Sri Lanka is an amazing country for travel in April, but the weather feels so unpredictable. Why is that? It's down to two monsoon seasons, as each impact on Sri Lanka in different places and different times of the year. Once arriving in Sri Lanka, is your only concern is the beaches? The best time to visit is in: December, January, February and March.
Those months have the lowest levels of rainfall in Sri Lanka and the country's peak season. March and April are the warmest months of the year. That's when the temperatures hover around about 90° Fahrenheit in a lot of places. Which is why we suggest you travel in April. A lot cheaper as well because peak season is coming to a close, you can pick up some great deals.
There is rain pretty much all year round in Sri Lanka, it's a tropical country after all. It can only be described as being hot and humid, despite any monsoon rainy season. From April onwards until the end of the year, it's not unusual for it to rain most days. The heaviest of the rains are in July and August, and again in November. But don't be put off by the rain because it isn't constant, often it's over before its begun. Showers don't last all that long, and the sunshine returns soon after.
Sri Lanka has two differing monsoon seasons. To get the best out of your holiday to the Island it's necessary to know as much as possible about each monsoon:
It's important to appreciate no matter the monsoon, Sri Lanka has places to discover. Is visiting Sri Lanka in April worth it? Most definitely, yes. Especially in April with tourist crowds thinning out before May comes about. The first monsoon lands in the south of the Island including the west coast too. That means, for April you are considering places that are:
Of course, that's not to say you're forbidden from going south or west. You can, only you accept that's where the heaviest of the rainfall might be. Once the first monsoon clears up the second one isn't far away. The second one takes shape on the opposite end of the Island:
Does that leave you scratching your head? That's how we felt, and it begs the question were are the 5 best places to travel in April.
A Sri Lanka trip in April is your last best chance of enjoying the Islands culture before the first deluge. A lot of the excitement of Sri Lanka builds up due to the wildlife, that's how it was for us anyway. Having been on safari in India, we were keen to see how neighboring Sri Lanka faired. Of all the possible adventures you could have in Sri Lanka, here are our top 5 for you:
Of course, there are beaches on the east of the Island. Are the beaches to the south and west of Sri Lanka better? That's a personal opinion actually. All the beaches are beautiful for a holiday experience. We'll disclose the best beaches but be wary of increased likelihood of rain during April. Those are:
Rain is unpredictable at the best of times, but it's not raining every day in April. Besides, if you are prepared to wait out the showers when it does rain, then great ― there is no problem. In April the showers are intermittent, not heavy. May arrives with twice the amount of rainfall seen in April.
Number one spot is the family friendly safari Yala National Park. It's one of the Island's best and most family friendly places to visit. What more can we add, to what we've already covered before? Only that you must go on a Yala safari on any springtime holiday. You must realize Sri Lanka is a top destination aside from its much larger neighbor, India. In fact, many Indians' holiday on Sri Lanka too, for the cooler climate.
The hilly parts of the country with higher altitudes are cooler, to the warmer coastal areas. Nuwara Eliya is a fine example of Sri Lanka's temperature variance. Yala National Park is bang on the southeast coast. The perfect location for your safari on the Island's most famous wildlife park. Don't delay, because later in the year, there's a monsoon hanging over the park.
When planning your Sri Lankan holiday, day to day things to do is when to decide on your Yala safari in April. Do you go with a half day tour or a full day tour? And if a half day tour, is it better to take a morning tour or afternoon tour. Then you've to book the darned tour and pay for it, in advance to avoid disappointment of missing out.
We took an afternoon tour for two reasons:
For most holidaying tourists, a half day is more than long enough. The half day tour lasts up to 5 hours, long enough to see most of the park's top wildlife, the leopards and elephants.
It's far more convenient and a sensible option to visit this Royal Palace when staying in Kandy City. The reason is simpler transport links, for the distance to travel. Nuwara Eliya is further to the south, and Sigiriya Rock to the north. We took a hire taxi to the attraction covering the 50km distance, it was to get us there quicker. Hiring a taxi on Sri Lanka is cheap, and haggling the cost can shave off as much as a dollar.
Sri Lanka is an amazing country for backpackers. The rock fortress is a top attraction for trekking enthusiasts. The Island in fact is one great adventure waiting for you. Many of you will arrive at Colombo's Bandaranaike International Airport. That'll be your starting point, or base for your holiday. Flying in from the US or Europe, it's your best bet. Coming to Sri Lanka from within Asia, you may have other options. Indian airlines have daily flights to Ratmalana Airport (also close to Colombo City) and Sigiriya's Airport.
You can avoid a lot of hassle by flying to the local airport from Colombo City, directly. We didn't, but you could if you wanted to. We wrote about Sigiriya Rock Fortress in another Sri Lankan travel guide, link below. That guide delves further into the potential for adventurous trekking destinations.
We were interested in visiting the temple, but due to time constraints, we negated on it. Your plans may differ and afford you the luxury of a visit? Of course, it's an important temple of cultural significance.
The heart and soul of Colombo City is its magnificent lake, Lake Beira. Fingers crossed you've had the sense to book a city tour in anticipation of your arrival. The lake adorns the city beautifully.
For quiet, more relaxing moments from the city's hustle, escape to the lake. Long walks you can enjoy, the lake is geared towards being friendly for couples and families. The lake is one of our top ten attractions in Colombo City by the way. We found our way there after wandering the local markets to buy fresh fruit and snacks. We had ourselves a picnic by the lakeside followed by a boat trip on the lake itself.
One popular spot on the lake is a small Island near to the lake's center. We shan't spoil it for you.
