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Best time to visit Sri Lanka: month by month
Short answer
December to April is the best time for the west and south coasts, the hill country and the Cultural Triangle, and May to September for the east coast; with two monsoons, there is always a good region. Coastal highs stay around 28-31°C all year, while the hill country is cooler (Nuwara Eliya about 20°C).
Month by month
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 30°C | 22°C | 17 | very high |
| Feb | 31°C | 23°C | 11 | high |
| Mar | 30°C | 23°C | 23 | high |
| Apr | 30°C | 24°C | 23 | high |
| May | 29°C | 25°C | 30 | low |
| Jun | 29°C | 25°C | 29 | low |
| Jul | 29°C | 25°C | 28 | medium |
| Aug | 28°C | 25°C | 30 | high |
| Sep | 28°C | 25°C | 30 | low |
| Oct | 28°C | 24°C | 30 | low |
| Nov | 29°C | 23°C | 24 | medium |
| Dec | 29°C | 23°C | 22 | very high |
Temperatures and rainy days: Copernicus ERA5 averages, 2021–2023. Crowd levels are our estimate.
Season by season
Spring (Mar–May)
Hot on the coasts, highs of 29-30°C; March and April are still good in the south and west, and the south-west monsoon arrives around May.
Summer (Jun–Aug)
South-west monsoon: rough seas and rain on the west and south coasts, but the east coast (Trincomalee, Arugam Bay) is in season; elephant gatherings at Minneriya from July.
Autumn (Sep–Nov)
Inter-monsoon rains with frequent storms island-wide; October and November are among the wettest months, and Yala's main zone often closes around September to mid-October.
Winter (Dec–Feb)
The main season for the west, south and hill country, with highs of 29-31°C on the coasts; the north-east monsoon brings rain to the east.
Events worth planning around
- Esala Perahera in Kandy, a great procession with elephants, usually in July or August
- Sinhala and Tamil New Year, 13-14 April
- Vesak, the Buddhist festival of lights, in May
- Poya (full-moon) days every month, when alcohol sales are banned
When to avoid
Avoid the south and west coasts from May to September if you want calm seas, and the east coast from November to February; October and November bring storms to most of the island.
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Common questions
What is the best month to visit Sri Lanka?
January to March for the south, west, hill country and Cultural Triangle; June to August for the east coast.
Is there a bad time to visit?
October and November bring inter-monsoon storms to much of the island, but there is usually somewhere with better weather.
When is the Kandy Esala Perahera?
Usually in July or August, over about ten nights; book Kandy rooms well ahead.