BEST TIME TO VISIT SRI LANKA
In our opinion the best time to visit Sri Lanka is March!
Vivid tea plantations, beaches with the most spectacular sunsets, timeless ruins and animal encounters make Sri Lanka a fascinating country to visit. The little island on the south of India is the home to eight UNESCO World Heritage Sights, several national parks with elephant- filled safaris and one of most beautiful train rides in the world.
MAGICAL SRI LANKA
Although you can visit the main spots of Sri Lanka in just a week, we recommend that you take your time enjoying the diversity of the country over a period of 2 weeks.
The south coast is filled with unique beaches ready to welcome surfers, sunset lovers and curious people ready to go whale watching. However, for people wanting to escape the tropical climate of the coasts, the hills located in the center of the country are perfect for visiting tea plantations in Nuwara Eliya, hiking around Ella’s mountains to find hidden waterfalls and exploring the ancient city of Kandy.
The further up you go, the more you’ll be surrounded by Sri Lanka’s ancient ruins and religious temples. Sigiriya, which welcomes you with splendid gardens, is a 370 mt rock that stands out from the landscape and is placed on top of ruins that are covered with art. The city of Anuradhapura contains Sri Lanka’s most famous ruins and is filled with architectural wonders. In the middle of this 3km2 ,you can find one of the world’s oldest trees, the 2000 year old Sri Maha Bodhi.
Across the whole country you can enjoy Sri Lanka’s markets and experience the diversity of flavours that the country offers. Most of the people are vegetarian, so you will find many meat-free meals, being rice and curry the national dish.
BEST TIME TO VISIT SRI LANKA
The best time to visit Sri Lanka is March, as you avoid the two monsoon seasons that occur throughout the island during the year and you can experience nature in its purest version: Blue and Sperm whales are swimming around the coasts and elephants and leopards come out to drink water at wildlife reserves.
However, even though it might sound like a cliche, Sri Lanka can be an all-year round destination. Temperatures on the island remain pretty much constant, with the coastal regions varying between 25°-30°C and the highlands 15°-18°C. Besides this, Sri Lanka has two monsoon seasons which affect different places of the island at different times.
The south- western monsoon can affect most of the island which occurs around May and October. During these times, the northern and eastern regions have sunny and dry weather. On the other hand, during the months of November and February, monsoon season hits the north and east of the country, whereas the south and west have a pleasant weather.
BREATHTAKING BEACHES IN SRI LANKA
Around the coast of Sri Lanka, especially the southern one, you will find countless stunning beaches, each one with something unique. Starting with the town of Tangalla you can visit the main Tangalla Beach and the untouched Marakolliya Beach, home of tropical flowers and mangrove lagoons. If you continue your travel around the south coast, the next stop would have to be Mirissa Beach: restaurants by the sea, whale watching, the most spectacular sunsets and a vivid nightlife, make this place a family and a backpacker destination. For any beginner surfer wanting to continue to learn, Weligama Beach, which is only 20 minutes away from Mirissa, would be the best destination for it. However, to find spectacular coral reefs, golden sand and palm trees, Unawatuna Beach is the best option.
The town of Galle is not only known by its amazing beach where you can find the famous stilt fishermen, but it’s also a Unesco World Heritage Site with Dutch colonial buildings and ancient mosques and churches. It’s one of the most beautiful towns of Sri Lanka’s southern coast and perfect to walk around it by foot.
KANDY AND ELLA
Kandy and Ella are among the two most beautiful towns in the highlands of Sri Lanka. On one hand, Kandy is known as the cultural capital of the island. The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, one of the the most important Buddhist temples in the world, contains the tooth of the historical Buddha and its part of the Buddhist pilgrimage circuit. It is located close to Kandy Lake, where one can also enjoy cultural performances of dance and drumming , that represent ancient spiritual acts of purification and worship.
Ella, on the other hand, is a town located in the middle of a farmland growing vegetables and tea plantations, perfect for anyone wanting to get away from the tropical weather of the coast. It is surrounded by vivid green hills, where one can hike around the trails and search for hidden waterfalls, like the Rawana Waterfall. The main hike is Little Adam’s Peak, which is a easy climb and provides breathtaking views. It was named after the bigger version of it, the holy mountain of Adam’s Peak, which is close to the town Nuwara Eliya. This is not only a more challenging climb, but it’s also the place where all religions present in Sri Lanka find a spot. The mountain is also called Sri Pada, which means “sacred footprint”, because of the shape of the rock formation near the summit. The buddhists believe that it’s Buddha’s footprint, the Hindus believe it’s Shiva’s and Islamic and Christians, that it belongs to Adan.
TRAIN RIDES & TEA PLANTATIONS
One of the best experiences in Sri Lanka is it’s spectacular train rides. While the country was a British colony, until 1948, it developed a very efficient rail system, which operates around the whole country. One of the most beautiful train rides in the world is known to be the route from Nuwara Eliya to the town of Ella; it’s usually very packed but if you are standing up, you can find a place near the door to enjoy the views of endless green carpet hills of tea plantations.
Even though Nuwara Eliya is one of the main tea plantation towns in Sri Lanka, you can find them around the whole of Hill Country. There are tours that teach you about the 150 year- old tea industry, take you to see how the leaves are produced and show you why it’s one of the best teas in the world.
NATIONAL PARKS
Udawalawe, is one of the most popular national parks in Sri Lanka. It is located in the south of the island and it’s the home of colourful birds, buffaloes and elephants. Heading to the southern coast, you will find Yala National Park, a greenland and forest area where you can see animals, like leopards, elephants and crocodiles, roaming freely in their natural habitat. However, the only national park that is one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites is Sinharaja Forest Reserve. It’s the last area on the island with primary tropical rainforest and is home to a variety of mammals, butterflies, insects and reptiles.
Whether you’re an adventurer ready to hike around the highlands, a passionate learner wanting to explore more about rich culture and traditions or someone who is just wanting to take a vacation in stunning beaches, Sri Lanka is the destination for you. Get ready to live around welcoming people and get immersed in the most untainted version of nature. Make sure that you check out our sustainable travelling tips so that you can protect the country as your explore it.
by Clara Preve
Freelance travel writer
