Highlights of Sri Lanka + Maldive Dhoni Cruise

Our tour leader for Sri Lanka Viraj was amazing . Gave so much of himself to make the trip the most positive experience for the group. His care and attention to details was outstanding. He took us to many extra place en route which was so interesting. Thank you so much Viraj. The tour was fantastic a real whirlwind seeing Sri Lanka in a week. The Maldives on the Dhoni boat was a real experience. The boat is basic but clean and everything you need. The food was delicious… so much beautifully prepared food … great flavours produced from a galley kitchen I would thoroughly recommend this holiday for those who want a fast paced .. see everything holiday and enjoys the snorkling experience. Our guide on the boat was excellent too. They took so much care of me as a first time snorkeller !

We had the most excellent tour guide for our trip in Sri lanka. Viraj could not have been more helpful, attentive and knowledgeable about every aspect of life, politics, food, religion, family etc. He was also charming, amusing and kind. He included extra stops to enhance the immersion into the Sri Lankan way of life, always consulting our opinions as to if we wanted to stop or not. It was a very full on tour but made smooth and achievable by his attention to details every step of the way. So pleased he took on all the tipping, even the washrooms. The trip in the Maldives was splendid, we didn't need as much attention from the leader as we were on the boat, but the whole crew were fabulous. The leader took sooo many underwater photos, 50-60 a dive making the snorkling experience even more memorable.

It was a very full on itinerary, our guide was so enthusiastic and keen to give us amazing experiences so it was worth it.

We had two leaders - one in Sri Lanka and another in the Maldives. Both were excellent, but particularly Su in Sri Lanka because we encountered very difficult circumstances due to exceptionally heavy rainfall during our trip.

This was my first trip to Asia and I wanted to get an overview, so the highlights of Sri Lanka really achieved that. The trip was well planned with varied activities, to appeal to most travellers. We did have to put up with Cyclone Ditwah, which made some activities more like an endurance, but nobody could plan for that or do anything to change it. Our Sri Lanka tour guide and his team went way beyond my expectations in order to keep up safe and as comfortable as possible, under difficult circumstances. They deserve their Christmas Bonus! Personally, I would have enjoyed more time at the spice garden and I wonder what the value was of the canoe trip to the curry cooking demonstration. Perhaps it would have been fun in sunshine? The Temple of the Tooth would have been interesting when there was no ceremony going on, to better appreciate the details of the buildings etc. I felt we were intruding on a religious occasion that was of huge importance to local people. Would it be better to spend longer at sites in a smaller geographical area and reduce the travelling between sites. Moving on to the Maldives, this week was great and really hit the spot. We needed sunshine and relaxation and the pace of the week was perfect. Again, the tour guide did an excellent job and supplied us with lovely videos and photos from snorkelling trips. The food on the Dhoni Cruise was excellent, considering the kitchen space and although a bit repetitive, there was a good range to suit all palates. The crew did a great job.