Visiting Sri Lanka in April: What to expect
Planning a trip to Sri Lanka and wondering whether April is a good time to visit? The short answer is yes, April is one of the best months to visit Sri Lanka.
As the weather in April is generally hot and dry and the sky is clear, it’s the perfect time to be out in nature, lounge on the tropical beaches and explore everything this island has to offer. Since it’s the end of the peak season, the big crowds have left, and most places aren’t as busy. I spent 10 days there in April and had a wonderful time!
However, there are a few things to be aware of if you plan to travel to Sri Lanka in April in order to have a smooth trip without any negative surprises. In this blog post, I’ll take you through everything you need to know about visiting Sri Lanka at that time, including what kind of weather to expect, which cultural festivities you’ll see and what activities to do.
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Weather in April in Sri Lanka
The weather in April in Sri Lanka is hot and dry across most of the country. It is generally considered the hottest month of the year, although there are regional variations. For example, in Sigiriya, which is one of the hottest places in Sri Lanka, the average high is 34°C (93°F), whereas in Nuwara Eliya it’s only 22°C (72°F).
Sri Lanka has a tropical climate and two monsoon seasons (May to September and October to January) that affect different parts of the country. Since April falls between the two monsoons, it’s a great time to visit Sri Lanka, especially if you want to explore all the different sides of the country, as the weather is pleasant everywhere. If you’re visiting in late April, though, be aware that the chance of rain increases on the west and south coasts as the monsoon season approaches.
With that said, the weather in Sri Lanka is getting more and more unpredictable due to climate change, so you can never really be sure what it’s going to be like.
I visited Sri Lanka in the middle of April and overall, the weather was great. We did get a bit of rain in Nuwara Eliya and Ella, and some very hot days in Sigiriya, but it didn’t affect our trip in a negative way.
I tolerate high temperatures quite well and didn’t find the heat to be a big issue. However, if you’re sensitive to heat, you might struggle, especially in the Cultural Triangle region (Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa, Anuradhapura and Dambulla), where temperatures are in mid-30°C’s (95°F) in April. In the Hill Country (Kandy, Ella, Nuwara Eliya), the temperatures are more comfortable and hover around mid-20°C’s (77°F).
Also, do your sightseeing and hiking in the morning or late afternoon to avoid the midday heat.
When staying in the Cultural Triangle region or on the coast, I recommend booking hotels with pools so you have the opportunity to cool down in the middle of the day. In Sigiriya, we stayed at The Cottage Sigiriya and on the south coast, we stayed in Tangalle at Simply Peace, which are both amazing boutique hotels with nice pools.
What to expect when visiting Sri Lanka in April
Sinhalese and Tamil New Year
If you’re visiting Sri Lanka in mid-April, you’ll likely see some local New Year celebrations around the country. The Sinhalese and Tamil New Year (Avurudu) takes place on April 13 or 14, and is one of the most important cultural celebrations in Sri Lanka.
Being in Sri Lanka during this time has both pros and cons, in my opinion. The obvious positive side is that you’ll get to see and experience some interesting cultural traditions as the locals celebrate the new year with traditional games, rituals, fireworks and special food. There will be something happening all over the country, from larger events in cities to smaller gatherings in villages.
If you’re staying at a hotel, the staff will likely arrange some games or offer you some local delicacies. We got to try various traditional New Year sweets at our hotel.
However, the downside of visiting Sri Lanka during the Sinhala and Tamil New Year is that some places, such as Nuwara Eliya and the beaches in the south, will be more crowded and have more traffic due to the festivities. Since many locals also take time off work for a week after the New Year celebrations, some businesses and restaurants stay closed during those days.
We were not aware of this holiday when planning our Sri Lanka itinerary and spent the local New Year’s Day in Nuwara Eliya. To our surprise, we found out that Nuwara Eliya is one of the most popular places to be at that time. It was packed with people, the traffic was very heavy, and there was a festival going on with carnival rides and colorful lights.
Even though it was interesting to see the celebrations, I’d recommend avoiding Nuwara Eliya around this holiday if you can. The town was simply too crowded and chaotic because of the festivities, and it was a bit hard to get around due to all the traffic.
