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Best Time To Visit Sri Lanka
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What is the best time to visit Sri Lanka?
The best time to visit Sri Lanka is December to April, when the west and south coasts, the hill country and the Cultural Triangle are all dry. January to March is the most settled stretch of it.
Sri Lanka has two monsoons that hit opposite halves of the island at opposite times, so there is no single answer and no bad month. From May to September the southwest is wet and the east and north take their turn.
West and south coasts (Colombo, Galle, Mirissa, Bentota): December to April
East and north coasts (Trincomalee, Nilaveli, Arugam Bay, Jaffna): May to September
Hill country (Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Ella): December to April
Cultural Triangle (Sigiriya, Dambulla, Anuradhapura): January to March and June to September
October and November are the awkward months, when the inter-monsoon can bring rain almost anywhere and the hills are at their wettest. The dry-zone interior runs on its own calendar: it is wet from October to December and dry the rest of the year.
More about Best Time to Travel to Sri Lanka
West and South Coast of Sri Lanka
Go December to April. Dry, hot and sunny at 26°C to 32°C with calm seas. January to March is the most settled and April the hottest.
The southwest monsoon brings the rain from mid-May to October, heaviest June to September, and the October to November inter-monsoon can be wet too. The beaches stay usable between showers but the sea turns rough.
Places: Colombo, Negombo, Bentota, Kalpitiya, Galle, Unawatuna, Mirissa, Weligama, Tangalle.
The southwest monsoon brings the rain from mid-May to October, heaviest June to September, and the October to November inter-monsoon can be wet too. The beaches stay usable between showers but the sea turns rough.
Places: Colombo, Negombo, Bentota, Kalpitiya, Galle, Unawatuna, Mirissa, Weligama, Tangalle.
East and North Coast of Sri Lanka
Go May to September. While the southwest is wet, the east is dry, calm and sunny. This is the half of the island that works through the Indian and European summer, and it is why Sri Lanka has no off season.
The northeast monsoon turns it around from December to March, when the east is at its wettest and the west is at its best.
Places: Trincomalee, Nilaveli, Uppuveli, Pasikuda, Arugam Bay, Batticaloa, Jaffna.
The northeast monsoon turns it around from December to March, when the east is at its wettest and the west is at its best.
Places: Trincomalee, Nilaveli, Uppuveli, Pasikuda, Arugam Bay, Batticaloa, Jaffna.
Hill Country of Sri Lanka
Go December to April. Cool all year at 15°C to 22°C. Nuwara Eliya averages around 16°C and can get frost at night in December and January, and February is the driest month.
The hills catch rain from both monsoons, and October and November are their wettest months, wetter than the southwest monsoon itself. April is the big local season: Sri Lankans fill Nuwara Eliya for the New Year races and the flower show, and rooms are hard to find.
One exception worth knowing: Ella, Haputale and Bandarawela sit on the sheltered side of the range, so they also work well from June to September when Nuwara Eliya is wet.
Places: Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Ella, Haputale, Hatton.
The hills catch rain from both monsoons, and October and November are their wettest months, wetter than the southwest monsoon itself. April is the big local season: Sri Lankans fill Nuwara Eliya for the New Year races and the flower show, and rooms are hard to find.
One exception worth knowing: Ella, Haputale and Bandarawela sit on the sheltered side of the range, so they also work well from June to September when Nuwara Eliya is wet.
Places: Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Ella, Haputale, Hatton.
Cultural Triangle of Sri Lanka
Go January to March and June to September. It sits in the dry zone and takes far less rain than either coast, so it stays dry right through the southwest monsoon when the beaches are wet.
October to December is its own wet season, the reverse of the south. April is the exception, bringing a burst of inter-monsoon rain and the Sinhala and Tamil New Year crowds, and April to August is hot, into the mid-thirties, and Sigiriya and Pidurangala are climbs in open sun, so the hour of the day matters as much as the month.
Places: Sigiriya, Dambulla, Polonnaruwa, Anuradhapura, Habarana, Mihintale.
October to December is its own wet season, the reverse of the south. April is the exception, bringing a burst of inter-monsoon rain and the Sinhala and Tamil New Year crowds, and April to August is hot, into the mid-thirties, and Sigiriya and Pidurangala are climbs in open sun, so the hour of the day matters as much as the month.
Places: Sigiriya, Dambulla, Polonnaruwa, Anuradhapura, Habarana, Mihintale.
The Two Monsoons of Sri Lanka, Explained
Two monsoons and two inter-monsoons are why the island is always in season somewhere.
Yala, the southwest monsoon, mid-May to October. Hits the west and south coasts and the hill country. Sharp showers that pass rather than all-day rain, at 28°C to 31°C.
Maha, the northeast monsoon, December to March. Hits the north and east, while the southwest enjoys its best weather of the year.
Inter-monsoons, October to November and March to mid-May. Rain can fall almost anywhere, and October and November carry some cyclone risk off the Bay of Bengal.
The rule that follows: December to April go west and south, May to September go east and north. The dry-zone interior is the exception and works most of the year.
Yala, the southwest monsoon, mid-May to October. Hits the west and south coasts and the hill country. Sharp showers that pass rather than all-day rain, at 28°C to 31°C.
Maha, the northeast monsoon, December to March. Hits the north and east, while the southwest enjoys its best weather of the year.
Inter-monsoons, October to November and March to mid-May. Rain can fall almost anywhere, and October and November carry some cyclone risk off the Bay of Bengal.
The rule that follows: December to April go west and south, May to September go east and north. The dry-zone interior is the exception and works most of the year.
Wildlife and Whale Watching Seasons
Yala and Udawalawe: February to July, when water is scarce and animals gather at the waterholes. Yala’s main block usually closes for several weeks in September and October, so check before booking.
Wilpattu: February to October.
Minneriya and Kaudulla, for the elephant gathering: July to October, when herds come to the reservoir.
Leopards at Yala: best odds in the dry months, February to July.
Whale and dolphin watching, Mirissa: December to April.
Whale watching, Trincomalee: May to September.
Wilpattu: February to October.
Minneriya and Kaudulla, for the elephant gathering: July to October, when herds come to the reservoir.
Leopards at Yala: best odds in the dry months, February to July.
Whale and dolphin watching, Mirissa: December to April.
Whale watching, Trincomalee: May to September.
Best Time to Visit Sri Lanka by Interest
A classic west-and-south circuit: December to April.
East coast beaches: May to September.
Hill country, tea estates and the train to Ella: December to April, and Ella itself also June to September.
Cultural Triangle and Sigiriya: January to March and June to September, with early starts.
Safari: February to July.
Surfing: Hikkaduwa and Weligama November to April, Arugam Bay May to September.
Kandy Esala Perahera: July or August.
Lowest prices in the southwest: May to September.
Worth knowing: every full-moon Poya day is a public holiday and alcohol is not sold. There is one every month.
East coast beaches: May to September.
Hill country, tea estates and the train to Ella: December to April, and Ella itself also June to September.
Cultural Triangle and Sigiriya: January to March and June to September, with early starts.
Safari: February to July.
Surfing: Hikkaduwa and Weligama November to April, Arugam Bay May to September.
Kandy Esala Perahera: July or August.
Lowest prices in the southwest: May to September.
Worth knowing: every full-moon Poya day is a public holiday and alcohol is not sold. There is one every month.
