WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO GO TO SRI LANKA?
When is the best time to go to Sri Lanka? we get a lot of inquiries with this type of question. A large number of travellers are very keen to know the best time to travel to Sri Lanka. So the answer is Sri Lanka is a year-round holiday destination. However, Sri Lanka has a low tourist season and a high tourist season. About 75 per cent of tourists every year travel to Sri Lanka during the high season (From November to April) and about 25 per cent of teh tourist traffic arrive on teh island during the low seas (from May to October).
Table of Contents
- WHICH MONTHS ARE THE LOW SEASON MONTHS IN SRI LANKA?
- WHEN IS THE MOST RAINY MONTH IN SRI LANKA?
- WHEN IS THE HIGH SEASON IN SRI LANKA?
- BEST MONTH TO GO TO SRI LANKA
- RESILIENCE OF SRI LANKA TOURISM INDUSTRY
- SRI LANKA OR CEYLON
- SRI LANKA AS AN ALTERNATIVE HOLIDAY DESTINATION
- WHEN IS THE BEST TIME FOR A SRI LANKA HOLIDAY
- VISITING CITIES IN SRI LANKA
- RELIGION
- VISITING MONUMENTS DURING THE LOW SEASON IN SRI LANKA
- VISITING SRI LANKA IN THE HIGH SEASON
- HOLIDAYS IN SRI LANKA ARE COSTLIER DURING THE HIGH SEASON
- TRAVEL LOW SEASON IN SRI LANKA AND SAVE MONEY
- WHY SHOULD YOU TRAVEL IN THE LOW SEASON IN SRI LANKA?
- THE GUIDE TO ACCOMMODATION DURING THE LOW SEASON IN SRI LANKA
- TIPS FOR TRAVELLING DURING OFF-SEASON MONTHS
- WHY YOU SHOULD CHOOSE SEEREDNIPITY FOR YOUR LOW-SEASON TOUR IN SRI LANKA
WHICH MONTHS ARE THE LOW SEASON MONTHS IN SRI LANKA?
THE BEGINNING OF MAY UNTIL THE END OF OCTOBER IS CONSIDERED AS THE LOW SEASON IN SRI LANKA FOR THE TOURISM INDUSTRY. THIS PERIOD IS DIVIDED INTO TWO SEASONS WEATHER-WISE I.E. MAY TO JUNE (INTER-MONSOON) AND JULY TO OCTOBER (MONSOON SEASON).
Summer low season in Sri Lanka – Sri Lanka is a warm country near the equator, therefore, the temperature tends to be above 30 degrees Celcius in most parts of the island. During the low season in the months of June and July, the temperature can be increased up to around 35 degrees Celsius as the distance between the island and the sun lowered.
It is advisable to expect hot weather during the day and night. You must prepare yourself for the heat, travel slowly and pick accommodations with air-conditioning. There can be heavy rain simultaneously in most parts of the island, therefore a slight reduction in temperature can be expected. The rain is more frequent during the offseason and therefore have an umbrella or a raincoat in your backpack.
DO NOT WORRY, we always provide fully air-conditioned rooms and modern vehicles to our customers during Sri Lanka trips. It’s preferable to visit sites and cities earlier in the day, come back for an afternoon nap or R&R at the hotel and then head back out after 2 pm.
WHEN IS THE MOST RAINY MONTH IN SRI LANKA?
The below image shows the yearly rain pattern in Sri Lanka based on most parts of Sri Lanka including the hill country, and southern and western coasts of Sri Lanka. However, the rainfall on the east and north coast of Si Lanka increases from November to December.
WHEN IS THE HIGH SEASON IN SRI LANKA?
THE BEGINNING OF NOVEMBER UNTIL THE END OF APRIL IS CONSIDERED AS THE HIGH SEASON IN SRI LANKA FOR THE TOURISM INDUSTRY.
The high season is from November to April. The period from November to April is considered to be the best time to travel to Sri Lanka’s south and west coasts. Most foreign travellers arrive on the island during this period, especially travellers from Western countries, who prefer to travel to Sri Lanka arrive on the island during this period.
BEST MONTH TO GO TO SRI LANKA
December is the best month to go to Sri Lanka. December is a dry month in Sri Lanka. In the month of December large part of Sri Lanak remains dry and thereby holiday activities are hindered by the rain. Same time a large part of the Ocean around Sri Lanak provides the best conditions for beach holiday lovers.
