Best Time to Visit Sri Lanka

The best time to visit Sri Lanka is between December to April. It is because the small island country experiences pleasant winter weather during this period, making travelling much more favourable.

With Sri Lanka being highly relevant in the epic poem Ramayana, most tour packages of Sri Lanka from India will include a Ramayana tour. The island country is also home to several mystical and beautiful places and a vibrant culture for visitors to enjoy.

Keep reading to know more about the best season to visit Sri Lanka.

Winter Season

• Period: December to February
• Temperature Range: 15.8 - 29 degrees Celsius
• Average Rainfall: 210.8 mm

Featuring dry and pleasant weather, the winter months are the best time to visit Sri Lanka. 

Winter brings in a perfect climate for hiking or picnicking under the sun. You are sure to find calm beaches to go for a swim or other water sports. You can also venture into the ocean and wave hello to dolphins and blue whales. 

As December is a cheerful month of Christmas and New Year, you can indulge in Christmas festivities and parties. During these months, you can enjoy the vibrant nightlife in some of the most beautiful places to visit in Sri Lanka.

Here are a few activities to enjoy during your winter vacation in Sri Lanka.

1. View the attractions in Colombo

2. Look at the wildlife in Yala National Park

3. Take a train tour of Ella

4. Opt for a boat ride in Negombo Lagoon

5. Take a walk in Mirissa Beach

6. Explore the ruins of Anuradhapura

7. Take a trip to Nuwara Eliya

Early Summer Season

• Period: February to April
• Temperature Range: 27-28 degrees Celsius
• Average Rainfall: 100 mm

You can also travel to Sri Lanka in the early summer months. This is when winter cedes, and days are pretty comfortable- neither warm nor chilly. The early summer months ensue from February and last till early May.

Multiple festivals take place during this time in Sri Lanka. The local beaches are a favourite relaxation hub for tourists and locals during this time of year. Early summer is also the best time to visit historic caves, hills and temples scattered around Sri Lanka.

You can opt for the following activities for your visit to Sri Lanka during the early summer.

1. Witness the Posan Festival

2. Indulge in exciting watersports in the Madu River

3. Play in the waves in Hikkaduwa Sandy Beach

4. Visit the Temple of Tooth Relic

5. Take a dip in Glen Falls

6. Explore the Dambulla Cave Temple

Monsoon Season

Monsoon Season

• Period: May to September
• Temperature Range: 14 - 30 degrees Celsius
• Average Rainfall: 125 - 3000 mm

The monsoon season of Sri Lanka is categorised into Maha and Yala months. Rainfall is unevenly distributed and unpredictable in Sri Lanka. Areas of Hill Country, Colombo and Galle receive Yala rainfalls from October to March. In contrast, places like Arugam Bay and Trincomalee witness Maha rainfalls.

The late monsoons from August to October make travelling in Sri Lanka challenging. Visitors must also avoid late monsoons as Sri Lanka faces torrential downpours during this period. Many tourist spots or roads close down as rainfall increases due to floods or landslides.

The months of July to October face the most adversaries of nature. This can cause unwanted hindrances to your tour plans. Therefore, avoid these months while booking your tickets to experience a safe trip to Sri Lanka.

As the period from December to February is the best time to visit Sri Lanka, executing travel plans will be expensive during this period. Managing flight bookings, hotels, travel agents etc., during peak season is usually very stressful.

However, you can choose to avoid this hustle and experience the beauty of Sri Lanka by planning your tour off-season. The months of March to May witness fewer tourists than the peak months. Travelling during this period is, therefore, cheaper than travelling in peak months.

If you travel to Sri Lanka from India during this time, you can witness a celebration of festivals like Holi and Baisakhi. Secondly, booking a Sri Lanka tour package from India for May allows you to see the early summer bliss of the Sri Lankan Climate.

This off-season period also offers pocket-friendly Sri Lanka flights and cuts down your travel expenses to affordable rates.

Before the beautiful places of Sri Lanka enthral you, there are a few points you need to remember for a safe trip.

• Do not carry any distasteful Buddha-themed costumes or accessories to Sri Lanka, as it may offend the locals.
• Add Sri Lankan train rides to your trip plans.
• Learn a few Sinhalese and Tamil phrases before visiting Sri Lanka.
• Be ready for tea tasting when in Sri Lanka.
• Keep an eye out for monsoons and lousy weather conditions while planning your trip.
• Full moon days are auspicious in Sri Lanka and are therefore observed as dry days and bank holidays.
• Sri Lanka observes dry days on all Buddhist festivals. Therefore, all liquor shops will remain closed these days.
• Pack a few modest clothes as you need to maintain a decent dress code while visiting religious sites in Sri Lanka.
• Most restaurant workers in Sri Lanka rely on extra tips. Therefore, tipping is recommended when in Sri Lanka. As more prominent restaurants allow a 10% tip, you can tip this amount in other restaurants.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind while planning a trip to Sri Lanka.

• Stick to Bank of Ceylon ATMs for monetary transactions as Sri Lankan Rupee is tough to exchange outside Sri Lanka.
• Do not turn your back on Lord Buddha's statue, as it is a sign of disrespect.
• Do not wear an outfit that depicts images of Lord Buddha in different attire or graphics.
• Avoid public display of affections as locals frown on these as indecent behaviour.
• Many Sri Lankan restaurants are referred to as hotels too. Therefore confirm these businesses offer lodging before checking in.
• Be realistic and prepare well for how much you can walk and stay healthy if you are planning a trek.
• Dress modestly when you are visiting religious sites like temples or monasteries.
• Opt for consent or permission before clicking pictures of locals.
• Avoid drinking from running tap water.
• If you are visiting during the early summer or early monsoon months, carry an umbrella or a raincoat.
• Carry mosquito repellent creams.
• Sri Lankan head gestures are pretty different from Indians. If you notice them moving their head left-right (Indian motion of 'no'), never interpret them in the Indian context. Left-right head movement means 'yes' in Sri Lankan.
• Check for meters in tuk-tuks or auto-rickshaws while borrowing a ride.
• Try the local delicacies.

Sri Lanka has a blend of Sinhalese and Tamil populations, so these two are significant languages of this country. Although most Sri Lankans can speak and understand English, knowing their native tongue will make communication easy. If you travel to Sri Lanka from India, you should be frequent with a few Tamil phrases.

Here is a list of Sinhalese and Tamil that might come in handy while looking for the best time to visit Sri Lanka.

• Please- Karunakerara
• Hello- Ayubowan / Vannakkam
• My name is: Mage nama
• Yes: Ow
• No: Naa
• Thank you: Istuti
• I want coffee: Kapi vendum
• I don’t understand: Puriyadu
• Room: Arai
• Bed: Kattil
• Temple: Kovil
• Toilet: Malasalakurum
• Money: Kassu
• 1: Eka
• 2: Deka
• 5: Paha
• 10: Daha
• 20: Vissa
• 100: Seeyie
• Town: pura
• Bank: bank eka
• Clean: Pirisidu
• Dirty: kilutu
• Hotel: hotela
• Restaurant: apna sala
• Breakfast: udee tee
• Lunch: dawal Kaama
• Dinner: Paa Kaama
• Water: watura
• Do you speak English? : Ingrissi Dannevada
• How much is this?: Meeka Kiyadha

So, now that you have an idea of the best time to visit Sri Lanka, you can start planning your trip. You can also put the above beautiful places in Sri Lanka on your bucket list for a memorable trip. Before booking your tickets to Sri Lanka, make sure to have travel insurance for a safer trip and ensure your luggage's security.