Sri Lanka in December and January: Where to Go

December and January are the most popular months to visit Sri Lanka. The south-west monsoon is long gone, the beaches of the south and west are at their best, and visitors arrive from Europe's winter. It's a wonderful time to come, as long as you choose the right side of the island and book ahead.

The weather in brief

Sri Lanka has two monsoons that affect opposite sides of the island. In December and January, the north-east monsoon brings rain to the east and north, while the south and west are dry and sunny. Our guide to the best time to visit explains the pattern in full.

• South and west coasts: sunshine, calm seas and daytime temperatures around 30°C. Early December can still see showers, and conditions settle as the month goes on.
• Hill country: increasingly clear from late December, with cold nights. Nuwara Eliya can drop close to freezing on January nights.
• Cultural Triangle: mixed. December is one of the wetter months around Sigiriya and Anuradhapura. January is drier, with showers still possible.
• East coast and north: the wet season, with rough seas. Many places in Arugam Bay and Nilaveli are closed.

Where to go

• The south coast. Galle, Unawatuna, Mirissa, Hiriketiya and Tangalle are all in season. Surfing is good at Weligama and Midigama.
• The west coast. Bentota, Hikkaduwa and Negombo have calm seas, and Kalpitiya is at its best for dolphins.
• Kandy and the hills. Kandy, Nuwara Eliya and Ella are green and pleasant, with the clearest skies from January.
• National parks. Yala, Udawalawe and Wilpattu are all open. The parks are lush after the rains, so animals are more spread out than in the dry months.

What's special at this time

• Whale watching. The season for blue whales off Mirissa runs from about November to April. See our whale watching guide.
• Adam's Peak. The pilgrimage season opens on the full moon of December and runs until May. The path is lit, tea shops are open, and you climb with thousands of pilgrims. Read our climbing guide.
• Christmas and New Year. Hotels hold gala dinners, often compulsory and charged extra. The beaches are lively.
• Duruthu Perahera. On the January full moon, Kelaniya temple near Colombo holds a grand procession.
• Thai Pongal. The Tamil harvest festival falls in mid-January, and it is best seen in Jaffna and the hill-country estates.

Our festivals calendar has dates.

The downsides

This is peak season, and it shows.

• Prices for hotels and drivers are at their highest, especially from about 20 December to 10 January.
• Availability is tight. Good hotels, the Kandy to Ella train and popular drivers are booked weeks or months ahead.
• Crowds at Sigiriya, Nine Arches Bridge and Galle Fort are at their peak.

Book accommodation early, reserve train seats as soon as bookings open, and start your days early to stay ahead of the tour buses.

A sample 10-day route

1. Days 1–2: Arrive and head to Sigiriya and Dambulla. Carry a rain jacket.
2. Days 3–4: Kandy and the Temple of the Tooth.
3. Days 5–6: Take the train to Ella for hikes and tea.
4. Day 7: Safari at Udawalawe or Yala.
5. Days 8–10: The south coast: Mirissa for whales, and Galle Fort to finish.

Our 10-day itinerary and 2-week itinerary have the detail.

What to pack

Light clothes and swimwear for the coast, a fleece or jacket for the hills, a light rain layer, and modest clothing for temples. See our packing list.