RESILIENCE OF SRI LANKA TOURISM INDUSTRY
Sri Lanka holidays is a popular search term on Google because Sri Lanka is a popular holiday destination in Asia. The tourism industry on the island was going through a lot of hardships in the past due to many reasons. Devastating civil war, Tsunami, and suicide bomb attacks carried out by ISIS in 2019 and Coronapendamic in 2020 are the most devastating. The tourist arrival in Sri Lanka plummeted again in the first half of 2022 due to economic and political instability. However, the tourism industry is very resilient and it was back on its foot after a few months of time on each occasion and back on track and has become an important destination for travellers around the world. Sri Lanka has been able to increase incoming tourists to the island again in the latter half of 2022. The tourist board of Sri Lanka set a target of 1.5 million incoming tourists for 2023 and more than 2 million for 2024.
SRI LANKA OR CEYLON
For many people around the world, the island is a popular holiday destination. Sri Lanka is still an unknown country. Because most of them do not know that the same country, which was known as Ceylon is called Sri Lanka today. Therefore recalling the tiny Indian Ocean Island “Ceylon” might give you a clear picture of this tropical holiday destination known as Sri Lanka today.
Due to the unfavourable political climate in several holiday destinations around the world such as Egypt and Syria the island of Sri Lanka has been able to heighten its importance among travellers. Sri Lanka is a good alternative holiday spot for travellers, who are eying a tropical holiday destination.
SRI LANKA AS AN ALTERNATIVE HOLIDAY DESTINATION
There are many reasons for travellers to consider Sri Lanka as an alternative for those holiday destinations, due to its superb architecture, pristine beaches, ancient culture, wildlife reserves, rainforests, delicious seafood, friendly population and mostly peaceful life. Travelling to Sri Lanka will not be necessarily an expensive job if you make a proper plan for your Sri Lanka trip.
WHEN IS THE BEST TIME FOR A SRI LANKA HOLIDAY
You might be wondering what is the Best time to go to Sri Lanka, and that’s why you have landed on this page. Most people would say the winter season in Europe (November – April) is the best time to go to Sri Lanka. But I would like to say it is not the winter season in Europe, the best time to go to Sri Lanka. It is the summer season in Europe the best time to go to Sri Lanka, keep on reading you will understand why I’m saying that.
Sri Lanka is a popular long-haul holiday destination in the world and attracts nearly 2 million visitors a year. Sri Lanka’s winter holiday is more popular than Sri Lanka’s summer holidays, hence the majority of tourist traffic heads into Sri Lanka during the winter season. But I feel Sri Lanka Summer is the best time to go to Sri Lanka. There are several reasons to justify my idea,
- Low cost of hotels, transport, and other facilities
- Less crowded beaches, ancient cities and other tourist attractions
- Availability of discounts and incentives
- Plenty of availability of accommodations, vehicles and entrance tickets to sites and activities
Most numbers of tourists arrived from European countries in Sri Lanka until 2015 but as the number of tourists arriving from Europe dropped during the last several years and the number of Chinese travellers increased, China has replaced Europe as the most important tourist-generating country for Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka is an Asian country that is full of wide-open skies. It is very attractive and looks like a desert. You will see huge farmlands and tea plantations as far as the eye can see. Vast Tea, cinnamon and rubber plantations fill extensive gaps in the remote areas of the island. if you are on a camping holiday, you have plenty of campsites around the island. Sitting in the middle of a field, you will feel that you are the only person in the world.
VISITING CITIES IN SRI LANKA
Sri Lanka is a fast-developing nation in the region. The country’s infrastructures show a vast development within the last several years while cities are equipped with all modern facilities and amenities. The government has launched an ambitious plan to make Colombo an international city to attract more tourists in the future.
Colombo is the commercial centre and most populated city while the beautiful city of Jayewardenepura functions as the capital of the island. Colombo has an interesting blend of past and present with colonial buildings dating back to the 18s and modern constructions that rises several dozens of floors. Colombo is well on its way to making a name for itself in the traveller’s world.
RELIGION
Sri Lanka is made up of four main religions; Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity. In most cities, you can find religious symbols representing all these religions. But, Buddhist temples are the most common of all religious institutions in the country and it is most people (69%) believe in the teaching of Buddha.
