Best time to visit Sri Lanka

December to March. Month by month below, with the weather, what's on and what it costs to fly there from your city.

December to March

For the south and west coasts, the hill country and the Cultural Triangle, sources point to December through March. The east coast is best from May to September.

“the best time to visit Sri Lanka is when most of the island is dry. This is during December, January, February, and March.” thinkingnomads.com
“the best time to visit is typically between December and March when the weather is usually dry and sunny” honeymoondreams.co.uk
“the best time to visit Sri Lanka is between December and April, when the weather tends to be dry and sunny” lijoma.com

5 of the 8 travel guides we read name these months.

Sri Lanka month by month

Average high and low in Colombo, and days with rain

Best timeJanuary89°F / 74°F · 5 rainy daysChecking fares…West and south coasts, hills and Cultural Triangle are at their best in January and February.Duruthu Perahera is held on the first full moon in January.In the north and east, the monsoon should be winding down.Duruthu Perahera · Blue whale season
Best timeFebruary89°F / 75°F · 5 rainy daysChecking fares…February is one of the best times overall, with lower humidity than January.Average temperatures run 27 to 31°C, and west and south seas are calm and clear.The Navam Perahera festival is held in Colombo in February.
Best timeMarch90°F / 77°F · 8 rainy daysChecking fares…March offers great weather in most of the country but more travelers.March temperatures run 24°C to 32°C, mostly sunny and quite humid.March is the best time to see blue whales feeding on krill.
April90°F / 78°F · 13 rainy daysChecking fares…April is arguably the best month, especially early in the month, and it starts a brief shoulder season.April is the hottest month; the Cultural Triangle can sizzle while the Hill Country is cool.Sinhalese and Tamil New Year is celebrated on 14 April.Avurudu, the Sinhala and Tamil New Year · Vesak in Colombo
May89°F / 79°F · 17 rainy daysChecking fares…From May the south-west monsoon brings rough seas unsuitable for swimming and heavy but intermittent rain.May has heavy showers on most days that rarely last all day, and poor sea conditions.Vesak Poya in May celebrates the Buddha’s birth.Arugam Bay surf season
June87°F / 79°F · 15 rainy daysChecking fares…June rains are usually less heavy than May and the winds less strong.The Poson Festival celebrating Buddhism is held in June.The east is the better choice for a sunny beach trip in June.Poson Poya at Mihintale
July87°F / 79°F · 10 rainy daysChecking fares…The Esala Perahera in Kandy falls in July or August, with elephant processions and drumming.July is monsoon season in the southwest; the east coast is warm, sunny and dry.Kandy Esala Perahera · Nallur Kandaswamy festival
August87°F / 79°F · 10 rainy daysChecking fares…Monsoon rainfall lessens noticeably in August.August rainfall is lower than July, and the east coast stays dry and sunny.
September87°F / 78°F · 15 rainy daysChecking fares…September is unsettled, with frequent short sharp showers.Minneriya National Park hosts an elephant gathering, and blue whales migrate past the east coast.September, with April, is a brief shoulder season.
October87°F / 77°F · 19 rainy daysChecking fares…October is Sri Lanka’s wettest month by far.The south-west monsoon lingers over the south until mid-October.
November87°F / 75°F · 16 rainy daysChecking fares…The south and west weather improves, while the north and east monsoon is at its height with heavy rain.The south is more pleasant in November and beaches are not yet crowded.Bundala migratory bird season
Best timeDecember88°F / 74°F · 9 rainy daysChecking fares…December starts the high season in the south and west, with warm temperatures.December begins whale-watching season, with the best sightings off the south coast.Adam's Peak pilgrimage season

Weather: Colombo averages (1991 to 2020 averages), as listed in its climate table on Wikipedia.

Every date to Colombo from your city

Live fares from your airport. Watch them and we alert you when they drop.

What's on in Sri Lanka

Festivals and seasons through the year

Busy, quiet and what to watch for

Busiest

December to MarchHigh season; Christmas holidays are expensive and need early booking.
December to MarchThe busiest and most expensive window, and popular beaches fill up.

Quietest

May to SeptemberOn the east coast: fewer visitors, lower prices and better wildlife.
April to SeptemberBudget-friendly time with fewer crowds, particularly on the East Coast.

Watch for

May to AugustSouthwest monsoon brings rough seas unsuitable for swimming in the south, west and centre.
May to SeptemberRed flags at hotels or beach entrances mean do not swim.
OctoberSri Lanka’s wettest month by far.
AprilHeat is high in the Cultural Triangle, reaching the mid-30s, and Sigiriya Rock may be best avoided.

Questions people ask

Which month is best to go to Sri Lanka?: It depends on the coast: December to March suits the south and west, May to September suits the east.
How humid is it in Sri Lanka?: Humidity is plentiful in January and March is described as quite humid, with temperatures of 24°C to 32°C.

Best time to visit Sri Lanka

December to March

Sri Lanka month by month

Every date to Colombo from your city

What's on in Sri Lanka

Busy, quiet and what to watch for

Busiest

Quietest

Watch for

Questions people ask

More about Sri Lanka

Best time to visit other places

Best time to visit Sri Lanka

December to March

Sri Lanka month by month

Every date to Colombo from your city

What's on in Sri Lanka

Busy, quiet and what to watch for

Busiest

Quietest

Watch for

Questions people ask

More about Sri Lanka

Best time to visit other places