Month guide
Sri Lanka in December
Dry season opens on the west and south coasts, in the hills and the Cultural Triangle, while the east coast takes the year's heaviest rain, and the 20th splits the month into two different holidays.
Is December a good time to visit?
Yes, for the classic west-and-hills route. December opens the dry season on the west and south coasts, in the hill country and across the Cultural Triangle, while the east coast (Trincomalee, Pasikudah, Arugam Bay) stays deep in its monsoon: Batticaloa gets 469mm for the month. The bigger question is timing within December: the window from 20 December to early January is the busiest and most expensive of the year, overlapping German, French, Dutch and Victorian Australian school holidays at once, while the first half of the month gets close to the same weather with far fewer people.
The verdict
Go west and up. Come early in the month if you can.
December opens the northeast monsoon, which wets the east coast and north while the west, south, hill country and Cultural Triangle dry out from the October-November inter-monsoon. The numbers bear this out precisely: Batticaloa (469mm) and Trincomalee (339mm) are deep in their wet season, while Colombo (171mm) and Galle (176mm) are meaningfully drier than November and falling fast toward January's low point. The real December decision is the calendar, not the map: before the 20th you get near-peak-season weather at shoulder-season calm; from the 20th, the year's biggest crowds arrive with the Christmas and New Year holidays.
- Best regions
- West & south coasts, hills, Cultural Triangle
- Skip
- East coast, Sinharaja rainforest
- Sea for swimming
- West and south
- Crowds
- Calm until ~20 Dec, then the year's peak
- Book ahead
- 2-3 months for the Christmas-New Year window
Region by region
The weather in December, honestly
December opens the northeast monsoon, which runs December to March, so the east coast and north stay wet while the west, south, hills and Cultural Triangle dry out fast from the October-November inter-monsoon. Temperatures barely move: coastal Sri Lanka stays warm every December. Hill-country figures above are Nuwara Eliya's; Ella sits lower and tends to run warmer and drier. Figures are 1991 to 2020 climate averages.
| Region | Temperatures | Rainfall | Sea | Call it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| East coast (Trincomalee, Pasikudah, Arugam Bay) | 24-29°C | Trincomalee ~339mm/15.0 rain days; Batticaloa ~469mm/16.8 rain days, the heaviest monthly rainfall on this page's table | Rough; deep in the northeast monsoon | Deep monsoon, skip |
| Cultural Triangle (Sigiriya, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa) | 23-30°C | Anuradhapura ~225mm/12.2 rain days | n/a | Good, not yet driest |
| Kandy | 18-27°C | ~196mm/14 rain days | n/a | Fine with a plan B |
| Hill country (Nuwara Eliya, Ella) | 12-19°C, cold nights | Nuwara Eliya ~183mm/14.9 rain days | n/a | Pack proper layers |
| South-east (Tangalle, Yala) | 24-30°C | Hambantota ~132mm/9.4 rain days | Calmer than the south-west proper | Workable, drier than the coasts either side |
| South-west coast (Bentota, Galle, Mirissa) | 24-30°C | Galle ~176mm/11.2 rain days, easing from November | Settling; beach season opening | Beach season opens |
| Colombo & Negombo | 24-31°C | ~171mm/9.0 rain days | Settling; dry season begins | Dry season begins |
| North (Jaffna) | 23-29°C | ~274mm/11.9 rain days | Still unsettled, inside the northeast monsoon | Still wet here |
Conditions on the ground right now: see our current safety rating.
Route planning
How a trip works in December
The classic circuit, south-west coast, hill country, Cultural Triangle, is the only shape that makes sense weather-wise. December runs it in full: Sigiriya's rock fortress and Dambulla's painted cave temple, Kandy and the tea country, then a south-coast finish at Galle or Mirissa. The planning decision that matters more than the route is the calendar: before 20 December, hotels and sights carry a fraction of the crowd they will from the 20th onward, for close to the same weather.
Pack for dry, warm coasts and Cultural Triangle heat, and proper layers for cold Nuwara Eliya nights, average low around 12°C. The east coast is not part of a December route; Batticaloa and Trincomalee are both deep in their wettest stretch.
Ready-made routes
Itineraries that suit December
Names December to March directly as the driest hill-country weather and the best safari conditions.
Also names December to March, and December sits inside the Mirissa whale-watching window its south-coast finish is built around.
