Sri Lanka Has 2 Monsoon Seasons And A Number Of Different Climates Throughout The Country

Is there a good time to visit Sri Lanka? Because Sri Lanka is a tropical country, anticipate plenty of sunshine and blue skies almost all year. If you want to get scientific, the island has two monsoon seasons: northeast (December to March) and southwest (June to October); nonetheless, you can visit Sri Lanka at any time of year. This is one of the things about Sri Lanka you should know before travelling.

While there are "rainy seasons," they are nowhere near as bad as those in Laos or Thailand; it often rains in the evenings and the sun shines the next day. People love to tell you that you shouldn't visit Sri Lanka during the "rainy season," but this is a ruse – don't let them talk you out of visiting southern Sri Lanka from June to September, when it's more quieter and less crowded.

For your information, the southern province's peak season is from November to January (be mentally prepared for big crowds if you visit Sri Lanka in December around Christmas or New Year's Eve), and the east coast's high season (including Arugam Bay) is from June to August. The central highlands and locations like Ella are accessible all year, but the rainy season runs from September to November.

You should also be aware that Sri Lanka has a variety of temperatures, so if you're going the hill area, you may need to bring a sweatshirt or two. In the past, the temperature in Nuwara Eliya, Kandy, and Ella dropped to 14-17 degrees Celsius (57-62 degrees Fahrenheit) in the mornings and evenings — not exactly what you'd expect from a tropical island!