When to Visit Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka’s west and south coasts, hills and Cultural Triangle are at their best during January and February when temperatures are warm, days are long, there is plenty of sunshine and a minimal risk of rain. There are variations in temperature between higher and lower elevations but generally the weather is consistent across all these regions. Northern and eastern areas of the island will still be feeling the effects of the ‘Maha’ monsoon although rainfall will be intermittent and with less intensity.

Held on the first full moon in January, Duruthu Perahera is a colourful festival of music and dance celebrating Buddha’s first visit to Sri Lanka. For book lovers, Galle’s respected literary festival takes place in either January or February.

The good weather continues into March and, with the conclusion of the ‘Maha’ monsoon, expands to cover the entire island. All regions experience sunny, dry weather with temperatures in the mid-30s in the south and the high-20s in the north and east. The settled weather continues into April which is one of the best times to head to the hills when mornings and evenings are balmy and there is little chance of rain. Towards the end of April the south-west monsoon arrives and showers increase on the south and west coasts. The Cultural Triangle remains warm and dry whilst the north and east coasts are entering their peak season.

Sinhalese and Tamil New Year is celebrated on 14th April with gift giving, feasting and temple visits.

From May there is an undeniable shift in the island’s weather patterns as the south-west monsoon makes landfall. Its arrival also marks the start of the Sri Lankan summer. Affecting southern, western and central regions the monsoon brings high temperatures, high humidity, rough seas unsuitable for swimming and heavy, but intermittent, rainfall although this lessens noticeably in August. In contrast, whilst the monsoon is in full swing, northern areas and the beaches of the east coast are at their idyllic best with warm, sunny days and calm seas perfect for a summer beach holiday.

May’s Vesak Poya festival celebrates the Buddha’s birth and the colourful processions of Kandy’s famous Esala Perahera takes place in July or August.

The weather in September and October is fickle, both months are unsettled with few regions escaping the rain. Caused by the conclusion of one monsoon followed almost immediately by the commencement of the next, if travelling at this time rainfall in the form of frequent, short but sharp showers should be expected. The transitional nature of these months means that the east coast retains its nice weather at start of September although this changes by the end of the month. Likewise, the south-west monsoon lingers over southern Sri Lanka until mid-October.

September offers excellent wildlife experiences including Minneriya National Park’s elephant gathering and the migration of blue whales as they pass the island’s eastern coast.

Whilst the weather noticeably improves on the southern and western coasts, there is increased rainfall in both the hills and Cultural Triangle although, for the latter, this tends to be intermittent showers that quickly pass. By December the rains are slowing in the higher elevations and the Cultural Triangle is drier too. For southern and western Sri Lanka December marks the beginning of high season, temperatures are warm making this an excellent time to visit. From November the ‘Maha’ monsoon is at its height in northern and eastern regions with rainfall heavy and consistent.

December is an excellent month for marine life and is the start of the whale-watching season with the best sightings off the south coast.