Private-island stays
A private island,
just off the south coast.
Taprobane's five-bedroom villa on its own islet, full-property buyouts at Wild Coast and Gal Oya, and the Sri Lanka–Maldives private-island combination we book most for ultra-luxury clients.
Direct from LHR
~10h 45m non-stop
Time difference
GMT + 5h 30m
Visa
ETA online · ~£40
Pricing
Quoted in £ GBP
Plan from your country
Taprobane Island — the island you rent whole
A five-bedroom Geoffrey Bawa-influenced villa on its own islet off Weligama, three hundred metres from the shore. You wade across the bay at low tide, or are ferried in minutes. The island staff of eight cook, serve and manage the house; the sea around you is effectively private.
Rate is one-price — £2,900 per night for the whole island, including all meals for up to ten guests. It sleeps a family or two couples with room to spare.
Buy out a remote camp
For an isolation-driven private-island feeling without an actual island, we book full-property buyouts at Wild Coast Tented Lodge (26 cocoons on an untouched stretch of beach at Yala) and Gal Oya Lodge (nine bungalows on a lake you can only reach by boat). Both function as private islands for the duration.
The Sri Lanka + Maldives private-island combination
Our most-booked ultra-luxury combination: ten nights in Sri Lanka — Amangalla, Ceylon Tea Trails, a private safari camp, Cape Weligama — followed by five to seven nights on a Maldivian private-island resort. SriLankan Airlines flies Colombo–Malé in one hour, so the transfer is a half-day at most.
For the Maldives leg we most often book Velaa Private Island, Cheval Blanc Randheli or Soneva Jani. See the master ultra-luxury Sri Lanka holidays page for the full journey shape, and pair with our private villas guide.
Plan with us
A senior planner will reply within 24 hours.
Personalised itinerary, indicative pricing in £, no obligation.
Begin your bespoke journeyCompare at a glance
Which Sri Lankan destination is right for you?
The short answer: pair one cultural stop, one hill-country stop and one coast. This table compares what each place is best for, when to go, how long to stay and how far it is from Colombo.
Cultural Triangle
- Best for
- First-timers, history, the iconic rock climb
- Best months
- Jan–Sep (driest Feb–Aug)
- Ideal stay
- 2 nights
- From Colombo
- 4 hrs by car · 30 mins by helicopter
- Pairs with
- Kandy, Habarana safaris
Central Highlands
- Best for
- Culture, temple ritual, a soft landing before the hills
- Best months
- Jan–Apr, Jul–Sep
- Ideal stay
- 1–2 nights
- From Colombo
- 3–3.5 hrs by car · 2.5 hrs by train
- Pairs with
- Sigiriya, Nuwara Eliya
Tea Country
- Best for
- Tea bungalows, cool air, Horton Plains
- Best months
- Jan–Apr
- Ideal stay
- 2–3 nights
- From Colombo
- 5 hrs by car
- Pairs with
- Kandy, Ella
Hill Country
- Best for
- The train ride, walks, relaxed hill romance
- Best months
- Jan–Apr
- Ideal stay
- 2–3 nights
- From Colombo
- 6 hrs by car · 45 mins by helicopter
- Pairs with
- Nuwara Eliya, Yala
South-east
- Best for
- Leopards and private dawn game drives
- Best months
- Feb–Jul
- Ideal stay
- 2 nights (4 drives)
- From Colombo
- 5 hrs by car
- Pairs with
- Ella, Tangalle
South
- Best for
- Guaranteed elephants, families with children
- Best months
- Year-round
- Ideal stay
- 1–2 nights
- From Colombo
- 4 hrs by car
- Pairs with
- Yala, the south coast
South-west Coast
- Best for
- Colonial fort, boutiques, villa living
- Best months
- Dec–Apr
- Ideal stay
- 2–3 nights
- From Colombo
- 1.5 hrs via expressway
- Pairs with
- Mirissa, Ahangama
South Coast
- Best for
- Blue whales, easy beach days
- Best months
- Nov–Apr (whales)
- Ideal stay
- 2–3 nights
- From Colombo
- 2 hrs via expressway
- Pairs with
- Galle, Tangalle
Far South Coast
- Best for
- Privacy, staffed villas, uncrowded sand
- Best months
- Dec–Apr
- Ideal stay
- 3–5 nights
- From Colombo
- 3 hrs via expressway
- Pairs with
- Yala, Galle
East Coast
- Best for
- Summer beaches when the south-west is wet
- Best months
- May–Sep
- Ideal stay
- 3–4 nights
- From Colombo
- 5.5 hrs by car · 1 hr by seaplane
- Pairs with
- Sigiriya, Pasikuda
Design your Sri Lanka journey
Name, email and a line about your trip is all we need — a senior planner replies within 24 hours.
Answers
Common questions
Is there a private island resort in Sri Lanka?+
Sri Lanka has no Maldivian-style private-island resort, but Taprobane Island — a five-bedroom villa on its own small islet off Weligama — is the closest thing. Ultra-luxury clients also combine Sri Lanka with a private-island Maldivian resort like Velaa, Cheval Blanc Randheli or Soneva Jani.
How does Taprobane Island work?+
You rent the entire island — the five-bedroom villa, staff of eight, chef, butler and the surrounding sea. Guests wade across the shallow bay from Weligama at low tide, or are ferried across in minutes. £2,900 per night for the island, including all meals for up to ten guests.
Can I do Sri Lanka and the Maldives in one trip?+
Yes — it's our single most-booked ultra-luxury combination. Ten nights in Sri Lanka (Amangalla, Ceylon Tea Trails, Cape Weligama, a private safari camp) followed by five nights on a private-island Maldivian resort. A one-hour SriLankan Airlines flight from Colombo to Malé connects the two.
Which private-island Maldivian resorts pair best with Sri Lanka?+
For ultra-luxury: Velaa Private Island, Cheval Blanc Randheli, Soneva Jani, and One&Only Reethi Rah for larger family suites. For a purer villa-buyout feel: Nautilus Maldives or Coco Prive Kuda Hithi.
Are there other 'private island' experiences on the Sri Lankan coast?+
Full-property buyouts at Wild Coast Tented Lodge (26 cocoons) and Gal Oya Lodge (nine bungalows on an unreachable lake) function as private-island substitutes — remote, staffed, and fully yours for the week.