Sri Lanka

Most of our Sri Lanka luxury holidays and tours are tailor made. You can place your interests and needs into the hands of someone who knows the island well, and have the confidence that they will design a memorable, bespoke experience that for you to enjoy at a pace that suits you. You can also travel secure in the knowledge that everything about your trip is responsible – from fairly paid local guides and chauffeurs escorting you around, to wildlife encounters that focus on conservation, not exploitation, and locally run accommodation throughout, ensuring you get a true taste of Sri Lankan culture.

With our luxury tours you can easily blend the rich cultural heritage and wildlife of Sri Lanka with the laidback charms of the Maldives. Fly from the Sri Lankan capital, Colombo, to the Maldives archipelago in just 90 minutes, then you can explore these exquisite, endangered islands however you please, such as aboard a traditional wooden dhoni. The Maldives’ luxury resorts are famed – white sand beaches leading to turquoise sea, beneath which coral reefs teem with shoals of colourful tropical fish. You can also spend time on local islands, which offer the opportunity to explore Maldivian culture, from fishing villages to markets, and relaxed beachside restaurants.

Two integral elements of any luxury Sri Lanka holiday are spas, and safaris. Sri Lankan spas are the real thing – the ancient Hindu art of Ayurveda merges philosophy, psychology and spirituality with plant and herbal medicines, and is used to treat all sorts of ailments. Naturally, they’re also incredibly relaxing. As for safari, Sri Lanka does the whole luxury tented camp thing rather beautifully too, on the outskirts of Wilpattu or Yala national parks, giving ease of access for sunset and evening game drives. Slip into your comfortable bed with the finest meditative slumber soundtrack you could hope for: that of elephants and tropical birdlife.

Travelling in luxury and travelling responsibly are not exclusive concepts – in Sri Lanka, they go hand in hand. The hotels that our trips use are a perfect example. Whether you’re reclining in a hammock by a palm-fringed beach, soaking in a hill country bungalow’s infinity pool, or clinking glasses at sundown in a tented camp inside Udawalawe National Park, elephants braying in the distance, we seek out properties that are locally owned wherever possible. We also look for hotels that take their environmental obligations seriously, from safari camps that support wildlife conservation projects, to five-star retreats powered by solar energy, and taking steps to minimise their use of water and single use plastics.