Tailor made holidays: Explore Sri Lanka from Hikkaduwa and Galle

Travellers planning to book tailor made holidays in Sri Lanka will be able to explore the country from Hikkaduwa or Galle, according to the country's tourism body.

Nabeel Shariff, marketing manager for UK and Ireland for Sri Lanka Tourism, expressed his belief that that the coastal areas were ideal spots to start touring the island.

"Sri Lanka has long been recognised as being a great beach vacation. However, with 80 per cent of the offerings lying away from the coastline, Sri Lanka offers an independent traveller the opportunity to explore a relatively small country at their own pace," he said.

Mr Shariff added that, from their coastal base, visitors can travel along the south coast to Yala and then head inland to Ella and up to the surfers' paradise of Arugam Bay and then Trincomalee.

Marketing consultancy firm SCB Partners recently published its Trend Predictions report which forecast the growth of 'solo wellbeing' breaks, as well as a rise in tourists making the trip to Sri Lanka.