Planning Your Trip
From the time the ancient explorers stumbled upon this resplendent isle, Sri Lanka has enchanted visitors through time. From beautiful sun-kissed beaches, to silver mists gently caressing verdant lush tea hills, to the mighty power of abundant water falls, to the breathtaking views atop a formidable rock fortress, Sri Lanka has captured the imagination and hearts of millions……….
Why visit Sri Lanka? As a hiker, a back packer, a surfer, a lover, a foodie, a shopper, a tourist, I promise you that you will find your corner of bliss in our paradise island. The country has no shortage of beautiful awe inspiring places, natural and historic, each more breathtakingly picture perfect than the other.
As for people – with their diverse ethnicity and religious persuasion of every creed and colour, they truly become the vibrant delicious ‘spice in the curry.”
I can wax lyrical about the seductive beaches, unique eco systems, luxurious Ayurvedic spas till the cows come home, but to truly experience this wondrous magic, you must visit Sri Lanka.
Times of the Year to Travel
Sri Lanka is blessed with two monsoon seasons – the South West Monsoon – we are in the South West area is from May to July and the North West Monsoon is from October to January. However, as with everywhere in the world these days, the weather systems are topsy turvy at the moment. The rains are a little late this year and not near as much as we had hoped. The country is gripped by drought but here’s hoping there is enough rain to avoid a calamitous result.
So – January to March is a fantastic time to travel across the whole country, Sri Lanka is generally basking in sunshine and relatively dry all over throughout these months. Temperatures will be lovely and warm, although a touch cooler up in the Hill Country. Beaches on the south and west coasts are dry, hot and sunny.
April is arguably the driest and hottest month of the year, April starts to get very hot – especially in the central and Cultural Triangle regions with temperatures at least in the mid-30°Cs. It’s a great month to head to the beach, with clear skies and long, sunny days. Make sure to avoid the hottest hours of the day (11am-3pm) when sightseeing during April. It is also the time of the Sinhala and Tamil New Year so you will be able to witness how the old traditions and rituals blend in beautifully with modern life.
May and June – The south-west monsoon blows through May and June, but as the name suggests it only affects the south-west quarter of the country such as Colombo and Galle. It is also the more gentle of the two monsoons that Sri Lanka experiences, with mainly short and sharp showers that tend to pass quite quickly.
July to September – This is what is known as “inter-monsoon” season, meaning that spare the odd shower, the weather is great at this time of year. Temperatures remain high across the country at around 29°C average and the beaches are hot and dry. All in all, a great period to travel.
October to November – The north-east monsoon blows in October and November, and it is the heavier of the two monsoons that Sri Lanka experiences. Whilst the name may lend itself to the north-east only, this monsoon does in fact affect the whole country. This monsoon can be unpredictable – it can be stronger, lighter or more sporadic than past years, and sometimes it never comes at all!
December – December is usually a great month to travel if the monsoon winds down, with nice, hot and dry weather across the island. However, there have been instances in recent years of monsoon rains lasting into December. The rains will also have helped thicken out the lush green landscapes, making it an exceptionally beautiful time to enjoy the rural parts of Sri Lanka.