Sri Lanka's climate has four seasons, defined by the Department of Meteorology:
- First inter-monsoon, March to April. Warm, humid and mostly settled, with afternoon thunderstorms building towards April.
- South-west monsoon, May to September. Rain falls mainly on the west and south coasts and the western slopes of the hills. The east coast and the north are dry.
- Second inter-monsoon, October to November. Thunderstorms across much of the island, and the chance of depressions and cyclones. Often the wettest time overall.
- North-east monsoon, December to February. Rain falls on the north and east. The west and south coasts and much of the hill country are drier.
What that means for your trip
| Area | Best months | Wetter months |
|---|---|---|
| West and south coasts (Colombo, Galle, Mirissa) | December to April | May to October |
| Cultural Triangle (Anuradhapura, Sigiriya, Dambulla, Polonnaruwa) | February to September | October to January |
| Hill country (Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Ella, Haputale) | January to April | October to December; May to September on western slopes |
| Adam's Peak | December to May (the pilgrimage season) | June to November |
| East coast (Trincomalee, Pasikudah, Arugam Bay) | April to September | November to February |
| The north (Jaffna) | February to September | October to January |
The trip builder uses these patterns month by month for every destination, and tells you when a place you have chosen is out of season.
Wildlife seasons
- Whale watching off Mirissa runs from about November to April.
- Yala usually closes for several weeks around September, when the park is driest. In 2026 Blocks 1 and 2 closed from 14 September and reopened on 16 October.
- The elephant gathering at Minneriya and Kaudulla is at its peak in the dry months, around July to October.