Best time to go to Sri Lanka for a perfect weather and where to go?
Find the perfect time to go to Sri Lanka from average climate conditions in many locations like Batticaloa or Ella below.
When is the best time to go to Sri Lanka?
The best times to visit Sri Lanka depend on the chosen destinations. Thus, the period from December to March is favorable to discover the capital Colombo and the communities located west and south of the country. During this time of year, one will have the opportunity to go snorkel diving in peace because the beautiful sunshine and an almost ideal water temperature enlighten and liven the days. Furthermore, this ideal period is also favorable for sightseeing in the center of the country.
In order to best discover the northern and eastern parts of Sri Lanka, choose the period between May and September. Although the vast monsoon season is in full swing on the western side of the country, the rest of the territory is spared by the rain, thanks to the geography of the Ceylon island.
If you wish to explore this beautiful island combined with its many attractions while distanced from the large crowds of tourists, pick a period that does not coincide with the school holidays. This will be the best opportunity to visit Sri Lanka, all while sparing your wallet.
So, when is the best time to go to Sri Lanka? Here's some more information to help you in your decision:
- In Sri Lanka, the weather is good across more than 66% of the territory for: January and February
- The best months to go to Colombo are January and February
- On average, it is hot all year round in Colombo
- The rainiest months in this city are May, June and August
- The cities with the best climate are Matara and Weligama, with good weather at least 11 months a year
- The sea temperature is suitable for swimming all year round in Colombo
For information about the climate and the weather city by city in Sri Lanka for a specific month, click on the corresponding line below:
| Month | Our opinion | View Details | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 72°F to 85°F | tolerable to good* | |||
| February | 74°F to 86°F | tolerable to good* | |||
| March | 76°F to 88°F | tolerable to good* | |||
| April | 76°F to 88°F | tolerable* | |||
| May | 77°F to 88°F | tolerable* | |||
| June | 76°F to 88°F | tolerable* | |||
| July | 76°F to 88°F | tolerable* | |||
| August | 76°F to 88°F | tolerable* | |||
| September | 76°F to 86°F | tolerable* | |||
| October | 76°F to 85°F | tolerable | |||
| November | 74°F to 85°F | tolerable | |||
| December | 72°F to 85°F | tolerable* |
Best time to travel to Sri Lanka by cities
Best time to go to Colombo
The best months to go to Colombo are january and february.
Best time to go to Jaffna
The best months to go to Jaffna are january, february, march, april, may, june, july, august, september and december.
Best time to go to Anuradhapura
The best months to go to Anuradhapura are february, march, may, june, july, august and september.
Best time to go to Arugam Bay
The best months to go to Arugam Bay are january, february, march, june, july and august.
Best time to go to Batticaloa
The best months to go to Batticaloa are january, february, march, june, july and august.
Best time to go to Bentota
The best months to go to Bentota are january, february and december.
Other cities and places in Sri Lanka
Climate and Weather in Sri Lanka
Located at the heart of the Indian Ocean, just off the coast of India and not far from Indonesia, Sri Lanka is a country of equatorial or tropical climate, with a warmth that prevails from morning to night, without any interruption. The latter is still tempered by the presence of ocean winds. Humidity also reigns over most of the territory. However, the weather is heated among the plains or on the coast, as it is in Trincomalee and Jaffna but the mountainous areas on the other hand experience more bearable temperatures.
Tropical, the climate of Sri Lanka therefore faces two major monsoon periods. During the wet season, the country is covered in many rains that are usually followed by very cloudy periods. The main hazard of this monsoon season lies on the coast of the country, as the underwater currents are often very dangerous at this time of year.
The great monsoon season plagues the entire southwest of Sri Lanka, especially towards the capital, Colombo, from the months of May to late August. The country undergoes a humidity level of around 95% and is covered by a very moist heat. Meanwhile, the early monsoon season which does not occur every year, rages from October to late January on the east coast just as it does in Trincomalee.
Outside of these somewhat troubled weather periods for the country, the temperature is quite pleasant. While the rain still remains fairly common, other than between late January and April which is described as the driest period of the country, the climate of Sri Lanka does enjoy beautiful sunny periods.
