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When to go · Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka, month by month

The best months for Sri Lanka: Feb, Mar. Months to avoid: Oct.

Month by month

  1. JanuaryGoodDry south-west coast and hills; peak season; the east is wet.West and south coast: best weather · Hill country: best weather · Cultural Triangle: fineCrowds: High · 4 festivals or holidays
  2. FebruaryGreatThe best month for most of the island; Cultural Triangle comfortable.West and south coast: best weather · Hill country: best weather · Cultural Triangle: best weatherCrowds: High · 2 festivals or holidays
  3. MarchGreatStill dry in the south-west, warming up; east coast starts to dry.West and south coast: best weather · Hill country: best weather · Cultural Triangle: best weatherCrowds: Medium · 2 festivals or holidays
  4. AprilMixedHot; New Year (13–14 Apr) closes shops and fills transport; inter-monsoon storms late in the month.West and south coast: hot · Hill country: fine · Cultural Triangle: hotCrowds: Medium · 2 festivals or holidays
  5. MayMixedSouth-west monsoon arrives: west and south beaches rough; head east. Vesak lanterns.West and south coast: rainy · Hill country: rainy · Cultural Triangle: hotCrowds: Low · 3 festivals or holidays
  6. JuneMixedEast coast and Cultural Triangle are the pick; hill country showery.West and south coast: rainy · Hill country: rainy · Cultural Triangle: fineCrowds: Low · 2 festivals or holidays
  7. JulyGoodEast coast peak; Arugam Bay surf; Kandy Perahera late July or August.West and south coast: fine · Hill country: fine · Cultural Triangle: fineCrowds: Medium · 2 festivals or holidays
  8. AugustGoodEast and north dry; Kandy Perahera and Jaffna's Nallur festival.West and south coast: fine · Hill country: fine · Cultural Triangle: fineCrowds: High · 3 festivals or holidays
  9. SeptemberMixedEast still good; Yala often closes for part of September–October.West and south coast: rainy · Hill country: fine · Cultural Triangle: fineCrowds: Low · 1 festival or holiday
  10. OctoberAvoidInter-monsoon rains across the island; flooding and landslides possible.West and south coast: rainy · Hill country: rainy · Cultural Triangle: rainyCrowds: Low · 2 festivals or holidays
  11. NovemberMixedNorth-east monsoon arrives in the east and north; south-west starts drying late in the month.West and south coast: rainy · Hill country: rainy · Cultural Triangle: rainyCrowds: Low · 2 festivals or holidays
  12. DecemberGoodSouth-west coast dry again; Adam's Peak season opens; book Christmas early.West and south coast: best weather · Hill country: cool · Cultural Triangle: rainyCrowds: High · 4 festivals or holidays

Compare two months

Weather, crowds and prices for any two months in Sri Lanka, side by side.

  • Verdict

    Feb: Great

    Mar: Great

  • Crowds

    Feb: High

    Mar: Medium

  • Prices

    Feb: High

    Mar: Medium

  • Festivals listed

    Feb: 2

    Mar: 2

February: The best month for most of the island; Cultural Triangle comfortable.

March: Still dry in the south-west, warming up; east coast starts to dry.

Sri Lanka: figures are long-term averages from this guide, not a forecast.

Weather by region

How each climate zone rates each month.

Weather rating by region and month
RegionJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
West and south coastColombo, Negombo, Bentota, Galle, MirissaBestBestBestHotWetWetOKOKWetWetWetBest
Hill countryKandy, Nuwara Eliya, Ella, Adam's PeakBestBestBestOKWetWetOKOKOKWetWetCool
Cultural TriangleSigiriya, Dambulla, Anuradhapura, PolonnaruwaOKBestBestHotHotOKOKOKOKWetWetWet
East coastTrincomalee, Pasikudah, Arugam BayWetOKBestBestBestBestBestBestBestOKStormWet
NorthJaffna, MannarOKBestBestHotHotHotHotHotHotWetStormWet