Best Time to Visit Sri Lanka

Best Time to Visit Sri Lanka

Best seasons to explore Sri Lankan cities, countryside, and festivals for the perfect travel experience.

  • What to Expect - The weather would be warm and dry, and the hotel prices would be on the higher side.
  • Things You Will Love - You will love the colourful celebration of festivals, the Sinhala and Tamil New Year celebration in April.
  • What to Expect - The weather would be humid, and with rain, you can expect moderate prices for accommodation.
  • Things You Will Love - You will love hiking in nature, relaxing on beaches, surfing, the fresh seafood, and much more.
  • What to Expect - You can expect heavy rainfall, and the prices for flights and hotels would be way cheaper.
  • Things You Will Love - You will enjoy the unique Esala Perahera Festival in Kandy, the beaches, and snorkeling.
Festivals and Events
  • Vesak May
  • Sinhala and Tamil New Year April
  • Kandy Esala Perahera July to August
  • Poson Festival June
  • Kataragama Festival June to July
  • Nallur Festival July to August

Sri Lanka is sitting on the lists of many travellers, especially Indians. Apart from being beautiful and historically attached, it is also a neighbouring country to India. There is no hard and fast rule; you just have to apply for a visa online and pack your bags to travel. In this blog, we have prepared a Sri Lanka itinerary by season for you.

We know that there could be many questions in your mind, like “ which is the best month to visit Sri Lanka?” or “ What's the best time to be in Sri Lanka?”, so he has tried to answer all your queries in this long guide. Sri Lanka is a beautiful, mysterious, and diverse nation. Tropical rainforests, big cities, beaches, and mountains will take your breath away with their glorious looks. Summer is the tourist season in Sri Lanka, and December is considered the busiest month for Sri Lankans. So, prepare your calendar as per your priorities.

Sri Lanka in May is rainy, and all the landscapes and rainforests are extra beautiful. Sri Lanka's best time to visit is January in summer and September in monsoon.

Best Time To Visit Sri Lanka

  • Peak Season: December to April
  • Shoulder Season: September to November
  • Low Season: May to August

Season

Temperature

Weather

Peak season

22 to 32 degrees Celsius

Warm and dry

Shoulder Season

23 to 31 degrees Celsius

Little rainfall and humid

Off-Season

24 to 28 degrees Celsius

Heavy rainfall

Peak Season In Sri Lanka: December to April

  • Temperature: 22 to 32 degrees Celsius
  • Weather: The weather is Warm and dry.
  • Seasons: Sri Lanka summer season

Places to See and Things to Explore

  • Colombo: It is the capital of the country for a reason, which is that there are many tourist destinations here that are really beautiful. You can visit Galle Face Green, Beira Lake, Buddhist temples, Mount Lavinia beach, and Colombo Fort. The best time to visit Colombo is from January to March.
  • Ella: If you are in Sri Lanka, then this is a must-visit. Ella has so many waterfalls and hills. For nature lovers, this place is no less than heaven. There is an unending stretch of greenery here. Some attractions here are Ravana Cave, Ella Rock, Dhowa Rock temple, and many more.
  • Adams Peak: This peak holds religious significance to those who believe in religion in Sri Lanka. It is situated at 2200 metres above the ground, which makes it appropriate for hiking. This peak is also known as Sri Pada or Butterfly Mountain. The footprint at the top of the mountain signifies different meanings for different religions.

Peak Season Activities: You can take part in different activities during your Sri Lanka summer travel. You can do trekking, bird watching, hiking, cycling, and many other activities.

Insider Tips:

  • Plan and Book in Advance: As you are planning to travel in Sri Lanka's high season, you should book your flights and hotels in advance because this is the best time to visit Sri Lanka.
  • Pack Light: Sri Lanka summer travel could be very hot because the weather would be warm and dry, so carry light and breathable clothes.