If you care to exercise your yoga practice, start from Viharamahadevi Park. It's also a great choice for those who love jogging early morning or late evening. Jogging not for you? Still, you enjoy a different sensation once the streetlights are lit. The park and lake are safe for an evening stroll, to finally end your day at one of the restaurants close by.
When booking your hotel in the city, find a hotel close to the lake. You don't want to be more than 15 minutes away. Day time temperatures can be 90° Fahrenheit and quite humid by mid-morning.
We found ourselves in Kandy City for the sights from Ella Rock. Traveling to Ella Town isn't a big deal, and you should consider it in any Sir Lankan travel itinerary. Make time on your holiday and be sure to board the Kandy to Ella Tea Train. The journey that may very well most of the day, is worth it in so many ways:
You stare out of the window at the true authenticity of Sri Lanka life, enjoying tea and cake. Frequently, you find locals on the train too, going about their business. Their kids full of energy playing chase. The local kids are playful and inclusive of other (foreign) kids, so keep a sharp eye on your kids. Could it be a long journey? If that's what you want, yes. It wasn't for us. The hours passed away, for we had:
Quite a few times we ventured to stick our heads out of the window for the breeze. The train has poor air conditioning, so sit next to a window that opens. Holding onto the handrails on the carriage doorway, to lean out for the thrill. The journey takes so long because the train is a lot slower moving (compared to trains back home). Hanging out at arm's length is safe.
Provided you are holding on to the rails, and there are no obstacles such as:
There are a few things we were not aware of about this train journey. Be sure to buy tickets for the fast train, to avoid the following concerns:
Your purchased ticket will cover the first class, second class or third-class carriages. Paying more for the first class isn't worth it in our opinion, pay second class. Being thrifty will land you in the carriage with more local people. The third-class carriages have much less personal space. Also, another thing. To ensure you actually get a seat to yourself in second class, book in advance for a reservation.
If you have no seat in second class, you won't get into first class. You'll get into third class though to find yourself a space on one of the benches there.
Note: Book your tickets in advance by 6 weeks to guarantee your tickets are ready and delivered to your Colombo City hotel in time. Once your tickets have been paid for, seats are reserved meaning no one else can have them. Each seat has a number, like at the cinema. Pay for everyone all together to ensure best chance of consecutive seats.
South of Kandy City is the town of Nuwara Eliya. Travel time by taxi is a touch over an hour. We realized traveling any distance in Sri Lanka, it's best by private taxi. Avoid the bus service is our advice. We found the bus services to be slow, unreliable and debilitating. No air conditioning, always crowded and uncomfortable. Hiring taxis in Sri Lanka (much the same in India in fact) is always an option. Cheap too, all considered.
In India, traveling by train is more ideal for distance travel. Say, between cities that are close together. Greater distances apart, it makes sense to catch a domestic flight. In Sri Lanka, stick to the tuks-tuks in town and taxis for distant journeys. We paid US$10 (in local currency) for our trip to Nuwara Eliya Town. Amazing.
Part and parcel of the Sri Lankan landscape is inclusive of Nuwara Eliya. The Kandy to Ella train does stop off at the town, but not for long enough in our experience. It's best to make arrangements to travel on another day. By doing so you can make a day trip of it from Kandy City, or Ella town. Which is more convenient for your plans.
The rolling, cascading hills surrounding the town are gorgeous. All around you as far as the eye can see are tea plantations. The tea estates are responsible for some of the best tea in the world. As good, delicious and sought after as what Assam tea is. We arrived in town too late in the morning, missing sights of the mist rising over the forest canopy.
Rest assured, if we're ever back to Nuwara Eliya again, we won't miss nothing.
If you are not heading to Nuwara Eliya as part of a guided tour from Kandy City, think about hiring a car or taxi. Renting a moped or motorbike isn't advisable in our opinion. In April it may rain without warning ― a motorbike offers you no shelter. If your travel insurance covers you driving a car, do so from US$28 a day. The bigger the car you choose, the more expensive of course.
Things to see and do in Nuwara Eliya include:
Best time for Europeans to travel to Sri Lanka? We'd say January and February. That is when the south and west of the Island is most pleasant, and driest. Although it can rain all year round on Sri Lanka, often there can be consecutive days without rain. It's a lucky dip what you get but for the beaches, travel those two months for best results.
Remember, Sri Lanka seldom dips below 80° Fahrenheit so it feels warm no matter what.
If you've ever had a holiday in India, no matter where and enjoyed yourself then Sri Lanka is for you. You'll enjoy a holiday on the Island and April is as good a month as any. Even if you've never been to India, then Sri Lanka will open your eyes to what you could expect with India. No argument to which is best or better, or which one to begin with. Both are so like the other. If you can't decide on either, settle it by flipping a coin.
What is certain, when you do travel to Sri Lanka for your holiday you won't be stuck for anything to do. There are many things to see and do, as you can tell from our travel guide. The attraction of Sri Lanka is the natural landscape. Beautiful tea estates span the Island's highlands. One more convenience of Sri Lanka, and the other way around, is you can piggyback from one to the other.
Spend a week on Sri Lanka, and then head off to some place in India. It's so easy to make that happen, it's incredible you can't believe it. Not until you touch down in Mumbai City for example. So, think about it, won't you? Any holiday to Sri Lanka, you won't be disappointed.
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Hello, we are George and Elle Mae Melyre.
Over the years, amidst work and family life, we have traveled extensively throughout Asia. Any chance to briefly escape or properly holiday in our beloved Asian destinations is eagerly seized, motivated by the enduring dream of leaving behind the UK's dreary cold for tropical climes.