VISITING MONUMENTS DURING THE LOW SEASON IN SRI LANKA
Monuments are very popular places on the island because Sri Lanka’s history goes back many centuries. Visiting historical monuments is on the bucket list of most travellers in Sri Lanka. Usually lost Sri Lanka trips such as 5 days Sri Lanka tour, 2 weeks Sri Lanka trip includes a visit to important historical cities.
Due to its popularity and importance, the historical monuments can be very crowded sometimes, especially during the high season from November to April. But during the low season in Sri Lanka, the historical places are largely uncrowded giving you the freedom to explore those places at your own pace.
Sri Lanka boasts to have one of the oldest cultures in the world, which is known as the Singhalese-Buddhist culture. The island is one of the very few countries that are continuously inhabited since the Pre-Christian era. The country has a fascinating collection of historical monuments dating back several thousand years. Most of these ancient constructions are to be found in the cultural triangle of Sri Lanka.
VISITING SRI LANKA IN THE HIGH SEASON
The busiest period for Sri Lanka tourism or high season in the Sri Lanka tourism sector is the winter season (from November to April), and the European tourist traffic head into the island during this period. Same time there is a large number of arrivals into the country from America and Asia during this period. The large influx of tourists in the country during the winter, creates an unnecessary rush, especially for accommodation and creates a bubble in price. When the high season is approaching, travellers set off for Sri Lanka. But, the island is visited by very few tourists during the Sri Lanka summer holiday (From April to November).
HOLIDAYS IN SRI LANKA ARE COSTLIER DURING THE HIGH SEASON
As for all other consumer goods in life, the cost of the Sri Lanka holiday package is mainly driven by demand. Therefore, the cost of Sri Lanka holiday packages increases during the high-holiday season while the cost of Sri Lanka tour packages goes in the downward direction during the period with less demand. November to April is the peak season in Sri Lanka while the 6 months from May to October considered being the low season.
For travellers, who travel to Sri Lanka during the high season, the holiday costs nearly two times the cost of the Sri Lanka summer holiday. Due to the high demand, during the winter the rates for air tickets, hotels, transportation and for most other services are costlier compared to the rates during summer. According to my experience, the costliest period for a Sri Lanka holiday package is in the month of December and January. During the high season, the tour package is not only expensive but also it might be difficult to get accommodation facilities due to high demand. It is highly recommended to reserve accommodation well in advance if you plan to visit Sri Lanka during the high season.
TRAVEL LOW SEASON IN SRI LANKA AND SAVE MONEY
Travelling during the low season in Sri Lanka is rewarding for travellers in many ways. During this period the rates are at rock bottom for flights and accommodation. Tourist resorts with only a few tourists mean you have peace of mind during the holiday. Following are some of the good reasons to plan your Sri Lanka tour between April and November.
WHY SHOULD YOU TRAVEL IN THE LOW SEASON IN SRI LANKA?
1. BARGAINS
The travellers can enjoy bargain prices with regard to the facilities during the summer holiday in Sri Lanka. Airfares drop nearly to half the price of the regular peak season (from November to April). Try to avoid the school holidays; there are increases in airfares during the summer school holidays. In some instances, the airfares increase even higher than the peak season airfares. But generally, November to April during the summer is the best period to fly from and to Colombo for a bargain price. However, due to the low demand, there will be very few charter flights operating to Sri Lanka during this period.
While saving on airfares, this is also the best period to save on accommodation in Sri Lanka. Hotels are rarely half-filled during the period and most hotels are maintaining very special bargain rates, in order to encourage people to stay in their properties.
2. THE WEATHER IN SRI LANKA DURING THE LOW SEASON
The climate is greatly varied across the island of Sri Lanka. The West Coast of Sri Lanka experiences the rainiest days from April to November. This is the monsoon period on the West Coast means more rain and less sunshine. But, the East Coast is having a sunny and warm climate during the same period.
The sea on the east coast is very calm and clear while the sea is very shallow. This is the best time to travel to the east coast, for sun worshippers. The sea is at its best for sea bath, diving, snorkelling and other water sports. The climate is dry, warm and sunny, this is the best time for outdoor activities on the east coast.