Temperatures and rainfall in Sri Lanka
On these 3 graphs, we present the evolution of temperatures of Sri Lanka and month-by-month rainfall for the cities of Colombo, Jaffna, Anuradhapura, Arugam Bay and Batticaloa, as well as the month-by-month sea temperature for coastal cities.
Where to go in Sri Lanka?
This table allows you to see the maximum temperature for each city and our opinion on the weather month by month (see colour legend below the table).
| Cities | jan. | feb. | mar. | apr. | may | jun. | jul. | aug. | sep. | oct. | nov. | dec. |
| Colombo | 88°F | 90°F | 90°F | 90°F | 88°F | 86°F | 85°F | 85°F | 86°F | 86°F | 88°F | 88°F |
| Jaffna | 81°F | 83°F | 86°F | 88°F | 88°F | 86°F | 86°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 83°F |
| Anuradhapura | 86°F | 90°F | 95°F | 95°F | 94°F | 92°F | 92°F | 92°F | 92°F | 90°F | 88°F | 86°F |
| Arugam Bay | 83°F | 85°F | 86°F | 90°F | 92°F | 94°F | 92°F | 92°F | 90°F | 88°F | 86°F | 83°F |
| Batticaloa | 83°F | 85°F | 86°F | 90°F | 92°F | 94°F | 92°F | 92°F | 90°F | 88°F | 86°F | 83°F |
| Bentota | 88°F | 88°F | 90°F | 90°F | 88°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 86°F | 86°F | 86°F |
| Dambulla | 86°F | 90°F | 94°F | 95°F | 95°F | 94°F | 94°F | 94°F | 94°F | 92°F | 88°F | 86°F |
| Ella | 77°F | 79°F | 83°F | 83°F | 83°F | 81°F | 83°F | 81°F | 83°F | 81°F | 79°F | 77°F |
| Galle | 85°F | 86°F | 88°F | 88°F | 86°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F |
| Hikkaduwa | 85°F | 86°F | 88°F | 88°F | 86°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F |
| Kalutara | 88°F | 88°F | 90°F | 90°F | 88°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 86°F | 86°F | 86°F |
| Kandy | 85°F | 86°F | 90°F | 90°F | 88°F | 86°F | 86°F | 86°F | 86°F | 86°F | 85°F | 83°F |
| Negombo | 88°F | 90°F | 90°F | 90°F | 88°F | 86°F | 86°F | 86°F | 86°F | 86°F | 88°F | 88°F |
| Neluwa | 86°F | 88°F | 90°F | 86°F | 85°F | 83°F | 83°F | 83°F | 83°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F |
| Nuwara Eliya | 77°F | 79°F | 83°F | 83°F | 83°F | 81°F | 83°F | 81°F | 83°F | 81°F | 79°F | 77°F |
| Puttalam | 86°F | 88°F | 90°F | 90°F | 90°F | 88°F | 86°F | 86°F | 86°F | 88°F | 86°F | 86°F |
| Trincomalee | 86°F | 90°F | 94°F | 95°F | 95°F | 94°F | 94°F | 94°F | 94°F | 92°F | 88°F | 86°F |
| Udawalawe National Park | 86°F | 88°F | 90°F | 86°F | 85°F | 83°F | 83°F | 83°F | 83°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F |
| Wilpattu National Park | 86°F | 90°F | 95°F | 95°F | 94°F | 92°F | 92°F | 92°F | 92°F | 90°F | 88°F | 86°F |
| Yala National Park | 86°F | 86°F | 88°F | 88°F | 88°F | 88°F | 88°F | 88°F | 88°F | 88°F | 86°F | 85°F |
Legend:
perfect weather
good weather
tolerable weather
bad weather
Map of Sri Lanka
Click over cities for information about the weather.
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What can I do in Sri Lanka?
Beaches / swimming
Nature and countryside
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Is this weather information for Sri Lanka reliable?
Climate data for Sri Lanka has been gathered every day since January 2009. The analysis of these meteorological data for Sri Lanka allows us to determine the average for each month in Colombo, Jaffna, Anuradhapura, Arugam Bay, Batticaloa, Bentota, Dambulla, Ella, and 20 other cities.
So yes: this data is reliable except in cases of temporary climate disruption in the region.