What is the best time to visit Sri Lanka?
Given that its beaches are scattered around and there is a lot of pretty hill country, parts of Sri Lanka can be visited at different times through the year. If you are looking at holidaying on the western and southern coasts, or in the hill country, the best time to visit is between December and March. Keep your April to September visit for a trip to the beaches on the east coast. Both brackets are high season for the mentioned regions respectively.
The island nation of Sri Lanka has two monsoons, the Yala and the Maha monsoon seasons. This means there is always a good time to visit some part of the island.
Read more: A Long Weekend in Sri Lanka
Read on for a season wise detail of the weather in Sri Lanka.
December to March
This is the best time to visit Sri Lanka – broadly, it is up season for the beach resort towns on the western coast and in the south, the hill country, and for Colombo, which with the international airport, is a gateway to the country. Tourists can expect crowds and sky high prices, and also the driest part of the year to be on the tropical island.
April and September to November
The month of April and between September and November offer the best chances for good weather and reasonable prices. New Year’s celebrations in mid-April see a spike in transportation.
May to August
Great weather in the northern and eastern part of the country – perfect time for that stroll through the world heritage sites. Given that the south, the east, and the hill country will be rained out, prices are at their lowest in the country at this time.
Rainy Season
May to August sees the Yala monsoon season in the west and the south, and in the hill country. The Maha monsoon season in the east and the north starts in October and carries on until January.
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What is the best time to book flights to Sri Lanka?
With all the info about the best time to visit Sri Lanka tucked under your belt, let Skyscanner assist you with figuring out the best time to book your flights to the island nation. Ideally, 8 weeks before departure is a great time to book, but if you are aiming for really cheap flights – and are the kinds who makes plans way in advance – then 19 weeks before you decide to get on the plane is the best time for you to book.
Read more: 7 secret beaches in Sri Lanka
Note: The best time to book data refers to the price paid against the average price for return flights for 1 person to Bali from across India during the time period 1st January 2015 – 31st December 2016
