Sri Lanka

Summary

A teardrop-shaped island off the southeast coast of India, Sri Lanka is a country rich with culture, history, and natural beauty. A deeply Buddhist country – with one of the most important shrines in the world, the Temple of the Tooth – Sri Lanka also has remnants of Dutch, Portuguese and British colonisation, which manifest itself in the beautiful architecture and archaeological sites, as well as Sri Lanka's distinctive culture. From a high hinterland it offers caves, crags, waterfalls and forests full of wildlife, meanwhile, the coast is lined with palm-fringed. golden sandy beaches and sparkling waters that are home to an abundance of aquatic creatures.

Experiences

• Explore the streets of Colombo
• View Kandy’s Temple of the Tooth
• Climb Sigiriya Rock
• Go on safari in the Yala National Park
• Visit a tea plantation
• Relax on the beaches of Bentota

Seasons

Sri Lanka experiences a tropical climate with distinct wet and dry seasons, but very little temperature variation, it is always hot and humid. Temperatures in coastal regions averages 27°C

Sri Lanka has two seasons – the drier high season and the monsoonal low season. When the south and west coast and Hill Country are in season (November to April) the east coast experiences a monsoon, and vice versa.

There are also mid-season peaks (July/August) that coincide with the less showery inter-monsoon periods

Best time to go

The best time to visit depends on where you wish to travel, but it is best to try and avoid the rains.  November to April sees dry weather on the west coast and May to September sees the dry weather on the east coast.