Why you should go to Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is a tropical treasure chest stuffed with all the ingredients for a great vacation, from dreamy beaches to verdant mountains, mystical temples to majestic wildlife. Exploring the teardrop isle is straightforward, as distances are manageable and sights are well spread across the nation, so you can fit all sorts of activities into your trip. If you are looking for a beach break with a side order of safari, or a cultural tour with some adventure sports mixed in, Sri Lanka is the destination for you. Here’s a taster of what your adventure could involve, as we explore the best reasons to visit Sri Lanka.

Our top reasons to visit Sri Lanka

Tropical coastlines

Beaches are easy to come by in Sri Lanka, so whether your ideal shore is deserted or bustling, full of local charm or international facilities, you can find it here. The west coast is packed with impressive beaches and plenty of resorts and hotels to serve them. A more backwater charm pervades the south coast, where the tourist scene is visible but not all-enveloping, and some of the prettiest beaches hereabouts are also the best locations for whale-watching trips.

Surfers should head for Weligama and Midigama or, if you hope to catch a glimpse of the iconic stilt fisherman of Sri Lanka, the coast between Galle and Koggala is the place to look. If you venture north into the Tamil region around Jaffna, the beaches you will find lacing the shorelines of the Palk Strait islands are often deserted and beautiful, though require a little effort to reach.

Colonial charm

Sitting proudly on a rocky promontory on Sri Lanka’s south coast, Galle Fort is the epitome of picturesque. Stroll the lanes among delicately crumbling Dutch colonial architecture, stop to browse a few boutiques or galleries before picking a spot outside a cafe to watch the world go by. Breezy Galle has abundant charm and a colorful daily life to admire, and is within easy reach of some great stretches of coastline.

Further colonial ambiance can be found in the central uplands known as the Hill Country, where tea plantations cloak the hills in brightest green and pickers thread among the bushes plucking the finest leaves by hand. In the mid-19th century, tea began to replace coffee as the crop of choice following a severe and widespread case of coffee blight. Ceylon tea, as it was known, became a favored brand for its quality and flavor, and the industry is thriving to this day. Nuwara Eliya is a hub of tea production in Sri Lanka, established as a hill retreat for colonialists who would regularly seek refuge from the heat of the lowlands. The Queen’s Cottage, Grand Hotel and Post Office are some examples of the British colonial style in the town, which is also known for its neat lawns, golf club and formal parks.

Cultural relics

Sri Lanka has a profound and enduring cultural heritage, and the monuments of the Cultural Triangle bear testament to this. Climb the impressive Sigiriya Rock for a trip back in time and explore the ruined fortress-palace atop the 200m-high bluff. Not only is the view from the top worth the 1,000 steps, but as you ascend, you can pause to admire the fine artistic representations of the female form painted on the rock’s surface.

Further cultural relics in the area include the ruined early capital of the Sinhalese Kingdom at Anuradhapura, where several temples and monasteries are still used today, while others have been left to be reclaimed by nature. Around a millennia ago, power was transferred to a new base at Polonnaruwa, and though largely abandoned, more of the city is still standing.

Finally, don’t miss the fascinating cave temples of Dambulla, a series of five underground places of worship established by kings of centuries past. Parts of the complex are around 2,000 years old and all areas are adorned with multiple statues of Buddha, including an immense reclining statue more than 50m long. What makes this place so atmospheric is its ongoing status as a place of pilgrimage, so you are likely to share your visit with devoted pilgrims who come here to worship and leave offerings of flowers and fruit.

Where to spot wildlife in Sri Lanka

Yala National Park is the most famous spot for wildlife-watching in Sri Lanka, as it boasts the world’s densest concentration of leopards. The chance of spotting leopards in the wild is rightly an attractive option for many visitors to Sri Lanka, and though a sighting is by no means guaranteed, the park is hugely popular – so be prepared for busy game drives and long waits to get started. If you’re not going to prioritize leopard sightings or you’re lucky enough to spot one early in your tour, you can leave the crowds behind and go in search of less-celebrated animals such as buffalo, jackals, sloth bears, spotted deer, crocodiles, and all sorts of birds.

Further inland, a much quieter prospect is Udawalawe National Park, where the routes are mostly free of jeeps and the hundreds of elephants are the major draw. You can also enjoy sightings of various creatures frolicking in the wetlands, such as buffalo, crocs and various waterfowl; the very fortunate may even spot a leopard here, too. Wilpattu is another peaceful National Park popular with birders, along with the wetland park at Bundala where you may be lucky enough to see turtles, as well.

Planning your trip: choosing the best time to go to Sri Lanka

When is the best time to visit Sri Lanka?

We’ve gathered local knowledge of the different weather patterns to help you decide when to visit Sri Lanka. Its climate picture is fairly complex, but one thing that doesn’t vary too much is the average temperature which hovers reliably above 68 degrees Fahrenheit all year round, though the peak daytime temperatures can often be higher than this. It’s a tropical country with high humidity, and even in the dry season there will be frequent short showers which keep everything green and lush. What makes the climate of Sri Lanka complicated are the monsoons, as they affect different regions at different times, but the flip side of this is that the sun is always shining somewhere on the island.

The best months to visit Sri Lanka by area

Many of the most popular attractions in Sri Lanka are clustered in the south and west, a region which encompasses Galle, Colombo, the hill country and the beach resorts of the west and south coasts. If these destinations are your priority, aim for December to March, when this area enjoys its driest months. From April to September the Yala monsoon makes itself felt here, most strongly in May and June, though from July onwards it does ease a little.

Conversely, when the Yala monsoon is unleashing its storms in the southwest, the north and east are enjoying their drier months. However, these regions also have a Maha monsoon season which affects the east coast particularly from November to March.

The best months to tour all regions in one trip

If you intend to undertake a comprehensive tour, taking in all areas of the island, look at April, September or October – this allows you to avoid monsoon rains although you should expect some stormy weather at times. Between the stormy intervals the weather is good enough for sightseeing and beach time.

The low season months of May to August are a good time to visit Sri Lanka if you prefer to travel without the crowds, when the weather is pleasant in the cultural triangle and the north and east. If you are hoping to catch sight of the many marine mammals that frequent the waters off the south coast, aim for December to April when the seas are calmest and the numbers of whales and dolphins are at their highest.

Make it happen

Have these top reasons to visit Sri Lanka inspired you to plan a trip? Get in touch with our expect local partners who know their home country inside-out – they can combine your ideas into a dream itinerary created just for you, as well as provide you with many more reasons to visit Sri Lanka.