When to go · Colombo
Colombo in December
Great month. Drier and slightly cooler; busy season.
Key facts
- Verdict
- Great
- Temperature
- 29°C (84°F)84°F (29°C) / 23°C (73°F)73°F (23°C)
- average high / low
- Rain days
- 12
- Crowds
- High
- Sri Lanka overall
- Prices
- High
- Sri Lanka overall
Verdict
Drier and slightly cooler; busy season.
All twelve months in one grid — weather, crowds and prices, with gaps left as unknown.
Is another month better than December?
No other month rates higher than December for Colombo in this guide.
Weather in December
- ColomboHighs around 29 °C (84 °F), lows around 23 °C (73 °F), rain on about 12 daysHighs around 84 °F (29 °C), lows around 73 °F (23 °C), rain on about 12 days
- West and south coast, Sri Lanka · Colombo, Negombo, Bentota, Galle, Mirissabest weather
South-west monsoon May–Sep brings rough seas and red flags; October–November inter-monsoon storms are heavy in Colombo.
Dry season season
The most reliable weather window: warm, mostly dry, good for walking and the seafront.
Watch: Christmas and New Year crowds near Galle Face.
Festivals and holidays
Dates as our data lists them. Moving holidays (lunar and Islamic calendars, Easter) shift every year: check the date for your year before you build a trip on it.
Christmas
24–25 December · Churches, seafront hotels
Carol events and decorations along Galle Face; hotels near the seafront book up.
New Year's Eve
31 December · Galle Face Green and seafront hotels
A crowded countdown along the seafront; book a seafront dinner ahead if you want a view.
Christmas and New Year
Late Dec–early Jan
Hotels near Galle Face fill up; carol events and a countdown crowd on the seafront.
Crowds and prices
- Crowds · Sri Lanka overall
- High
- Prices · Sri Lanka overall
- High
Sri Lanka overall: South-west coast dry again; Adam's Peak season opens; book Christmas early.
High-price month: see what to book ahead.
Compare two months
Weather, crowds and prices for any two months in Colombo, side by side.
Verdict
Dec: Great
Jan: Great
Daytime high
Dec: 29 °C (84 °F)84 °F (29 °C)
Jan: 30 °C (86 °F)86 °F (30 °C)
Night low
Dec: 23 °C (73 °F)73 °F (23 °C)
Jan: 23 °C (73 °F)73 °F (23 °C)
Rain days
Dec: 12
Jan: 6 (better)
Crowds
Dec: High
Jan: High
Prices
Dec: High
Jan: High
Festivals listed
Dec: 3
Jan: 2
December: Drier and slightly cooler; busy season.
January: Driest and coolest month for the west coast; warm all the same.
Colombo: figures are long-term averages from this guide, not a forecast.
What to pack
- A rain jacket or umbrella and shoes that dry fast