Colombo Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is a small island off of the south-eastern coast of India. With its location, Sri Lanka enjoys a climate perfect for year round holidays. Even if it’s raining on one part of the island, it’s probably sunny on the other coast. Holidays in Sri Lanka will be filled with visits to at least a few of the islands eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Whether exploring ruins, hiking natural wonders, fighting crowds at Colombo’s bazaar district or just lazing on the beach, your Sri Lanka holiday will be picturesque and memorable.

Holidays to Sri Lanka are filled with adventures through the diverse range of habitats available on the island. Explore the open plains of Uda Walawe National Park to view wandering elephants and the occasional sneaking leopard. Sri Lankan holidays offer endless opportunities to watch schools of brightly coloured fish swimming through the clear blue waters, nesting turtles, rock pigeons, dozens of species of vibrantly coloured birds, breaching whales and even elephants. While on holiday in Sri Lanka, be sure to visit the Sinharaja Forest Reserve to see the last spread of undisturbed forest in the country. There are 22 villages located on the outskirts of the trees and there’s a wide range of flora and fauna to explore in the greenery of the Sri Lankan forest. While exploring the countryside, you may even run into a scenic waterfall.

Sri Lanka is also a great place to explore the extended history of religion and culture. Your holidays to Sri Lanka can include tours to any of the eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites, explorations of religious ruins and temples, or to see the colonial architecture of the buildings left from the rule of the Dutch and the British. The Anuradhapura Ruins are full of crumbling temples, old brick towers and ancient pools which make it an archaeological and architectural wonder. The ruins are not completely dead as some of the temples are still considered holy and have devotees who keep them alive. If you’re interested in seeing some colonial architecture on your Sri Lankan holidays, be sure to visit the Old City Hall which was built by the British in 1865 and is now outfitted with ghoulishly lit wax figurines of the original councillors of 1906.

Depending on when you plan to holiday in Sri Lanka, the weather will be different on each coastline. No matter when you visit, your Sri Lankan holidays will offer fantastic weather for exploring the rich countryside and relaxing on the beach.

Sri Lanka is unique in the fact that it has two monsoon seasons. It’s important to understand that the south-western part of the country has monsoon season from May to September while the north-eastern part of the island’s monsoon season is from October to January. Which part of the island you visit is dependent upon which time of the year you’re visiting.

Sunshine and Clear Skies

The best time of year to visit for holidays in Sri Lanka if you want to see the entire country is April and September. These two months offer the best weather throughout the entire country. Throughout Sri Lanka you can expect humidity to be above 50 per cent year-round, reaching 90 per cent during the monsoon seasons. Peak season in Sri Lanka is considered to be from December to mid-April when the weather will average 30 degrees. This is the best time of the year to discover the beaches of Sri Lanka. Keep in mind that travel expenses and room rates will be highest at this peak time of year. If you’re holiday takes you to Sri Lanka in March or April, be sure to find out when the New Year will be. The celebrations include elephant races, coconut games and pillow fights.

Rain or Shine

Though Sri Lanka does have monsoon seasons, the weather is often unpredictable. You can expect rains during the dry season and days with clear blue skies during the rainy season. The rains in Sri Lanka normally fall sharp and fast, often dropping a number of inches in just a few minutes. Even while traveling during the monsoon season, showers will not last all day. With rainfalls coming down so quickly, it’s important to be aware of localized flooding. Local floods can derail travel plans so try to be flexible if traveling during the monsoon seasons. The benefit of holidays in Sri Lanka during the non-peak season is that you can enjoy the benefit of lower travel costs and cheaper hotel costs.