Sri Lanka's South Coast

The southern coastline of Sri Lanka embodies all that is good about the island. This relatively small slither of land manages to encompass an astonishing variety of landscapes, sights and experiences thus making it, in many ways, a microcosm of the wider island.

From idyllic beaches and historic towns to lowland tea plantations, a famous horticultural garden and some of the finest national parks on the island, Sri Lanka’s south coast has much to offer the holiday traveller. Charming, cosmopolitan and historic in equal measure, Galle was once the chief port of British Ceylon and a veritable treasure-trove of atmospheric streets, pretty restaurants and elegant colonial architecture all enclosed by mighty rampart walls.

The other main attraction of southern Sri Lanka are its national parks and wildlife reserves – vast protected areas that famously provide sanctuary to the elusive leopard and indomitable elephant, endemic and rare birds, swathes of primary rainforest and a whole host of amphibians and reptiles. Yala is the best known of these reserves, however, Bundela, Udawalawe and Sinharaja can also all be visited. For different scenery as well as a taster of the landscapes found at higher altitudes, inland can be found picturesque lowland tea plantations, a secret garden designed by artist Bevis Bawa and the home of renowned architect and brother of Bevis, Geoffrey Bawa. Either side of Galle the coastline stretches in a seemingly never-ending ribbon of palm-fringed beaches punctuated by small, sleepy coastal towns – perfect places to relax at the end of a holiday.

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When to visit Sri Lanka's South Coast

The weather systems along the south coast of Sri Lanka are complex making it difficult to confidently answer the question as to the best time to visit the region. The main reason for this is that the southern coast straddles the two main weather systems that the island experiences and therefore, depending on where exactly you are visiting, the weather can actually be quite different. As a guide, if you are visiting Galle and the wider region that surrounds it, generally the best time to visit would be between the months of December and April when temperatures are warm with plenty of sunshine, clear skies and lower humidity. Outside of this period the weather will be more unsettled with rain, sometime heavy, between May and November. If wildlife is the predominant reason for travel, and this particularly applies to Yala National Park, then the best time to visit is between February to July. This period coincides with the dry season, increasing water scarcity and thinning foliage which makes wildlife viewing easier – especially leopards. Short showers are not uncommon during March and April however this tends to be an excellent couple of months for birdlife and elephant viewing.

JAN

FEB

MAR

APR

MAY

JUN

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

NOV

DEC

BEST TIME

GOOD TIME

LOW SEASON

OFF SEASON

This is a general overview suggesting when to travel in the country. Please note that this may not directly apply to any specific itinerary or region.

What to do on Sri Lanka's South Coast

Stretching from Galle in the east to Yala National Park in the west, the southern coast of Sri Lanka covers a large area offering everything from quaint trading towns and laid-back beach resorts to lush green tea plantations and some of the best wildlife viewing in the subcontinent. Galle’s historic UNESCO protected colonial-era fort is a gem, it’s narrow cobbled streets portraying their Portuguese, Dutch and British influences which include a 250-year-old Dutch Reformed Church. Close to Galle are a some of the Sri Lanka’s most important, and best-known, national parks including Yala, Bundela, Udawalawe and the biosphere reserve of Sinharaja. Yala is famed for its leopard population and supports what is believed to be the highest concentration of leopards in the world, neighbouring Bundela is a protected Ramsar Wetland and offers fabulous birdwatching for both resident and migratory bird species, Udawalawe has a large elephant population with herds numbering over one hundred and Sinharaja’s rainforest provides sanctuary to rare trees, butterflies and insects, birds, reptiles and amphibians. To the west of Galle are a couple of fascinating places closely linked to two of Sri Lanka’s most important post-independence figures – the acclaimed architect Geoffrey Bawa and his artist and gardener brother Bevis. Geoffrey Bawa's country estate called Lunuganga is now a charming boutique hotel whilst nearby Brief Garden, designed by Bevis, is a must for horticulturists.