2 min summary When to go Map & itineraries Things to do Beaches Buddhist culture Wildlife Northern Sri Lanka Sigiriya rock fortress Families Advice Responsible tourism

See Sri Lanka & the Maldives together

If you want a trip to the tropics that combines culture, history, nature and incredible Indian Ocean vistas then look no further – Sri Lanka and the Maldives are your perfect twosome. Especially in the hands of expert operators who know exactly what to see, how much time to spend in each and how to travel smoothly from one country to the other.

Home\Asia\Sri Lanka

Seeing Sri Lanka
& the Maldives together

These Indian Ocean nations are a mere 75-minute flight from each other, yet most people don’t think to combine the two into an island holiday extravaganza. They should, however, because with a couple of weeks to spare it’s possible to delve into Sri Lanka’s cultural heartland and explore its national parks, as well as get acquainted with under and over-water life in the magnificent Maldives. What’s more, there are itineraries to suit, whatever your interests. Whether you go for a small group tour, a tailor made adventure or a laid-back, honeymoon, seeing Sri Lanka and the Maldives together will open up a treasure trove of tropical treats.

See all our Sri Lanka Holidays

Our Sri Lanka Holidays

Adventurous activities

The Maldives offers some of the best underwater experiences on the planet and you’ll be able to dive and snorkel rich coral gardens, as well as take part in water sports ranging from windsurfing to surfing to kayaking, right from the comfort of your island resort. Snorkelling, diving and surfing is pretty good in Sri Lanka, too, and in both countries, there’s a chance to spot dolphins, whales, or whale sharks, if you’re here during the right season (November to March for whales and dolphins, January to April for whale sharks).

Above ground, there’s plenty to occupy you, too. Safaris in Sri Lanka’s Wilpattu and Yala National Parks offer the chance to spot leopard, elephant and sambar deer; and there are plentiful hiking and biking opportunities, with the early morning climb to the top of Sigiriya Rock and a walk through the wild grasslands of Horton Plains particular favourites. In the Maldives, sleeping on board a dhoni, visiting dreamy sandbars and tiny local islands and stargazing from the deck, is pretty much an adventure in itself.

Cultural highlights

With a rich history stretching back thousands of years, Sri Lanka packs a mighty cultural punch. First on the agenda for many is the Cultural Triangle – an area of UNESCO World Heritage listed historical and spiritual treasures and a great introduction to the country’s Buddhist inheritance. Sitting at the country’s heart, it includes the ruined cities of Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa, the rock fortress at Sigiriya and the cave temple at Dambulla. Those interested in colonial history should check out the southwestern coastal city of Galle, whose streets tell the tale of the country’s occupied past, or Hill Country, where former plantation houses are now elegant heritage hotels.

While the Maldives may scream honeymooners’ haven, there’s a rich culture here too – you just have to escape your resort to find it. Some tours will take you to explore local islands, where you’ll still find pristine sands, clear seas and brochure worthy vistas, but you’ll get to interact with local people too – perhaps sharing a typical Maldivian meal or learning the secrets of local fisherman. You should also make time to visit the capital, Male, a frenetic and fascinating place, which for many offers the best chance of a genuine Maldivian experience away from the resort pool.

Travel Team

If you'd like to chat about Sri Lanka or need help finding a holiday to suit you we're very happy to help.

01273 823 700

Calling us from outside the UK?

rosy@responsibletravel.com

01273 823 700

Calling us from outside the UK?

rosy@responsibletravel.com

Family holidays

A two centre Maldives/Sri Lanka trip is a fantastic holiday for families, particularly if you opt for a tailor made option, organised by our expert operators who can provide experienced in-country guides to make sure your trip goes without a hitch. You’ll be able to adjust your holiday to suit your family’s interests and age ranges and our tour operators have thorough knowledge of the family travel landscape. They know which hotels will suit tiny tots, how long to spend on board a dhoni and which ancient site provides the coolest history lesson; and can also provide tips on everything from the most kid friendly eats to how to keep your family safe and healthy while away.

What’s a typical itinerary?

