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Sri Lanka honeymoon ideas

Think of all the words you would like your marriage to be – and then see if all those words apply to Sri Lanka. They almost always will. Our Sri Lanka honeymoons guide aims to show you the spiritual, beautiful, special, fun, cool and memorable aspects of this Indian Ocean island. With plenty of wild moments thrown in.

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Sri Lanka honeymoon ideas

The bo leaves on the Sri Lanka flag represent kindness, friendliness, happiness and equanimity. If any country represented what we wanted to capture in our marriage vows, this was it.

Sri Lanka is a place where couples can celebrate their marriage with tailor made honeymoons to fit all desires – be it climbing the iconic Sigiriya Rock at dawn one day or whale watching the next. Hike in a rainforest, bliss out at the beach, or go on a leopard safari. And the icing on the wedding cake? Ayurvedic spas at every turn. Pessimists need not apply – honeymoons in Sri Lanka are as romantic as it gets.

“Where in the world can you honeymoon with a hot air balloon flight before breakfast, explore ancient cities in the daytime, spot a tusker at dusk, and sip sundowners on a tropical beach?” says John Beswetherick, managing director of our Sri Lanka honeymoon specialists Tikalanka. “Sri Lanka, of course!”

We work with some of the best responsible travel specialists in the world – and who can organise something beautiful and bespoke for you. Our guys don’t do stock stuff; they do stunning and special, because they know that these two words also sum up Sri Lanka.

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What are honeymoons in Sri Lanka like?

Romantic accommodation

Sri Lanka is bursting with romantic highlights, including Ayurvedic retreats and safari camps on the edge of Wilpattu National Park. There is also Geoffrey Bawa, a Sri Lankan architect whose work, known as tropical modernism, is seen in hillside houses and beach hotels. All about working sustainably with the natural heritage, it is also totally sumptuous.

“Most of Sri Lanka’s hotels offer special honeymoon benefits,” says John, “including room upgrades, complimentary drinks and dinners, exclusive excursions, and personal pampering, all delivered with the legendary Sri Lankan generosity.”

You might think that you’ll save money by staying in an all-inclusive resort – but, although Sri Lanka hasn’t exactly gone down the backpacker route like Thailand, there are plenty of more affordable options that don’t take their profits off-island. Tailor made itineraries let you choose which activities and accommodation you’d like to include – such as a beautiful budget villa set amongst the palms with optional in-house dining. If you want to support an economy so badly hit by the 2004 tsunami, covid pandemic and political crises, stay local and eat local.

Tailored honeymoons

You want to feel special on honeymoon – and Sri Lanka does special. Our tailor made honeymoons are crafted to suit all your interests and passions. And let’s face it, passion should be paramount on honeymoon.

“Our honeymoon trip... was due to be two weeks of culture, nature and beaches,” says our traveller Jaime Webb. “It was the first time we had used a tour organiser, but with the stresses of the wedding we thought it the best approach to take any further hassles away. John at the operator was fantastic throughout, nothing seemed too much trouble and he was also full of advice about the island…”

Another of our honeymooners, Adrian Golder-Hayes, agrees: “A purpose-built tour can be arranged just for you by a small, but established, travel company in Sri Lanka who have the best up-to-date knowledge of where is best to go and stay... We had a fantastic honeymoon, organised by this operator. It was lovely to have a personal tour, with our own professional and knowledgeable driver... Our trip enabled us to really see Sri Lanka away from the tourist areas.”

A marriage of culture & nature

The ancient culture mixed with modern architecture and art doth a very happy marriage make. Over 70 percent of the population is Buddhist, with revered Buddhist trails and thousands of monasteries – great if you practise Buddhism or are interested to learn more about it.

Meanwhile, Ayurveda massages and treatments are perfect for post-wedding destressing. Our Ayurveda retreats are run by local people like Ishara De Silva, managing director of our partner Srimal Plantation and Ayurveda Hotel. “Do try and move beyond the tourist strip,” advises Ishara, “because everything here, from the shops to the people, are all simply tailoring to that market and that is not the real Sri Lanka.”

Meanwhile, if you like the idea of a wild honeymoon, you’ve come to the right island. The wildlife here is extraordinary, from elephants and leopards to whales and sloth bears. And the birdlife is a gift to lovebirds out there. “Enjoy the spectacular and abundant birdlife in Sri Lanka as much as the ‘Big Four’,” says John. “You never know, you may become a twitcher!”

