The optimum time to travel is from mid December – April. During these months the weather is at its best in the hills and on the popular southwest coast. Having said that, you can travel to Sri Lanka at almost any time of year, because when the rains start to effect the southwest coast in early May the sun conveniently appears on the east coast. This is also a good time to visit the national parks as the dry conditions makes animal sighting a lot easier.
Come mid July – mid September things temporarily brighten up again on the southwest coast due to a break in the monsoon period. August is in fact the country’s third driest month and a great time to travel throughout the island. It’s as though the travel gods planned it that way, to allow families to travel in the summer holidays!
The only months you can’t really travel to Sri Lanka for a great beach holiday are October and November. For anyone not looking for a beach stay however, there is no reason not to travel. The Cultural Triangle is located in a dry zone environment and so sees very little rain throughout the year. As for the tea plantations, it rains for a few hours almost every day there so you will have a similar experience at anytime of year. The temperatures are also significantly cooler in the hills due to altitude. This makes it ideal for many outdoor pursuits and fantastic as an alternative Christmas destination. What better way to spend Christmas than in a old British plantation bungalow, with an open fire, Christmas tree and all the usual trimmings before driving down to the coast for New Year celebrations on the beach!