All our Sri Lanka and Maldives tours start in Sri Lanka and finish in the Maldives and involve a flight between the two countries in the middle of your trip. In general, the Sri Lankan half of your journey will see a little more action, and you’ll move on to a new destination every day or two, exploring top cultural and historic sights, national parks, jungles and tea plantations as well as some of the county’s top beaches. Once you get to the Maldives, it’s time to relax and recover from all that action. On some itineraries you’ll spend your time relaxing at a private island resort, which will have perks such as a pool, spa and plenty of water sports on offer. On others you’ll take to the waters on a dhoni – a traditional Maldivian sailing boat. You’ll live on board, cruising remote atolls, snorkelling and swimming from the boat and stopping at local islands.

On most two-week itineraries you’ll spend the bulk of your time in Sri Lanka, with four or five days in the Maldives at the end, and on three-week trips you’ll spend two weeks in Sri Lanka and a week in the Maldives. On small group tours, you’ll share your journey with other likeminded travellers, with a less flexible itinerary. On tailor made trips, it’s just you and your friends or family, so you can tweak your route to your heart’s content. Whichever way you choose, your holiday company will organise all transfers between trains, planes, boats and automobiles to make your trip run as smoothly as possible.

More about Sri Lanka

Best time to visit Sri Lanka

When working out the best time to visit Sri Lanka, you need to work around its two monsoons, or just not worry about it and bring a brolly.

Sri Lanka responsible travel guide

Whether you are following in the footsteps of Paul Theroux and travelling by train, discovering the former colonial world of the tea plantations, wildlife watching in rainforests, or just blissing out at the beach, Sri Lanka has something for everyone. And as for the food – that just ticks everyone’s boxes.

Sri Lanka highlights

The most glimmering Sri Lanka highlights are the ancient archaeological and sacred wonders of the Golden Triangle. But this teardrop island has so many other glittering gems too.

Things to do in Sri Lanka

You can’t really go to Sri Lanka and not touch one of the points on the Golden Triangle. But with beaches, wildlife and Ayurvedic spas, there are endless activities.

Sri Lanka beach holidays

White sands, swaying palms and all year round heat in the high 20s makes Sri Lanka beach bliss. There are, in fact, 1,600km of beaches here.

Blue whale watching in Sri Lanka

As if Sri Lanka didn’t ooze magic from every pore already, blue whales are jumping out of the ocean to upstage the other natural wonders for a few weeks between February and mid March.

Buddhism & cultural tourism in Sri Lanka

Buddhism is at the heart of cultural holidays in Sri Lanka, whether you are visiting the ancient sites, a contemporary temple or just just meeting local people.

Wildlife in Sri Lanka

From the Sri Lanka blue magpie to the Sri Lanka leopard, the great Asian elephant to the ginormous blue whale, Sri Lanka has stupendous wildlife.

Cooking & food holidays in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is a culinary paradise, where fresh local ingredients, sizzling spices and recipes bequeathed by a history of colonisation create a diverse and delicious culinary scene.

Northern Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka translates as ‘resplendent island’ in Sanskrit.

Sri Lanka tea plantations

The British introduced tea to Sri Lanka in 19th century and visiting plantations today is like returning to a slightly archaic genteel age. Where everything is solved with a cuppa.

Holidays to Sigiriya

Not for those with vertigo, Sigiriya is a 200m-tall rock fortress that sprouts out of the plains of northeast Sri Lanka.

Holidays to Yala National Park, Sri Lanka

Yala National Park steals the show on many a Sri Lanka holiday.

Sri lanka leopard safaris

Yala National Park is the key destination that big cat safaris in Sri Lanka focus on, as it's home to a higher concentration of leopards per square kilometre than anywhere else on the planet.

Sri Lanka with kids

Travelling in Sri Lanka with kids is not only a journey through ancient culture, wildlife central and beach bliss, it is also a wonderful island of wonderfully welcoming families.

Sri Lanka travel advice

Our experts give great where, when, who and why Sri Lanka travel advice. Where to cycle, when to go, whom to meet and guide you and safari wisdom too.

Responsible tourism in Sri Lanka

There are many issues to take into account, sadly, when it comes to responsible tourism in Sri Lanka, and we encourage you to read on for more details.

All our Sri Lanka guides

Find all of our Sri Lanka guides in one place, for particular types of holiday we offer such as culture, cycling, wildlife or more. Choose from all our Sri Lanka guides