One of the most frequently asked questions by the travellers is “What is the best time to visit Sri Lanka?” When answering this question, the main factor that we must consider is the rainfall. Due to the proximity to the Equator, the temperature is fairly constant throughout the year (average 27°C or 80.6°F)

Southwest-monsoon and the northeast monsoon bring the most rain to the country. As the names suggest southwest-monsoon brings rain to southwestern part of the country, and the northeast monsoon brings rain to the north eastern part of the country. Since these monsoons alternate, generally one part of the country stays nice and dry, while another part of the country gets rain.

In a nutshell, mid December to mid April is the best time to visit west, south coastal areas, hill country and the north central areas.

July to September is the best time to visit the eastern and south eastern coastal areas.

March to September is the best time to visit Jaffna.

Try to avoid May and November as these two months tends to be a bit rainy.

Refer to the below color coded charts to determine the best regions to visit in Sri Lanka during each month of the year. Bright green indicates a good chance of clear skies. Light green indicates a moderate chance of good weather. Yellow indicates more rain expected in those locations.

Read our article, “How to plan a flawless Sri Lanka itinerary” to put together an itinerary avoiding the rainy areas during your chosen month to visit Sri Lanka.