{"id":88220,"date":"2022-03-14T11:23:44","date_gmt":"2022-03-14T11:23:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/?p=88220"},"modified":"2022-03-14T11:23:44","modified_gmt":"2022-03-14T11:23:44","slug":"when-to-visit-sri-lanka-the-best-times-to-go-for-the-beach-the-festivals-and-to-beat-the-crowds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/when-to-visit-sri-lanka-the-best-times-to-go-for-the-beach-the-festivals-and-to-beat-the-crowds\/","title":{"rendered":"When to visit Sri Lanka: the best times to go for the beach, the festivals, and to beat the crowds"},"content":{"rendered":"

When to visit Sri Lanka: the best times to go for the beach, the festivals, and to beat the crowds by LONELY PLANET<\/span><\/h1>\n

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From finding the sweet spot between the monsoons, to experiencing the liveliest cultural festivals, here are the best times to visit Sri Lanka \u00a9 Cavan Images \/ Getty Images<\/span><\/p>\n

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Source:<\/span>.<\/span>lonelyplanet.com<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

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If anywhere deserves the title of a true\u00a0year-round destination then it\u2019s\u00a0Sri Lanka<\/a>. Like neighboring\u00a0Maldives<\/a>, its proximity to the equator ensures pleasantly warm, stable temperatures whatever the season, while its annual dual monsoons means that while one side of the country is taking a soaking, the other is primed for afternoons on the beach.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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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\u2019re looking for the best time to\u00a0hit the beach<\/a>,\u00a0spot wild elephants<\/a>\u00a0in\u00a0a national park<\/a>, hike to the summit of Adam\u2019s Peak, or simply avoid the tourist crowds, here\u2019s our guide to the best time to visit Sri Lanka.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

High season in December to April is the best time to hit the beach<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Sri Lanka\u2019s high season coincides with the coming of the best weather in the south and west of the country, meaning popular resorts like\u00a0Hikkaduwa<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Mirissa<\/a>\u00a0are at their most idyllic, but also busiest. However, the Maha monsoon season (October to January) keeps\u00a0The East<\/a>, north and\u00a0Ancient Cities<\/a>\u00a0regions wet.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Sri Lanka is a year-round wildlife-watching destination but generally the best times to spot elephants, leopards and buffalo\u00a0align with the main November-to-April tourist season. At this time of year 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 so between February and early April).<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Shoulder season (September to October and April) is\u00a0the best time for exploring the whole country<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
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Squeezed between the two main monsoons, Sri Lanka\u2019s two shoulder seasons offer the best weather right across the country, with fewer crowds and lower prices. April, however, does coincide with Sinhala and Tamil\u00a0New Year, which can cause transport troubles as people move around the country. This is a good time for trekking in the\u00a0Hill Country<\/a>\u00a0or climbing\u00a0Sigiriya<\/a>, with the weather mostly dry but not as hot as in the height of summer.<\/span><\/p>\n

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September, and sometimes August, also sees 200 or more elephants group together for several weeks in one spot in\u00a0Minneriya National Park<\/a>. The event, known as “The Gathering” where baby elephants can be spotted too, is considered one of Asia\u2019s great wildlife spectacles.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Get more travel inspiration, tips and exclusive offers sent straight to your inbox with our\u00a0weekly newsletter<\/a>.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

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The 10-day Esala Perahera festival takes place across Sri Lanka in July \u00a9 SamanWeeratunga \/ Shutterstock<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Low season in May to August is the best time to avoid the crowds<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
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Low season in Sri Lanka starts with the coming of the Yala monsoon in May, which pounds the west and south, as well as the Hill Country, through August. This is the best time for trips to\u00a0Jaffna<\/a>\u00a0in the north or the chilled-out resorts along the east\u00a0coast, like\u00a0Arugam Bay<\/a>, known for their laid-back\u00a0surf scene. Accommodation prices during this period are generally lower and crowds thinner.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Despite the Yala monsoon, many must-see festivals take place during this period. Among the best of them is Vesak Poya, a two-day festival in May where colored lights adorn every Buddhist home, shop, and temple. There’s also the vibrant\u00a0Esala Perahera in\u00a0Kandy<\/a>, where thousands of dancers and drummers form a giant procession through the town.<\/span><\/p>\n

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January has fine weather and lots of tourists<\/span><\/h3>\n
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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 all-round 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 the capital\u00a0Colombo<\/a>, a lavish festival of lights, dances, and parades to celebrate the first of Buddha\u2019s visits to Sri Lanka. Elsewhere,\u00a0Galle<\/a>‘s somewhat more sedate annual literary festival takes over the city’s Unesco-protected fort.<\/span>
\nKey events<\/em>: Duruthu Perahera, Thai Pongal, Galle Literary Festival.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Independence Day is celebrated in February\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
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Visitor numbers are still high in February, with wintering Europeans baking themselves silly 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.<\/span>
\nKey event<\/em>: Independence Day.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

March marks celebrations in the Shaivite community<\/span><\/h3>\n
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Visitor numbers decline but the festival of Maha Sivarathri in early March (or late February) brings a flurry of activity, with Hindus commemorating the marriage of Shiva to Parvati with all-night vigils and more. It\u2019s the most important day for Shaivites, who comprise the majority of Sri Lanka\u2019s Hindus.<\/span>
\nKey event<\/em>: Maha Sivarathri.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Trains and buses will be very busy in April as people travel at the start of the New Year holidays \u00a9 saiko3p \/ Shutterstock <\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
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There’s warm and dry weather across most of Sri Lanka in April<\/span><\/h3>\n
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Warm and dry across the majority of the country, and outside the prime tourist period, April is a great month to be in Sri Lanka. Although Christians comprise only six percent\u00a0of Sri Lanka\u2019s population, Christian festivals \u2013 including Easter, which usually falls in April \u2013 are still celebrated with gusto (don\u2019t be surprised if you see the Easter bunny adorning a few shop windows). A more significant event in April is Aurudu (New Year), with New Year\u2019s Eve (April 13) and New Year\u2019s Day (April 14) nonreligious holidays. Over the days before and after, buses and trains are jammed as people flee from big cities to home villages.\u00a0Ramadan also tends to fall in April or May, with some Muslim-owned businesses closing during daylight hours.<\/span>
\nKey event<\/em>: Aurudu (New Year), Ramadan.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

May marks the start of the Yala monsoon<\/span><\/h3>\n
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The Yala monsoon blows in for five months, bringing heavy rains from the Indian Ocean that drench the Hill Country and the beach towns along the south and west coast, sending tourists scurrying. Despite the downpours, the country\u2019s cities become particularly picturesque during Vesak Poya, a two-day festival where coloured lights adorn every Buddhist home, shop, and temple \u2013 night-time Colombo in particular is a riot of color.<\/span>
\nKey events<\/em>: Vesak Poya, Eid ul-Fitr.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The east coast beaches dodge the monsoon in June<\/span><\/h3>\n
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The ongoing monsoon means tourist crowds are scarce through most of the country in June, with the exception of the east coast beaches which avoid the\u00a0rain. Meanwhile, another major Buddhist event, the Poson poya, gets underway. The celebration of the introduction of Buddhism to Sri Lanka sees festivities take place in the temples of\u00a0Anuradhapura<\/a>, while, nearby, thousands of white-clad pilgrims ascend the calf-busting 1843 steps to Mihintale\u2019s Dagoba.<\/span>
\nKey event<\/em>: Poson Poya.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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