Names December to March for the best balance of dry hill-country weather, the whale-watching window and manageable heat across the full loop.
What the month is good for
In season in December
Genuinely in season
- Southwest surf season underway (Weligama, Hikkaduwa, Midigama)
- Mirissa whale watching enters its peak window
- Kalpitiya's winter kitesurfing season begins mid-month
- Yala fully open; strong December safari conditions
- The full classic route: Sigiriya, Kandy, tea country, south coast
Skip or reconsider this month
- East-coast beaches: Trincomalee and Batticaloa in their wettest stretch of the year
- Sinharaja rainforest, a UNESCO-listed lowland rainforest reserve: November-December is its heaviest-rain window; go from January onwards
- Minneriya and Kaudulla elephant gathering: closed; its window sits within roughly May to October
- Anything unbooked between 20 December and early January
The Kandy-Ella train, this month
As of our September 2026 check, the Kandy-Ella train is not running end-to-end from Kandy: only the Nanu Oya-Ella-Badulla section operates, following Cyclone Ditwah damage. The Kandy-Nanu Oya stretch is expected to reopen around the end of 2026 or early 2027, which may or may not have happened by your December travel date; check current status before counting on it. We arrange the road-to-Nanu-Oya workaround either way.
Dates that shape the month
Festivals and holidays
- Unduvap Full Moon Poya
- Wednesday 23 December 2026. Nationwide: alcohol sales paused, temples busy and beautiful.
- Christmas & New Year
- Not public holidays across the island, but the tourism high point of the year on the coasts.
Poya-day rules apply island-wide: no alcohol sales, many shops close, temples fill. We plan drives and dinners around it.
Crowds and money
One month, two price tags
Until about the 20th, December is a quiet stretch of close-to-peak weather at shoulder-season calm. From 20 December, several major markets' school holidays land at once: Germany's Weihnachtsferien (from as early as 21 December, depending on the state), France's vacances de Noël (19 December to 4 January, nationwide), the Netherlands' kerstvakantie (19 December to 3 January) and Victoria, Australia's long summer break (19 December to 26 January). Galle Fort, Mirissa and Sigiriya all run at maximum crowd through that window, and the whale boats sell out. Book hotels 2 to 3 months out for that window; for the first half of December, relax.
Quick answers
December questions
Is December a good time to visit Sri Lanka?
Yes, for the classic west-and-hills route. December opens the dry season on the west and south coasts and across the Cultural Triangle. The east coast is the exception; it is deep in its monsoon (Batticaloa gets around 469mm, Trincomalee around 339mm), so December trips should stay west and south.
Is early December different from late December?
Meaningfully. The 20 December to early January window is the busiest of the year, overlapping German, French, Dutch and Victorian Australian school holidays at once (see below); book that window 2 to 3 months ahead. Arriving 1 to 15 December gets close to the same weather with far fewer people.
Where should I avoid in Sri Lanka in December?
The east coast is in its wettest stretch (Batticaloa around 469mm, roughly two to three times Colombo's), and Sinharaja rainforest is in its heaviest-rain window in November-December, so save that trek for January onwards. Everything west, south and upcountry is in play.
Is the Kandy to Ella train running in December 2026?
Not end-to-end from Kandy, as of our September 2026 check: only the Nanu Oya to Ella to Badulla section operates after Cyclone Ditwah damage, with the Kandy side expected back around the end of 2026 or early 2027. We arrange the practical version: road to Nanu Oya, ride the scenic remnant, driver meets you with the luggage.
Which school holidays overlap December travel?
Germany's Weihnachtsferien (21 December to 12 January, depending on the state), France's vacances de Noël (19 December to 4 January), the Netherlands' kerstvakantie (19 December to 3 January) and Victoria, Australia's summer break (19 December to 26 January) all overlap the 20 December to early January peak window.
Is Sinharaja worth visiting in December?
Not really. November-December is Sinharaja's heaviest-rain window; the better months are January to April and August to September.
Is the Minneriya or Kaudulla elephant gathering on in December?
No. The gathering's window sits within roughly May to October, so it has closed well before December.
Weather figures are typical ranges; festival dates are confirmed for 2026-27 where listed. Updated September 2026.
Travelling in December? We plan around its weather, not against it.
Private car and driver, routes matched to the month, and one all-inclusive quote before you commit.