It's 10 p.m. and I'm riding pillion on a vintage Vespa through the traffic-choked streets of Ho Chi Minh City. Hair is lashing my face and sweat is pouring off my brow. My baby-faced driver doesn't speak a lick of English, nor I Vietnamese, but I know my euphoric smile says it all: I'm having the time of my life.
When is the best time to visit Sri Lanka?
30.10.2023 - 07:11 / lonelyplanet.com
If anywhere deserves the title of a true year-round destination, it’s Sri Lanka.
Like neighboring Maldives, its proximity to the equator ensures pleasantly warm, stable temperatures whatever the season. Sri Lanka's annual dual monsoons mean that while one side of the country is taking a soaking, the other is primed for afternoons on the beach.
On top of this is a calendar chock-full of festivals and holidays, offering a unique cultural highlight for visitors almost every month.
So whether you’re looking for the best time to hit the beach, spot wild elephants in a national park, hike to the summit of Adam’s Peak, or simply avoid the tourist crowds, here’s our guide to the best time to visit Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka’s high season coincides with the coming of the best weather in the south and west of the country, meaning popular resorts like Hikkaduwa and Mirissa are at their most idyllic, but also busiest. However, the Maha monsoon season (October to January) keeps the East, the North, and the Ancient Cities wet.
Sri Lanka is a year-round wildlife-watching destination but generally, the best times to spot elephants, leopards and buffalo align with the main November-to-April tourist season. All the big parks are open and the dry conditions mean that animals start to gather around water holes, making them easier to spot (especially between February and early April).
By December, high season is in full swing, with bathers on beaches along the south and west coast jostling for towel space. The Adam’s Peak pilgrimage season, when pilgrims of all faiths (and the odd tourist) climb the sacred summit near Ella, starts in December and lasts until mid-April.
The end of the month also sees the arrival of Christmas, which is celebrated enthusiastically by Sri Lanka’s Christian community. Followers of other faiths also join in secular events over the holidays – expect over-the-top decorations aplenty.
January sees the peak of the tourist season in Sri Lanka. Crowds may be at their largest, but fine weather in the south and west makes it an appealing time to visit the country. Additionally, many popular towns host major events during the first month of the year.
This includes Duruthu Perahera in Colombo, a lavish festival of lights, dances, and parades to celebrate the first of Buddha’s visits to Sri Lanka. Elsewhere, Galle's somewhat more sedate annual literary festival takes over the city's Unesco-protected fort.
Visitor numbers are still high in February, with wintering Europeans baking themselves on the beaches in the dry winter weather. This is a busy month for Sri Lankans, with Independence Day early in the month, commemorated with festivals, parades, fireworks, and sporting events across the nation.
Visitor numbers decline
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