Our verdict
The best time to visit Sri Lanka is June-September
In the summer months, temperatures can reach as high as 33℃ (91℉) in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The temperature at night in the winter can drop to as low as 22℃ (72℉), although this can differ at other destinations across Sri Lanka depending on the geography.
The sun stays up the longest in Sri Lanka in January, so you’ll get the most out of your daytime activities if you visit around this time. You don’t want to get wet on your holiday, do you? Well if you’re trying to avoid the rain, then steer clear of Sri Lanka in June. Head there in January instead if you want to increase your chances of not being rained on.
Learn everything you need to know (and none of the stuff you don’t) about when to go to Sri Lanka below. Be sure to check out the handy tools we’ve included to help you search for flights and transport, accommodation, and everything else you need to plan and book your trip.Quick links: Fast facts / Seasons / Average temperatures / FAQs / Map
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Sri Lanka seasons
Before you plan your trip, it’s important to know when the seasons are as they may be different to yours depending on where you’re travelling from. Sri Lanka is in the Northern hemisphere, so the seasons fall on:
Season | Months |
---|---|
Summer | June to August |
Autumn/fall | September to November |
Winter | December to February |
Spring | March to May |
Best time to visit the top destinations in Sri Lanka
We’ve put together a breakdown of the average minimum and maximum temperatures by month, as well as the best times to visit for each. To learn more about these destinations including detailed climate breakdowns and much more, click or tap the city/destination name below.
City | Best time to visit | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Anuradhapura | December-February | ↑↓ | 30℃21℃ | 32℃21℃ | 34℃22℃ | 34℃24℃ | 33℃25℃ | 33℃26℃ | 33℃25℃ | 33℃25℃ | 33℃25℃ | 32℃24℃ | 30℃23℃ | 29℃22℃ |
Bentota | June-September | ↑↓ | 30℃23℃ | 31℃24℃ | 31℃25℃ | 31℃26℃ | 30℃27℃ | 29℃26℃ | 29℃26℃ | 29℃25℃ | 29℃25℃ | 30℃25℃ | 30℃25℃ | 30℃24℃ |
Colombo | June-September | ↑↓ | 31℃23℃ | 32℃23℃ | 32℃25℃ | 32℃26℃ | 31℃26℃ | 29℃26℃ | 29℃25℃ | 29℃25℃ | 29℃25℃ | 30℃25℃ | 30℃24℃ | 30℃24℃ |
Ella | June-August | ↑↓ | 25℃16℃ | 26℃16℃ | 28℃16℃ | 28℃18℃ | 27℃19℃ | 27℃19℃ | 27℃19℃ | 27℃19℃ | 27℃19℃ | 26℃18℃ | 25℃18℃ | 24℃17℃ |