From April to July the temperature tends to be high, from July onward the temperature gets more bearable and hovers between 25 degrees Celcius to 30 degrees Celcius. However, the temperature fluctuation is largely varied depending on the region you travel to. Same time depending on which places you plan to travel you will encounter different amounts of rainfall.
In general, the South, West (Bentota, Colombo, Galle, Negombo), as well as upcountry (Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Ella), receive light to heavy showers. Having said that, if you embrace the warm rain, the regions are green and teeming with water, and the locals are happy! It really is a special experience, but it will rain!
East coast (Trincomalee, Aru Gma bay, Pasikudah, Kalludah), on the other hand during the low season, receive very light showers making no difficulties for holiday lovers.
3. FEWER TRAVELLERS IN HOTELS AND SITES
Another reward for your choice to travel during the off-season is the freedom of the sights and attractions. These places have hordes of the crowd during the peak season and make you contend with other travellers. Even though there are fewer visitors during this period, all the sights and activities are operating as usual.
4. BETTER EXPOSURE TO LOCAL CULTURE
Fewer foreigners mean more opportunities to interact with the local people and their culture. Sri Lanka is a country with one of the oldest civilizations in the world. Try to understand the way the local community think and act. They are also a very helpful and friendly community and love sharing their experiences with you.
5. BEAUTIFUL SCENERY
April and May are considered to be the most beautiful months of the year. Most of the trees and plants are shining with tender leaves, flowers and fruits. Most seasonal fruits are producing their fruits during this period. April is the festival month of Sri Lanka and the whole country is filled with the festival spirit. Local customs, traditions, foods, sports and sweetmeats appear in April when the Sinhalese New Year is celebrated.
6. ACCOMMODATION DURING THE LOW SEASON
Below is a rough calculation of expenses with three budget categories for 2 persons. Sri Lanka has a well-developed tourism infrastructure with ample accommodation facilities for any type of budget. According to our experience, the majority of travellers in Sri Lanka choose either 4-star or 3-star accommodation facilities during the holiday.
THE GUIDE TO ACCOMMODATION DURING THE LOW SEASON IN SRI LANKA
1. LUXURY. 5-STAR HOTELS
One of the very popular categories of accommodations on the island. Almost every 5-star hotel is coming under tourist hotels and mainly caters to foreign clientele. 5-hotels are spread over the entire island, however, a large number of them are concentrated in the western province, especially along the coast. Many 5-star hotels are located in the north-central province of Sri Lanka, near Sri Lanka’s cultural triangle, where travellers encounter most of Sri Lanka’s popular cultural and historical places. Sri Lanka’s cultural triangle is a very popular destination among travellers and most Sri Lanka trips include a visit to the cultural triangle.
The southern province of Sri Lanka, which is primarily a beach holiday destination, also has been able to attract many 5-star hotels. Most of the 5-star hotels on the west coast are relatively new and they were within the last decade. Big players in the hospitality industry such as Shangri La, Anantara, and Hilton have set up their branches on the shores of southern Sri Lanka.
Undoubtedly Colombo is the city with the largest number of 5-star hotels on the island. There is a high demand for accommodation in Colombo, this is mainly due to the Colombo international airport and the harbour. Most travellers spend their first night in Colombo or near the airport after landing on the island. Most trips organized by Sri Lanka tour operators such as Seerendipity starts in Colombo and the Colombo city tour is an essential part of most Sri Lanka tour packages.
Accommodation facilities can be found in many parts of Colombo, however, most of them are concentrated in Colombo 1 or the so-called “pettah” due to the proximity to the Colombo beach, shopping areas, recreation facilities, conference centres and high-rank government and private offices.
5-star hotels are expensive yet provide the best and most luxurious facilities and amenities for their clients. The price of a 5-star hotel may range from US$ 150 – US$ 300 for standard rooms per night. However, the cost for the room may further increase due to the supplements such as “sea view”, “city view”, “sweat room”, “family room” etc. According to our calculation, the average cost per person based in a 5-star hotel will be around US$ 200 per night in a double/twin shared room with breakfast and dinner.
2. COMFORT. 4-STAR HOTELS
This is another accommodation type that has a very wide distribution across the island. The 4-star hotels are not as expensive as 5-star properties yet provide very comfortable and safe accommodations to travellers. Most 4-star hotels are also catering to foreign travellers. Therefore, most of them are located in areas that foreign travellers are attracted to such as beach resorts, cultural triangles, Sri Lana hill country etc.
