The tropical island of Sri Lanka is located between the Bay of Bengal and the Laccadive Sea, at the southernmost tip of India. It is the 25th largest island in the world and has a palm-lined coastline that stretches for miles. Sri Lanka has balmy temperatures all year round so here are the best times to plan your trip here
October to March – best to visit the west and southern coastline
Although the region’s year-round temperatures range from 27° to 29°C, the Yala Monsoon Season occurs here from April to September. The wettest months at this time are April, May, and June. The majority of beach hotels are located here. Get to the beach if you want to spend time there between October and March because those months offer the finest weather, though a deluge is always possible.
March – best to visit the central hills
In the south-central region of Sri Lanka, there are mountains called the Central Hills. Around 20% of the island’s total area is made up of the triangular-shaped hilly region, which rises to heights of more than 300 m. The Central Hills, with an average annual temperature of roughly 15°C, have a tendency to be cold because of their location and elevation. The sunniest and driest months are January through March.
April to September – best to visit eastern and northern areas
The “Maha” monsoon season affects the Eastern and Northern regions from around November to March, with November and December being the wettest months. Get there between April and September to avoid this. The beaches in these areas are some of the best places to visit in Sri Lanka and you can find plenty of hotels here too such as those under the Araliya Hotels and Resorts chain.
October and November – Inter-monsoonal period
Due to the extremely unpredictable nature of the inter-monsoonal season, major flooding and thunderstorms could happen anywhere, at any moment. Positively, since it’s an off-peak season, there are fewer people around, which is fantastic as long as you don’t mind sporadic downpours.
