Country guide
Sri Lanka
Train rides through tea country, leopard safaris, rock fortresses and surf beaches; two monsoons split the coasts by season.
Currency
LKR
Language
Sinhala
+ Tamil
English
Widely spoken
Payment
Cash preferred
Power
Type G
230 V, 50 Hz
Dialing
+94
Destinations
Anuradhapura
Sri Lanka's first capital, where giant dagobas and a 2,000-year-old sacred tree still draw pilgrims every day.
✓ best May-Sep, Jan-FebColombo
Sri Lanka's port capital, where colonial Fort, Pettah bazaars and the island's best eating meet the sea.
✓ best Dec-MarElla
The best few days of walking in Sri Lanka, reached by its most beautiful train.
✓ best Feb, Jun-AugGalle
A living walled town on the Indian Ocean, with the south coast's beaches minutes away.
✓ best Jan-MarJaffna
Sri Lanka's Tamil heartland: temples, crab curry and island causeways, with barely a tour bus in sight.
✓ best Jan-SepKandy
Sri Lanka's last royal capital, keeper of the Buddha's tooth and the hinge between the ancient north and the tea hills.
✓ best Feb-Mar, AugSigiriya
Sri Lanka's most dramatic ancient ruin, a 5th-century palace on top of a sheer 200-metre rock.
✓ best Jun-Sep, Jan-MarTrincomalee
A cliff-top Shiva temple, a great natural harbour and calm beaches that shine when the rest of the island is wet.
✓ best Mar-SepThe sweet-spot windows
Good weather, thinner crowds, better prices: the windows worth aiming for.
| Where | When | Why it works | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| East coast (Arugam Bay) | May-Jun, Sep | May-Jun: dry starts, empty beaches. Sep: last good month | Jul-Aug: dry but windy. Oct monsoon hits hard |
| West & south coast | Nov, Mar-Apr | Nov: dry returns, pre-peak. Mar-Apr: end of dry, fewer crowds | Dec-Feb = peak prices. Apr can get pre-monsoon showers |
Climate zones, month by month
Sri Lanka has 8 distinct climate zones. The right month depends on where in the country you're going.
Anuradhapura Cultural Triangle →
✓ Best May-Sep, Jan-Feb · ✗ Avoid Oct-Nov
Watch for Oct-Nov monsoon flooding risk
Cards tinted by calculated verdict · big number = typical daily high, small = low · hover for conditions
Colombo →
✓ Best Dec-Mar · ✗ Avoid May-Jul, Sep-Oct
Conditions Jan Dry & sunny · Feb Driest period · Mar Warm & dry · Apr Pre-monsoon · May SW monsoon · Jun-Jul Monsoon · Aug Rains easing · Sep Heavy rain · Oct Inter-monsoon · Nov Rains easing · Dec Dry returns
Watch for Apr-Jun, Oct-Dec cyclones & hurricanes risk · May, Sep-Nov monsoon flooding risk
Cards tinted by verified verdict · big number = typical daily high, small = low · hover for conditions
Ella Hill Country →
✓ Best Feb, Jun-Aug · ✗ Avoid Oct-Nov
Watch for Oct-Nov monsoon flooding risk
Cards tinted by calculated verdict · big number = typical daily high, small = low · hover for conditions
Galle South Coast →
✓ Best Jan-Mar · ✗ Avoid May, Sep-Nov
Watch for Apr-Jun, Oct-Dec cyclones & hurricanes risk · May, Sep-Nov monsoon flooding risk
Cards tinted by calculated verdict · big number = typical daily high, small = low · hover for conditions
Jaffna Northern Province →
✓ Best Jan-Sep · ✗ Avoid Nov-Dec
Watch for Apr-Jun, Oct-Dec cyclones & hurricanes risk · Nov-Dec monsoon flooding risk
Cards tinted by calculated verdict · big number = typical daily high, small = low · hover for conditions
Kandy Hill Country →
✓ Best Feb-Mar, Aug · ✗ Avoid Oct-Nov
Watch for Oct-Nov monsoon flooding risk
Cards tinted by calculated verdict · big number = typical daily high, small = low · hover for conditions
Sigiriya Cultural Triangle →
✓ Best Jun-Sep, Jan-Mar · ✗ Avoid Oct-Nov
Watch for Oct-Nov monsoon flooding risk
Cards tinted by calculated verdict · big number = typical daily high, small = low · hover for conditions
Trincomalee East Coast →
✓ Best Mar-Sep · ✗ Avoid Oct-Jan
Conditions Jan NE monsoon · Feb Monsoon easing · Mar Drying out · Apr Warm & dry · May Beach season · Jun Dry & sunny · Jul Peak beach · Aug Dry season · Sep Last dry month · Oct NE monsoon · Nov Monsoon peak · Dec Heavy rain
Watch for Apr-Jun, Oct-Dec cyclones & hurricanes risk · May-Aug extreme heat risk · Nov-Dec monsoon flooding risk
Cards tinted by verified verdict · big number = typical daily high, small = low · hover for conditions