TravPa

Best time to visit Sri Lanka

The best months are January, February, and March. Here is what every month is like, and what flights cost lately.

Month by month

These ratings suit Colombo and Kandy. March and April can bring afternoon storms; May to September is the southwest monsoon. October and November need flexible outdoor plans. The east coast has a different pattern.

  1. JanuaryBestTypically 29°C by day, 23°C at night, rain on about 14 days a month
  2. FebruaryBestTypically 30°C by day, 23°C at night, rain on about 11 days a month
  3. MarchBestTypically 31°C by day, 25°C at night, rain on about 17 days a month
  4. AprilGo with a plan: HotTypically 31°C by day, 26°C at night, rain on about 25 days a month
  5. MayGo with a plan: RainyTypically 29°C by day, 26°C at night, rain on about 28 days a month
  6. JuneGo with a plan: RainyTypically 29°C by day, 26°C at night, rain on about 25 days a month
  7. JulyGo with a plan: RainyTypically 28°C by day, 25°C at night, rain on about 20 days a month
  8. AugustGo with a plan: RainyTypically 28°C by day, 25°C at night, rain on about 20 days a month
  9. SeptemberGo with a plan: RainyTypically 28°C by day, 25°C at night, rain on about 23 days a month
  10. OctoberGo with a plan: RainyTypically 28°C by day, 25°C at night, rain on about 26 days a month
  11. NovemberGo with a plan: RainyTypically 29°C by day, 24°C at night, rain on about 26 days a month
  12. DecemberGo with a plan: BusyTypically 29°C by day, 24°C at night, rain on about 21 days a month

Typical weather is for Colombo: averages of NASA POWER daily data, 2016 to 2025, on a grid of about 50 km. Mountains and coasts can differ.

Plan the days

White walls and the red-roofed octagonal pavilion at Kandy's Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic
The octagonal pavilion and white walls mark the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in Kandy.
Kandy in 2 daysTemple of the Tooth, World Buddhist Museum, Kandy Lake, Upper Lake Drive, Peradeniya Gardens, Ceylon Tea Museum2 days, Sri LankaBalanced pace
Independence Memorial Hall with its tiled roof and stone columns in Colombo
Colombo's Independence Memorial Hall stands amid the lawns and paths of Independence Square.
Colombo in 2 daysNational Museum, Independence Square, Gangaramaya, Pettah, Kelaniya, Colombo Fort2 days, Sri LankaBalanced pace
White walls and the red-roofed octagonal pavilion at Kandy's Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic
The octagonal pavilion and white walls mark the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in Kandy.
Sri Lanka in 7 daysColombo National Museum, Pettah, Kelaniya, Kandy, Peradeniya Gardens, Ceylon Tea Museum, Lotus Tower7 days, Sri LankaBalanced pace