We loved all of the hotels which were destinations in themselves.

– our traveller Jay Das-Munshion

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Best places to visit in Sri Lanka for honeymoons

Track leopards in Yala National Park

Considered one of Asia’s finest national parks – in particular for its leopards, of which it has the world’s most concentrated populations. A wonderful mix of mangroves, monsoons and marine wetlands, it’s also a nesting nirvana for more than 200 species of bird. So pack your binoculars for these – and the elusive leopard – although you won’t need them for the elephants, buffalo and sambar deer roaming around.

Tour the Cultural Triangle

You don’t have to see them all but do pick at least one of these highlights along what is known as the Cultural Triangle while on honeymoon. Many of them sit on the Buddhist pilgrim’s trail, so they are not only of historic importance but also a spiritual one. All part of the ancient Sinhalese civilisation, the three most popular points are the vast palaces of Anuradhapura, ruins of Polonnaruwa and citadel at Sigiriya.

Go whale watching in the Indian Ocean

Ever fancied seeing a blue whale leap out of the sea in front of you? Sri Lanka hosts these migratory marvels from late February until mid-March. If that doesn’t fit into your wedding timeline, don’t panic – there are plenty more whales in the sea. And dolphins, between November and mid-April. The best spots are Galle, Mirissa and the Kalpitiya Peninsula.

Cool it in Hill Country

Some come here to stay in hill station heritage hotels, visit tea plantations, or wander the gorgeous Hakgala Botanical Garden in Nuwara Eliya. Others enjoy the wilder romance of hiking to World’s End in Horton Plains National Park or Little Adam’s Peak, taking in waterfalls en route. The train from Ella up through the hills will melt everyone’s heart, though.

Seek out elephants in Minneriya National Park

While most wildlife lovers go to Yala, Minneriya is more off the beaten track, yet still in reach of the Golden Triangle. Elephants are prolific, especially from August to October, when a carnival of animals known as The Gathering occurs, and elephants all come out in search of water. The park is also home to macaques, langurs, sloth bears, sambar and a few elusive leopards.

Top tips for honeymoons in Sri Lanka advice

Our first holiday together was in southern Sri Lanka, so we wanted to honeymoon in the north. Such a relief to learn that it is monsoon-free in August.

When to go

When working out the best time to go on a honeymoon in Sri Lanka, you’ll want to avoid the monsoon in the south, which is May-July. However, most people choose their wedding date before they work out the climate of their desired honeymoon destination – so rest assured that there are always glorious options in Sri Lanka.

The north, for example, has its monsoon from October to January, so those classic wedding months are bliss-at-the-beach time. If you want to see blue whales, early March is your month. And if you want to hang out in an Ayurveda retreat, who cares if there are rainstorms?

“Many sightseeing trips and activities in Sri Lanka are best in the early morning,” says John. “An early start is compensated by a long siesta during the heat of the day in one of the island’s wonderful boutique hotels or villas.”

LGBTQ+ travel

Discriminatory laws criminalise LGBTQ+ people in Sri Lanka and are enforced. There’s hope that this might change under newly elected President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who would like to see the law repealed. For now, though, many Sri Lankans and visitors feel unable to openly celebrate same-sex partnerships without fear of discrimination.

The best beaches in Sri Lanka for honeymoons

“The beaches in Southern Sri Lanka are beautiful,” says our traveller Jay Das-Munshion. “We really enjoyed sipping cocktails on the beach and swimming in the sea in Unawatuna.”

The crescent-moon sands at nearby Dalawella are best known for their Insta-famous rope swing. Further down the shore, sea turtles splash between the reef and sands (resist diving or walk amongst them; they’re happiest left to their own devices), while dinosaur-like water monitors cool off under sun loungers. You can’t miss them – they’re the biggest lizard in the world after Komodo dragons.

Bentota is another popular spot for honeymooners, largely thanks to its uninterrupted sweep of flat, golden sand. A line of luxury hotels is filled with beautiful design details from Sri Lankan creatives like modernist architect Geoffry Bawa and batik artists Ena de Silva and Barbara Sansoni.

There are quieter beaches in the north – like Nilaveli, with its fringe of coconut palms and boats hauled up on the sand. It’s a launch pad for seasonal whale watching trips, as well as a go-to for snorkellers.