Sri Lanka is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful islands in the world. Along with the breathtaking natural beauty, Sri Lanka is blessed with historical landmarks that are more than thousand years old. Sri Lanka is a diverse country which is full of jaw-dropping beaches, ancient temples, forests and mouth-watering cuisine. No matter which part of Sri Lanka are you in, you are going to find something in every corner. The culture of Sri Lanka is so unique that it will stay in your memories forever. You are not going to find any other place like Sri Lanka.

During your stay in Sri Lanka, if you want to be cultural then experience a pilgrimage to Anuradhapura ancient city. If you like water sports and beach activities then don’t forget to add Hikkaduwa or Unawatuna beach to your itinerary.

Sri Lanka offers a beautiful landscape and diversity in terms of weather across the island. The great thing about it, from a tourist’s point of view, is that the weather is quite predictable, so you will most likely know what it will be like before you are even there. Though the country can be visited any time of the year, you might want to avoid monsoon season. In order to plan your trip to Sri Lanka better, you must know about its weather. Here’s a guideline about the weather conditions around the year, so you canbetter decide about the best time to visit Sri Lanka:

January
January is a great time to visit Sri Lanka as the weather is dry and hot with minimal rainfall. You’re going to experience a lot of sunshine across the country with average temperatures of 30 C degrees. Though in coastal regions of Sri Lanka, heavy rainfall can be expected. You can also visit National Parks of Sri Lanka, which are usually dry and hot during January. Wildlife can also be spotted during this month. The most famous Adam’s Peak can also be climbed in this month because of pleasant weather. Make sure to attend some of the festivals that are held in various parts of Sri Lanka in January.

February
February is the best time to visit Sri Lanka specially Colombo. The combination of hot weather along with little rainfall makes February an ideal time to visit the country. Average daily temperature remains around 27 C and it can increase up to 31 C. However, nights are little pleasant with temperature of around 23 C. Monsoon begins to go away by the beginning of this month, in the northern and eastern coasts. The weather is pretty much stable making it easier for the tourists to walk around. Wildlife sighting could be easily done in February. Animals such as leopards can be easily found at the Yala National Park.

March
If you are a beach lover, then March is the best time to visit Sri Lanka as the temperature gets dry during this month with average of 30 C. The East is fully dried upand the climate gets warmer by this month. However, rainfall can be expected in the Southern parts of Sri Lanka. As for cultural insight, pilgrimage starts on the Adam’s peak in March. Tea country hills offer a beautiful view and warmth for the tourists. March is considered the best time to explore Sri Lanka according to many tourists. Among all the cities, Kandy has the pleasant temperature in March. Tourism is at peak in Sri Lanka during March with an increase in price.

April

April is the start of monsoon season in Sri Lanka. The average temperature stays around 30 degrees and its even higher in Colombo. The beaches offer sunny weather with clear and beautiful skies. Kitesurfing can be enjoyed in some areaswith a lot of zeal and excitement. Tea country hills might experience heavy rainfall this month also, however, April serves as the best month for trekking the Knuckles Mountain Range. Make sure to keep a rain proof jacket with you as its going to rain almost 15 days of this month in many parts of the country.

May

Average temperature of Sri Lanka during May is 33 degrees with around 90 mm of rainfall and humidity. First half of May stays moderately sunny, but the other days get a lot of rainfall and gushy winds. Visiting beaches can become dangerous as the winds are fast and dense. The Adam’s Peak pilgrimage ends this month, so a decrease in crowd is highly expected. Tea country region experiences a temperature of 20 to 25 degrees with significant decrease in rainfall.

June
June is the month of heavy rainfalls but the temperature still remains hot with average of 28 C. The monsoon wind blows in from the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean, hence the rainfall increases in the South Coast. Hilly areasget colder, while the temperature stays high on the coast. High sea levels are expected in some areas, but swimming is allowed in other parts. If you’re looking for a drier part in this month, the North and Eastern Coast are the best places to go to. Weather is brighter and sunnier there making them ideal spots to visit during June.

July

Temperature rises to mid-30 degrees during July. The monsoon begins to settle down as the days pass by. The Eastern Coast and the Northern side of the country continues to shine bright making the weather perfect for swimming and other water activities. Sea temperature in July remains around 28 C. The Cultural triangle is warmer than the coast, yet the hills around Kandy get chilly. July is certainly the best time to visit Sri Lanka for those who loves beach and sunshine.

August

The rainfall gets subtle in the South Western Coast with temperature rising up to 34 C degrees in daytime and 30 C degrees during the night. You should expect pleasant weather in theNorthern region, providing an opportunity to beach lovers to come and enjoy the sea under the sunshine.August is the perfect time to visit Yala National Park and spot the wildlife. There is another famous park located in the North Central Province of Sri Lanka named as “Minneriya National Park” which you can also visit in August and see the Asian elephants around the water tanks.

September

Weather stays hot during the days in September but nice and warm during the night. Temperature remains around 30 C in most of the parts of Sri Lanka with little rainfall. However, if you don’t want to stay in warm places, you can visit Kandy where the temperature is little pleasant with rainfall. Cyclones are quite expected by the end of this month, bringing along thunderstorms and heavy rains. The Eastern sideis bearable to visit with drier and less humid weather conditions. If you are planning to visit Yala National Park, then you shouldn’t visit Sri Lanka in September as main blocks of the parks are closed due to weather conditions.

October

October turns out to be the wettest month in Sri Lanka. This month, the Southern monsoon ends or is in the process of winding down, but the winds of monsoons starts to blow in the North Eastern side of Sri Lanka. Heavy rainfall and strong winds may restrict your visit to some parts of the country. However, temperature remains around 32 C degrees during the day and 30 C in evenings. Cultural Triangle stays hot and the Tree country region experiences rainfall and high temperatures. Visit beaches during this time of the year is not recommended due to weather conditions.

November

The climate improves a little in the South Western region of Sri Lanka, with brighter and clearer skies at the beaches. However, storms increase on the North Eastern end making the areas wet and muddy. Just like October, temperature in November remains 30 C on average throughout the country. If you are planning on coming this month, the beaches in the South should be on your ‘must-visit’ list. Visiting Galle is also an amazing option in November.However, rainfall may increase around the hills and evenings get pretty cold.

December

Average weather in Sri Lanka is 29 C degrees during the month of December but it drops down to 22 C in the evenings. On the other hand, humidity level is high across the country with few days of rainfall. Rainfall decreases in the hilly areas, but the evenings still stay chilly. Adam’s Peak pilgrimage commences this month. Heavy rainfall can be seen in the Cultural Triangle and in the North Eastern side. December can be a fun time to visit as the weather is pleasant and there are many festivals across the country including Christmas celebrations.

CONCLUSION – BEST TIME TO VISIT SRI LANKA:

In our opinion, December to February is the best time to visit Sri Lanka. The climate is stable, dry and not humid. Rainfall is also very less in few parts of the country. You can visit almost any place of Sri Lanka during these months. Temperature stays moderate, making your travel easy and comfortable.

Start packing your bags and get ready for the most exciting trip of your lifetime, to this incredible country! But before you start packing, make sure to visit the German website from Backpackertrail. There you will find even more detailed information about the expected monthly weather in Sri Lanka.