In all major cities such as Colombo, Kandy, and Sigiriya accommodation facilities are available at all comfort levels. In most places, 4-star accommodation costs around US$ 100 per night in a double/twin shared room with breakfast. Dining in an outside restaurant with an international menu would cost around US$ 20 P.P. per day. The other expenses such as transport, guiding, entrance ticket etc cost around US$ 50 P.P. Therefore according to this rough calculation, a 1 day budget for a comfortable stay in a 4-star hotel is around US$ 135 P.P.
3. BUDGET. 3-STAR HOTELS
After 4-star accommodation facilities, this is the most demanding category of accommodation among travellers, who visit Sri Lanka. Therefore 3-star accommodation facilities can be found in all major places, where tourists occur. This type of accommodation with a daily breakfast costs around US$ 70 p/p in a shared double/twin room. In order to have a good meal in a local restaurant, it cost around US$ 10 a day P.P (lunch and dinner). And with all the extra spending, the 1-day budget will be around US$ 100 P.P.
4. ECONOMIC. GUEST HOUSE, B&B, 2-STAR HOTELS
Travellers, who are looking for budget holidays, can find good clean accommodation with good security in Guesthouse type of places. Dormitories and homestays are also handy options for budget travellers. Rent homes and rooms are also available in many parts of the island, mostly in beach areas, where travellers stay for a much longer period of time.
Most of these places are family-run businesses and tourists will get a more homely feeling. It offers a very local hospitable welcome and approach. This type of accommodation costs around US$ 45 P.P. and it includes daily breakfast, private rooms, private bathrooms, and fan or air-conditioning. Eating in a small tea house cost around US$ 5 P.P. per meal. Total expenses for a day with this type of accommodation will be around US$ 75 P.P.
The above calculation shows you that a holiday in Sri Lanka will not rip off your wallet. It can be US$ 75 P.P. or US$ 135 P.P. depending on your affordability.
TIPS FOR TRAVELLING DURING OFF-SEASON MONTHS
- May to June is a warm period. It is advisable to avoid Sri Lanka holidays unless you plan your trip to the east coast and upcountry. If you are looking forward to a memorable beach stay and still wish to explore south and west coast beaches this is not the time for you. If your dates are not flexible and you don’t mind the frequent rain, fear not for we will plan your trip with excellent air-conditioned hotels and modes of travel. As we said, off-season rates are great!
- July to September have heavy rainfall over most parts of Sri Lanka except the east and north coast. This period is still considered off-season months for travel in Sri Lanka and you also enjoy fabulous discounts. Bentota on the west coast and Galle on the south as well as Nuwara Eliya, upcountry receive a lot of rain during these months. However, we believe it is a great time to tour the East.
- Across Sri Lanka, you will enjoy excellent hotel deals. You can expect between 30% to 50% discount on all categories of hotels. Sri Lanka offers an amazing collection of boutique villas, hotels, palaces and affordable accommodation options.
- Sri Lanka has an abundance of festivals, and a lot of festivals are celebrated from April to August. These festivals offer a variety in diversity, such as harvest and religious festivals like Vesak festival, Esala ceremony, Navratri (nine days festival to celebrate every form of the mother goddess)
WHY YOU SHOULD CHOOSE SEEREDNIPITY FOR YOUR LOW-SEASON TOUR IN SRI LANKA
Serendipity Tour is an entirely locally owned travel company with a head office in Colombo. The highly experienced local staff is a key strength of Serendipity Tours, and they can plan your dream holiday to Sri Lanka.
The best price guaranteed for your Sri Lanka trip
When you book a tour with Serendipity Tours, you directly book the tour with the local company, which means there are no middlemen and therefore you can guarantee the best price. Simply get in touch with us and let us know when you travel and what you like to see.
Plan your best Sri Lanka trip with-expert
Our staff makes a personalised program for you, which you can change until you find the best Sri Lanka trip package for you. Visit www.sirilaktours.com to browse our existing tour packages, which you can customise to meet all your expectations. Write to us at admin@seerendipitytours.com, tel. 0094-77-440977, WhatsApp 0094-77-4440977.
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