Plan Your Trip

When to visit Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is a year round destination with an abundance of sunshine all year round. The average temperature is around 27°C - 30°C in most parts of Island. The temperature gradually drops as the land rises towards the hill country, with some parts of the highland as low as below 10°C.

The island has two wet monsoon seasons; briefly between May and July in the south-west region and between December and January in the north-east. However, Sri Lanka has no off season per se as clear blue skied bright sunny days are the general rule even during the wet season.

Sri Lanka is 5 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Median Time), 2½ hours behind Singapore and 4½ hours behind Australia EST (Eastern Standard Time).

Booking in advance

The peak season is between December to March as many European travelers prefer the warm sunshine and the golden beaches of Sri Lanka. It is common that most popular hotels are overbooked due to the limited room inventory in the country especially along the coast (Beach Resorts) and in Kandy the Hill Capital of Sri Lanka.

Apart from this period, the months of July & August could be also considered a peak period in Kandy due to the famous “Esala Perahera” which is a must to see for all travellers.

Therefore, it is advisable to book in advance if you are planning a trip during the peak season.

What to pack

Sri Lanka has a tropical country and cotton clothes are the most ideal to wear and of course your bathing suits are a must if you are visiting the beaches. Sun tan lotion could be very handy as it can be very hot sometimes.

If you are visiting the cultural and religious sites, it is a must that you wear appropriate clothing. Gents are required to wear trousers to cover their knees or a “sarong” with a shirt or T-shirt. Ladies should ideally wear decent attire such as a trouser or a skirt to cover the knees and a blouse or t-shirt. It may not be advisable for ladies to wear deep necked or a sleeveless top.

Organizing your trip

If you are interested in booking a Round Trip programme, the flight times is an important component when making the maximum use of your stay. Habarana is a central point when visiting cultural sites such as Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya, and Dambulla and is approximately 3 hrs away from the Airport.

Most travellers prefer to drive up to Habarana directly from the airport when they arrive in the morning. Most European and Middle East carriers arrive early morning to Sri Lanka which is ideal for most travelers. Overnight stays close to the airport or in Colombo is considered practical for late evening arrivals.

How about Visa’s?

It is not a huge problem to obtain a visa to visit Sri Lanka as many nationals are granted a visit visa on arrival valid for 30 days.