Besides the crowds and the traffic, the Sinhalese and Tamil New Year celebrations didn’t really affect our Sri Lanka trip. We could easily find taxis and tuk-tuks, all the places we wanted to visit were open, and most restaurants and cafes were operating normally.
Beaches
April offers excellent conditions for a beach holiday in Sri Lanka. The weather is hot and the skies are clear. On the south and west coast, the sea is relatively calm and the water temperature is very warm, around 28-30°C (82-86°F), making it ideal for swimming.
We spent a few days on the south coast towards the end of our trip in April, and the weather was superb. We hopped from one beach to another, swam in the turquoise ocean, snorkeled with sea turtles and soaked up the sun under swaying palm trees.
Wildlife watching
April is considered a great month for spotting wildlife in Sri Lanka. Due to the dry weather, animals in the national parks often gather around water holes, which makes it easier to see them.
With that said, remember that wildlife sightings are never guaranteed because nature is unpredictable. We visited Yala National Park, and while we did see lots of animals (such as crocodiles, monkeys, buffalo peacocks and others), we didn’t see any leopards, which is what the park is known for, and only saw a few elephants.
April is also a good month for dolphin and whale watching in Sri Lanka because that’s when these majestic mammals migrate through Sri Lanka’s waters, and the sea is calm enough for boat tours. The best areas for whale watching tours are Galle and Mirissa on the south coast, where there’s a high chance of spotting a variety of whale species, including the blue whale, the largest animal in the world.
Prices
Hotel prices in April are generally lower than in the peak season (January and February) as there are fewer tourists around. An exception here is the Sinhalese and Tamil New Year celebrations (April 13-20), when there’s a higher demand from the locals. If your Sri Lanka trip is around those dates, book your hotel well in advance.
Below is a video of our Sri Lanka trip, where you can get a glimpse of what the country looks like in April:
What to do in Sri Lanka in April
The good thing about visiting Sri Lanka in April is that you can do all the activities this country has to offer, whether it’s hiking, going on a safari, visiting waterfalls, lounging on the beach or exploring historical and religious sites.
Here are my recommendations on the top things to do in Sri Lanka:
- Explore Ella and its surroundings – This lovely mountain town was my favorite destination of our Sri Lanka trip. Here you should visit the Nine Arch Bridge, hike to Ella Rock, watch the sunrise from Little Adam’s Peak and take the scenic Ella train. For more tips on fun activities in the area, read my blog post on the best things to do in Ella.
- Observe wildlife in national parks – Sri Lanka has many national parks where you can go on a safari and see a variety of wild animals, such as elephants, sloth bears, leopards and monkeys in their natural habitat. Yala National Park is the most famous one and is the best one for leopard sightings, but it’s also the busiest. Udawalawe National Park is considered the best one for seeing elephants.
- Enjoy the views from Sigiriya Rock – Situated in the Cultural Triangle, this ancient UNESCO-listed rock fortress is a must-visit place on every Sri Lanka itinerary. The 200 m (660 ft) tall rock offers impressive panoramic views of the surrounding countryside and has some interesting ruins to explore. While you’re in the area, you should also visit Pidurangala Rock, where you get a nice view of Sigiriya Rock.
- Go hiking in the Central Highlands – April is a wonderful time for hikes in the lush and mountainous Central Highlands region. Explore trails in the mountains around Ella, the Horton Plains National Park and the Knuckles Mountain Range.
- Relax on the beaches – The best beaches of Sri Lanka are on the south coast of the island, and April is a great time to enjoy them. Out of all the beaches I visited, my favorites were Silent Beach and Dickwella Beach, but many people also love Mirissa and Hiriketiya.
- Get lost on the streets of Galle Fort – This fortified colonial town on the south coast is known for its charming cobblestone streets and historic architecture with British, Dutch and Portuguese influences. There are dozens of cool restaurants and cafes, nice souvenir shops, art galleries and little boutiques to explore.
I hope this blog post gave you a good understanding of what it’s like to visit Sri Lanka in April. If you have any questions, feel free to leave them in the comments below.
Be sure to also read my post on how to spend 10 days in Sri Lanka for inspiration and tips for planning your itinerary.
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