Sri Lanka weather & when to go: December

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Where's the
Wildlife?

wildlife


Whilst most National Parks can be visited year-round and still promise a high chance of spotting wildlife, the following parks are at their peak during December: Uda Walawe, Sinharaja, Bundala

Dolphins and whales (blue & sperm whales) can be spotted off the southern coast near Mirissa and north-west coast near Kalpitiya during December.   

December top tip

Peak season is well underway. Avoid the key Christmas dates to benefit from cheaper flights and to dodge the hotel's high season surcharges. Having said that, how better to spend Christmas than on a Sri Lankan beach?!

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December Overview

Along the western and southern coasts the rainfall continues to decline as south-west monsoon fast becomes a distant memory. As the recent unsettled weather fades away, plenty of sunshine and dry days are expected as peak beach conditions return (avg temp: 30 °C).

Up in the hills the rainfall also drops slightly, although it’s still wet and evenings continue to be chilly. December marks the beginning of the Adam's Peak pilgrimage season, which runs throughout the dry season until May.  

Further north in the Cultural Triangle, rainfall is still high, although the peak figures of the previous month should have dropped considerably, especially by the end of the month (avg temp: 27 °C).

In the north and along the east coast, rainfall continues to be high as the north-east monsoon blows.

Where's the
sun and sand?

sun and sand

Galle, Bentota, Negombo, Weligama, Mirissa, Tangalle

Key Festivals & Religious Ceremonies

 

Unduvap

Unduvap

This full day is a memorial day of Sangamitta, Asoka's daughter, who brought a sapling from a scared Bodhi Tree in India to Sri Lanka. The tree grown from that sapling still stands in Anuradhapura today.

See Sri Lanka’s weather in other months ⇦ ⇨