Shoulder Season In Sri Lanka: September to November

  • Temperature: 23 to 31 degrees Celsius
  • Weather: Light rainfall and the weather is humid
  • Season: Rainy season in Sri Lanka

Places to See and Things to Explore

  • Bentota: We have a perfect spot picked up for all the water babies. Bentota is a resort island which is located in the southwest region of srilanka. Also known as Paradise Island, this opens into a beautiful beach where you can enjoy being lazy and just listen to the sound of the waves. Some nearby attractions are Brief gardens, Barberyn Island, Ventura Beach, Viharaya temple, etc.
  • Dambulla Cave Temples: The Dambulla cave temples are the hidden gems of Sri Lanka. They consist of beautiful murals, paintings, and sculptures of Lord Buddha, his life, and teachings. Out of more than 80 caves, only 5 are open to tourists. These cave temples are declared UNESCO World Heritage sites.
  • Sigiriya: This is the most iconic location in Sri Lanka. The big dramatic rock stands in the middle of the green landscapes, having mysterious caves and water bodies. You will be mesmerized just by looking at it. You can find that the walls are covered in ancient paintings and hold age-old history. Sri Lanka in October depicts natural beauty so magnificently, and hence, it is the best time to visit Sri Lanka.

Shoulder Season Activities: You can take part in activities like Dolphin spotting and whale spotting at the beaches, parasailing for adventure lovers, try to learn surfing, and enjoy snorkeling. Shop at different traditional bazaars and try local street food.

Insider Tips:

  • Book in Advance: Although it's the shoulder season, booking in advance would help you get good accommodations. Sri Lanka's rainy seasons tend to attract more tourists to hotels.
  • Packing: As it is the rainy season, pack your monsoon essentials like raincoats and an umbrella.

Low Season In Sri Lanka: May to August

  • Temperature: 24 to 28 degrees Celsius
  • Weather: It will be Heavy rainfall all over
  • Season: Sri Lanka monsoon season

Places to See and Things to Do

  • Kandy: It is the second largest city of Sri Lanka, which appears to have straight out of mythology or fantasy fiction. The landscapes from here are very scenic and gorgeous. All the marvels of nature happen to be situated in Kandy, be it Bogambara Lake, botanical gardens, the Temple of the Tooth, etc.
  • Casinos: Off-season is maybe not the best time to go to Sri Lanka, but you can always enjoy the casinos in the city. It is the best way to release the tension from your mind and enjoy its atmosphere. Whether you make money or lose it, one thing you are going to have is fun. You can play various games, including blackjack, slot machines, lottery, roulette, and many more.
  • Pigeon Island: Pigeon Island is famous for its 200m long and 100m wide coral reef. It consists of over 100 species of precious corals. You can have the best snorkeling experience here. Take a boat ride from the nearest village to reach here.

Things to Do During the Low Season: You can enjoy cafe hopping, boating, water activities, and walking on the beaches. Visit the bars and casinos for more fun. Celebrate the festivals with locals for a more authentic experience.

Insider Tips:

  • Discounts on Accommodations: The pros of going in the low season in Sri Lanka are the discounts on flights and accommodations. The off-season promotes budget travel in Sri Lanka.
  • Pack Well: Due to heavy rainfall, don't forget to carry your gumboots and raincoats for hiking.

Explore the Beauty of Sri Lanka With Visament

Sri Lanka has a lot to offer when it comes to beauty and nature. You feel calm by sitting on a beach silently. But to experience all these things, you need to apply for a Sri Lanka Visa for Indians. To make your visa process easy and 100% reliable, we have a team of experts at VIsament who can help you get your visa. Our team works 24x7 to make the whole process easy and transparent for our clients. We provide all the updates in a timely manner so that you don't have to worry about anything.

Read this post to know the best season to visit Sri Lanka, and this can also be your Sri Lanka climate guide. Visament is a one-stop solution for your passport and visa problems. We provide visa for indians all over the world and help them to travel to their dream spots. Peak tourist season in Sri Lanka starts from December and ends in April.

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Frequently Asked Questions

December to April is the best time of year to visit Sri Lanka.

May to August is considered the off-season to visit Sri Lanka because of the heavy rainfall.

From the end of December to April is considered the best time to visit Sri Lanka’s Cultural Triangle.

For south coast beaches, it is November to April, and for eastern coastal regions of Sri Lanka, it is April to October.

The best time of year to go to Sri Lanka’s Pigeon Island is from May to October.

The best time to visit Sri Lanka holidays depends on the different regions. For the South and western region of Sri Lanka, December to March is good, and for the north and eastern regions, April to September is ideal.

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