Galle | April | ↑↓ | 29℃24℃ | 30℃24℃ | 30℃25℃ | 30℃26℃ | 30℃27℃ | 29℃27℃ | 29℃26℃ | 28℃26℃ | 28℃26℃ | 29℃26℃ | 29℃25℃ | 29℃25℃ |
Hikkaduwa | February-April | ↑↓ | 29℃24℃ | 30℃24℃ | 30℃25℃ | 30℃26℃ | 30℃27℃ | 29℃27℃ | 29℃26℃ | 28℃26℃ | 28℃26℃ | 29℃26℃ | 29℃25℃ | 29℃25℃ |
Jaffna | June-August | ↑↓ | 27℃25℃ | 28℃26℃ | 29℃27℃ | 31℃28℃ | 30℃29℃ | 30℃29℃ | 29℃28℃ | 29℃28℃ | 29℃28℃ | 29℃28℃ | 28℃27℃ | 28℃26℃ |
Kalpitiya | May | ↑↓ | 29℃23℃ | 31℃23℃ | 32℃25℃ | 32℃27℃ | 31℃27℃ | 30℃27℃ | 30℃27℃ | 30℃26℃ | 30℃26℃ | 30℃26℃ | 30℃25℃ | 29℃24℃ |
Kalutara | June-August | ↑↓ | 30℃23℃ | 31℃24℃ | 31℃25℃ | 31℃26℃ | 30℃27℃ | 29℃26℃ | 29℃26℃ | 29℃25℃ | 29℃25℃ | 30℃25℃ | 30℃25℃ | 30℃24℃ |
Kandy | June-August | ↑↓ | 28℃18℃ | 30℃18℃ | 32℃19℃ | 31℃21℃ | 30℃22℃ | 29℃22℃ | 29℃21℃ | 29℃21℃ | 30℃21℃ | 29℃21℃ | 28℃20℃ | 28℃20℃ |
Minneriya | December-February | ↑↓ | 29℃20℃ | 31℃20℃ | 34℃21℃ | 35℃23℃ | 34℃25℃ | 34℃25℃ | 34℃25℃ | 34℃24℃ | 34℃24℃ | 33℃23℃ | 31℃22℃ | 29℃21℃ |
Mirissa | June-August | ↑↓ | 30℃23℃ | 31℃23℃ | 31℃24℃ | 31℃25℃ | 30℃26℃ | 30℃26℃ | 30℃26℃ | 29℃25℃ | 29℃25℃ | 30℃25℃ | 30℃24℃ | 30℃24℃ |
Negombo | September | ↑↓ | 31℃23℃ | 32℃23℃ | 32℃25℃ | 32℃26℃ | 31℃27℃ | 30℃26℃ | 29℃25℃ | 29℃25℃ | 30℃25℃ | 30℃25℃ | 30℃25℃ | 30℃24℃ |
Nuwara Eliya | January | ↑↓ | 25℃16℃ | 26℃16℃ | 28℃16℃ | 28℃18℃ | 27℃19℃ | 27℃19℃ | 27℃19℃ | 27℃19℃ | 27℃19℃ | 26℃18℃ | 25℃18℃ | 24℃17℃ |
Pasikuda | August | ↑↓ | 30℃21℃ | 32℃21℃ | 34℃22℃ | 34℃24℃ | 33℃25℃ | 33℃26℃ | 33℃25℃ | 33℃25℃ | 33℃25℃ | 32℃24℃ | 30℃23℃ | 29℃22℃ |
Polonnaruwa | January | ↑↓ | 29℃20℃ | 31℃20℃ | 34℃21℃ | 35℃23℃ | 34℃25℃ | 34℃25℃ | 34℃25℃ | 34℃24℃ | 34℃24℃ | 33℃23℃ | 31℃22℃ | 29℃21℃ |
Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte | December | ↑↓ | 31℃23℃ | 32℃23℃ | 32℃25℃ | 32℃26℃ | 31℃26℃ | 29℃26℃ | 29℃25℃ | 29℃25℃ | 29℃25℃ | 30℃25℃ | 30℃24℃ | 30℃24℃ |
Tangalle | June-September | ↑↓ | 30℃21℃ | 32℃21℃ | 34℃22℃ | 34℃24℃ | 33℃25℃ | 33℃26℃ | 33℃25℃ | 33℃25℃ | 33℃25℃ | 32℃24℃ | 30℃23℃ | 29℃22℃ |
Trincomalee | March | ↑↓ | 29℃20℃ | 31℃20℃ | 34℃21℃ | 35℃23℃ | 34℃25℃ | 34℃25℃ | 34℃25℃ | 34℃24℃ | 34℃24℃ | 33℃23℃ | 31℃22℃ | 29℃21℃ |
Udawalawe | May | ↑↓ | 30℃21℃ | 32℃21℃ | 34℃22℃ | 34℃24℃ | 33℃25℃ | 33℃26℃ | 33℃25℃ | 33℃25℃ | 33℃25℃ | 32℃24℃ | 30℃23℃ | 29℃22℃ |
Unawatuna | September | ↑↓ | 29℃24℃ | 30℃24℃ | 30℃25℃ | 30℃26℃ | 30℃27℃ | 29℃27℃ | 29℃26℃ | 28℃26℃ | 28℃26℃ | 29℃26℃ | 29℃25℃ | 29℃25℃ |