As monsoon rains start to take over the southwestern coast of Sri Lanka, tourists start to leave the country. You’ll see them at airports, reviewing a thousand photos of the most spectacular beaches and greenery, and a thousand selfies of themselves in the same areas. You’ll smile and nod at them as they’re vacating the same hostels and resorts that you’ve booked at a far more affordable price than them. But they don’t know about it. You may also get to witness one of the most colourful festivals in the country.
That’s because you planned your trip in advance. You knew that May is a shoulder month, meaning that even though rains wash over a part of the country and drive people out, they also plummet the prices. And that other parts of the country remain dry and hot. You knew that because you read until the very end of this article and got to know some priceless information about one of the best times to visit Sri Lanka.
Weather in Sri Lanka in May
- South-and-west Sri Lanka: Let’s get the unfavourable out of the way to focus on which places are best suited to visit during May. With the oncoming of the Yala monsoon, the south and the west regions of the country start experiencing a whole lot of rainfall. Even though the temperature hovers around 30°C during the day, if you’re planning a beach trip to south Sri Lanka, this might not be the ideal time to do so.
- East Sri Lanka: Instead, what you can do is head over to the east coast, where the sea and the skies are equally turquoise and appealing. Areas like Arugam Bay, Batticaloa, and Trincomalee experience an average temperature of 28-32°C with minimal rainfall during the month of May.
- North Sri Lanka: The Northern tip of Sri Lanka, including areas like Jaffna and Mannar, are also relatively unaffected by the southwestern monsoon. But the temperatures average at 30-32°C, making it a hot and humid time to be around.
- Highlands and central Sri Lanka: The highlands, thanks to being at a higher altitude, with areas like Nuwara Eliya and Ella remain 10°C cooler than the rest of the country during the day. Occasional rainfall does occur, so make sure to have a raincoat or an umbrella with you at all times. The central cultural capital of Sri Lanka, with areas like Anuradhapura, Sigiriya, and Dambulla, remain hot with average temperatures around 30°C during the day with 5-7 days of rainfall during the month of May.
Festivals in Sri Lanka in May
- Vesak Poya: The Sinhala lunar calendar follows the waxing and waning of the moon to mark each of its months. Vesak is this calendar’s second month. And Poya is the full moon day that happens each month. Thus making Vesak Poya the full moon day of the month of Vesak. It’s widely believed that Buddha was born, attained enlightenment, and died on this very day across the years. This threefold entanglement of the life and death of Buddha makes it an extremely important day in Buddhism.
- What to expect during this time: hordes of devotees across pilgrimage sites in Sri Lanka offering incense, flowers, and lighting lamps. Dansalas, or places where free food is given to people. Pandols, or colourful but temporary gates and structures erected to celebrate the Buddha. And to accompany all of it, Bakthi Gee, or devotional songs commemorating this auspicious time.
As the festival is based on the lunar calendar, it doesn’t occur on the same day in the English calendar every year. In 2025, the day is 12 May.
Please note that Vesak Poya is a Public holiday in Sri Lanka.
Places to visit in Sri Lanka in May
Cultural triangle: Many temples and holy sites in the area around Anuradhapura, Dambulla, Sigiriya and Kandy offer keen insights into Sri Lanka’s heritage. Mihintale, around 12 kms from Anuradhapura is believed to be the starting point of Buddhism in Sri Lanka. Sri Maha Bodhi tree at Mahamewuna Gardens is one of the oldest human-planted trees in the world. Thuparamaya Dagoba is the oldest Buddhist stupa in Sri Lanka. The best way to travel across the towns and multiple small stops at your own pace is by renting your own tuktuk. And after you’re done exploring the cultural triangle, you can take the same tuktuk and drive over to the eastern coast of Sri Lanka to relax on the beaches.
Trincomalee: Warm and pleasant weather, fewer tourists, calm seas, affordable stays, cultural sites to explore – do we need to mention more to get you to visit it?
Arugam Bay: All of the things from Trincomalee along with surfing and even more incredible views of the sea. Read more about driving your own tuktuk in and around Arugam Bay here.
Yala National Park: Known for leopard sightings, May is the beginning of the peak season for this national park in the southeastern part of Sri Lanka. But there’s plenty of other animals like elephants, wild boards, and crocodiles to spot too. You can stay in nearby towns of Tissamaharama or the sacred city Kataragama, explore Buddhist monasteries, and take a trip to the adjoining national park during your stay.
Jaffna: With forts, temples, national parks, and beaches, this town at the tip of the Sri Lankan island offers a great range of activities to engage in. Read more about Jaffna, what to do in and around it, and take in all the experiences on your own terms in this guide.
Offbeat experiences in Sri Lanka in May
Pasikudah: Currently a hidden gem in several tourist and travel website lists, this eastern coastal town between Trincomalee and Batticaloa is a must visit for people looking to walk on gentle white sandy beaches and a shallow calming sea that extends for miles. Kayaking and snorkeling through reefs are just a couple of added bonuses you can experience in the area.
Kumana National Park: Slightly more eastwards than its more popular counterpart Yala, Kumana National Park is more approachable from Arugam Bay. It offers a similar wildlife experience as Yala but with the guarantee of being a bit less explored, with even fewer travellers.
Galkadawala: Just an hour’s drive away from one of the cultural triangle towns of Dambulla, you can stay along with the locals just like the locals in one of Sri Lanka’s best kept secrets. This green oasis is slightly less accessible than other more popular towns and villages in the area, so make sure to have your bookings sorted before heading there.
Plan your trip to save resources and better experiences
We know it’s been said a hundred times in a hundred different ways but we believe it needs to be said once again: plan your trip! Not only will it help you stake out all the various places you can potentially visit, but also help you allocate your budget in the most appropriate ways. We understand the importance of money in your and our tuktuk partners’ daily lives. So we offer free travel itinerary planning sessions to help you experience our beautiful country on your own terms. Book one now.
You might also consider downloading the Tuktukrental Travel App. It features offline maps, offbeat recommendations and even helps fellow tuktuk-ers on the road connect for information or just a few post drive beers – or the local Sri Lankan arrack if you are feeling adventurous!
